Author: Michael Warren McCormick
Andrew Applegate served in the Militia of New Jersey during the Revolutionary War as a private in Captain John Pyatt's Company of the Middlesex County Regiment. He marched under his Captain and Colonel Heard in the winter of 1776 to disarm the Tories of Long Island, New York. After three weeks he was called into service again with Captain John Pyatt's company and Colonel John Dykers. They marched to Amboy, Elizabeth Town, Powles-hook, and Bergen at the time the British fleet sailed up to New York, and Applegate was out in this town one month. Applegate went with the same captain to Staten Island to take some of the enemy's out-guards. In January 1777 Applegate was called into service under the Company of Captain Peter Perrine, under the command of Colonels Jacob Hyre and John Neilson. He was stationed at Cranbury during the time the British army lay at New Brunswick. Applegate continued there until about June 1777. He reported that they were "relieved parts of the time by other parts of the militia, and while there [I] was out on numerous scouting parties guarding and protecting the inhabitants from the many and numerous excursions of the enemy, whilst they lay at that place."

Again with Captain Perrine and Colonel Hyre--at the time the British army marched from New Brunswick to Somerset Courthouse--Applegate marched through Somerset County to Cux-town(?), Hunterdon County. Then they marched on to Sourland Mountain, and next to Steels-gap where part of General Washington's army lay. When the enemy retreated, they marched to the North of the Road leading from New Brunswick to Perth Amboy, to Piscataway Town where he continued out at least one month. In the same year (1777) Applegate was again called out under Captain Perrine and Colonel Neilson, and they marched to Trenton--at the time the British army was marching to Philadelphia. After some time there they marched to Elizabeth Town to guard the shores opposite of Staten Island--where the enemy lay at that time, particularly the armed Tories. The Tories made frequent excursions and committed many depredations on the inhabitants of that part of the state. He served he for about two one-month terms.

In 1787 the British army crossed from Philadelphia into New Jersey--previous to the battle of Monmouth. Applegate was again called out under Captain Perrine and now Colonel William Scudder with their company to march to Trenton, Black Horse, Mount Holly, and other places. Their company retreated before the enemy to Allentown and so on near to the battle ground, but not in the battle. They also marched to Newark, Springfield, and some other places. Later under the same command he marched to South Amboy and Cheesequakes, again guarding the shores from frequent "depredations of the enemy".

Paraphrased mostly from Andrew Applegate's Revolutionary War pension file, page 5. It is largely his own statement about his service as he remembered it at age 76. Transcription and paraphrasing by Michael W. McCormick, 5x great grandson.