History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Prominent Men . e of disarming the Tories there. On Aug. 31,1775, he was appointed colonel of the battalion ofminute-men in the county of Middlesex, and wascommissioned by the Provincial Congress of NewJersey. His commission was signed by HendrickFisher, A draft of an address made byhim on assuming command remains among his papers,and reveals a man who had thrown his whole soulinto the struggle, with a appreciation ofthe merits of the contest, and must have awakened aspirit of
History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Prominent Men . e of disarming the Tories there. On Aug. 31,1775, he was appointed colonel of the battalion ofminute-men in the county of Middlesex, and wascommissioned by the Provincial Congress of NewJersey. His commission was signed by HendrickFisher, A draft of an address made byhim on assuming command remains among his papers,and reveals a man who had thrown his whole soulinto the struggle, with a appreciation ofthe merits of the contest, and must have awakened aspirit of enthusiasm among his hearers. Such was the public appreciation of Col. Neilson*ability and patriotism that he was urged early in1776 to take a seat in the Continental Congress ofthat year, which was to consider the grave measureof the declaration of independence. His presence inthe State was, however, considered so necessary thathe was led to decline tne honor. A copy of the Declaration was sent him by Con-gress, its the man whose patriotism and influencewould be most likely to secure it a favorable recep-. ~V^hA KRlKhte ^-^<^^ v^^^^^^g;^ MIDDLESEX COUNTY IN THE REVOLUTION. 469 tion in his part of the State. A meeting, whichcomprised a large portion of the inhabitants of theneighborhood, was held on the public streets of NewBrunswick to hear it read, and a violent oppositionwas feared; but Col. Neilson, fearless of personaldanger, read the instrument to the people, and at itsconclusion was greeted with loud cheers by so great amajority that the opponents of the measure did notdare to avow themselves. During the dark and gloomy days of 1776, whenWashingtons army was reduced to a mere handful,and his countrys cause was trembling in the Neilson was bending every energy to its devoted himself to recruiting, the most importantservice, perhaps, of the time, infusing his own patri-otic spirit into his countrymen, was employed inguarding the State from the in
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