John Cadwalader (general)

John Cadwalader (January 10, 1742 – February 10, 1786) was a merchant and soldier from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a brigadier general of the Pennsylvania militia during the American Revolutionary War.

Family life

John Cadwalader was born in Philadelphia of Quaker parentage, the eldest son of Thomas and Hannah (Lambert) Cadwalader. [Kent, p. 15] The family resided in Philadelphia and later in Trenton, New Jersey. He was a merchant with his brother Lambert in Philadelphia.

His first wife was Elizabeth Lloyd of Talbot County, Maryland. His second was Williamina Bond of Philadelphia.

American Revolution

Cadwalader's most significant military operation occurred during the Battle of Trenton and its aftermath. Cadwalader was in command of a second column of approximately 2,000 men about 10 miles south of Trenton on the west side of the Delaware River near Bristol in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Cadwalader's forces were ordered to cross the Delaware River to Burlington on Christmas day, 1776, and march to Trenton from the south. Meanwhile, George Washington's column would cross the river to the north of Trenton and attack the city from that direction. [ Fischer, p. 213: A detailed map of the battle plan.] After successfully crossing his light forces, Cadwalader discovered that river ice prevented crossing his artillery. He then returned his column to the Pennsylvania side, leaving Washington's forces unsupported in New Jersey. Nevertheless, Washington prevailed in his celebrated surprise attack against the Hessian garrison in Trenton the morning of December 26. [Fischer, p. 229, 242] Cadwalader did cross the river with his force the next day. [Fischer, p. 265]

Cadwalader subsequently took part in the further actions in New Jersey, which forced the British commander General William Howe and his principal subordinate, Lord Cornwallis, to surrender the state to the Americans. After the Conway Cabal, he fought a duel with Thomas Conway in 1778 in which Cadwalader wounded his opponent with a shot in the mouth.

Later life

In 1779, Cadwalader became a trustee of the University of Pennsylvania and returned to his estate on the banks of the Sassafras River at Shrewsbury, Kent County, Maryland. He became a member of the Maryland State Assembly. [Jordan]

His daughter, Maria, married Samuel Ringgold, later a congressman representing Maryland. Two of their sons (Cadwalader's grandsons), Samuel Ringgold and Cadwalader Ringgold (named after his grandfather) had distinguished military careers. Another daughter, Francis, married David Erskine, 2nd Baron Erskine, who was the British Ambassador to the United States from 1807 to 1809.

His son, John, was born May 1, 1784 and died July 10, 1785. [Kent, p. 15] Another son, Thomas, like his father, became a general of the Pennsylvania militia.

John Cadwalader died February 10, 1786. [Jordan] [Rodgers] He is buried at Shrewsbury Chapel.

Thomas Paine wrote his epitaph:

His early and inflexible patriotism will endear his memory to all true friends of the American Revolution. It may with strictest justice be said of him, that he possessed a heart incapable of deceiving. His manners were formed on the nicest sense of honor and the whole tenor of his life was governed by this principle. The companions of his youth were the companions of his manhood. He never lost a friend by insincerity nor made one by deception. His domestic virtues were truly exemplary and while they served to endear the rememberances they embitter the loss of him to all his numerous friends and connexions. [Kent, p. 15]

Notes

References

*Fischer, David Hackett (2004), "Washington's Crossing", New York: Oxford University Press, ISBN 0195170342
*Jordan, John W. (1914), "Encyclopedia of Pennsylvania biography", New York: Lewis Historical Pub. Co., 111: 720-723
*Kent County Heritage Committee (2003), "Guide to Kent County heritage", Chestertown, Maryland
*"Rodgers Biographical Dictionary", "General John Cadwallader ("sic")", p. 224-228

External links

* [http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?655,348672,348672#msg-348672 John Cadwalader family history]
* [http://virtualology.com/apjohncadwalader/ Biography and portrait at Virtualology.com]
* [http://www.archives.upenn.edu/histy/features/1700s/people/cadwalader_john.html Biography and portrait at the University of Pennsylvania]