"Joshua Huddy Special Event"
| On March 24th, 1782 Joshua Huddy, then commander of
the Blockhouse at the mouth of the Toms River, was
captured and taken to a prisoner holding ship in New
York. The day of his capture was a bloody day in the
history of Toms River, New Jersey. All houses, save two,
were burned to the ground. All the village's men were
captured and killed, all the women and children scattered
to never see their families again. Captain Huddy was
ordered executed by Governor Franklin, son of Benjamin
Franklin, for the death of a refugee named White. His
execution was more a retalitory murder by the Tory
Officer Lippencott, as Huddy was imprisoned at the time
of White's death. Joshua Huddy was taken to Sandy Hook and hanged at the cliffs, after being allowed to write his last will and testament. He did so calmly and proclaimed his innocence within that document. His will is on display at the Historical Museum in Newark. There was an uprising of Toms River inhabitants to George Washington to execute Lippencott for Huddy's wrongful death. General Washington ordered the execution of a Tory officer of the same rank as Huddy instead. The DAR has erected a bronze plaque in Huddy Park, near the original site of the Blockhouse, in Huddy's memory. In 1962, the Department of Defense erected a marker at the Tennent Church Cemetary where Huddy is buried, his grave was previously unmarked and this marker is not believed to be at the actual gravesite. In memory of the man known as the Monmouth Martyr, OCSPARC will be holding a Special Event using the call sign W2H. Certificates will be issued and can be claimed by sending a 9x12 SASE to KC2KRZ, PO Box 3055, Toms River, NJ 08756. Frequencies to be used will be (plus or minus depending upon other use) 7.270, 14.270, 28.370 for PHONE and 7.125, 14.125, 28.125 for CW. |