“Sir, I give you this bread through fear, not love.”
During the Revolutionary war Gershom and Elizabeth "Aunt Betty” Frazee lived in a modest house. The Frazees fed and housed militia troops under Captain Eliakim Littell in February 1777.“Aunt Betty” Frazee was was a bread baker and known to locals in the area as such. The Battle of the Short Hills had just been fought in the nearby Ash Swamp. It was close enough that she would have been able to hear the cannon fire and smell the gunpowder. It is thought that she was actually baking bread intended for the Continental Army’s troops. Apparently the appetizing aroma of the bread led him and another high ranking officer to the house.
”Sir, I give you this bread through fear, not love"
There is a legend that after the Battle of the Short Hills, British General Cornwallis stopped at the Frazee house at the smell of baking bread. According to the legend, Cornwallis introduced himself and asked Betty if he could obtain some bread for his troops.
Aunt Betty came away from her oven to meet British General Cornwallis approaching her home. Apparently the appetizing aroma of the bread led him and another high ranking officer to the house. The legend states that General Cornwallis addressed Aunt Betty saying, “I want the first loaf of bread that next comes from that oven.” Her courageous reply to the powerful general of the enemy’s army was, “Sir, I give you this bread through fear, not love.” Affronted by the reply, Cornwallis is said to have then refused her bread and ordered, “Not a man in my command shall touch a single loaf.”
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The British officers road off on their horses continuing their march through Scotch Plains and the surrounding area to the Watchung Mountains. No bread was taken, but according to plunder claims filed by Gershom Frazee for that historic day, the British soldiers pillaged the property of many other items. Specifically listed on the inventory entitled “Tools Lost by the regular Forces, June 26th 1777” were 64 woodworking tools, 3 cows, 23 sheep, a hive of bees and household goods.
This cache is one of "The American Revolution Geo~Trail" caches throughout New Jersey. These special geocaches are hidden at historic locations which have a connection to important New Jersey's American Revolutionary War history. To participate in the optional Geo-Trail, after you find the geocache, locate the secret code and record it into your passport which you will print from the Geo~Trail website. Information at njpatriots.com
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