On the South Jersey shores, smuggling was a significant activity during the Revolutionary War period. The region’s geography, with its numerous inlets, rivers, and dense forests, made it an ideal location for smuggling operations. These activities were driven by a combination of economic necessity and the desire to undermine British control and taxation.
The “Old Inlet” south of Long Beach was an excellent entry point into either Little Egg Harbor or Chestnut Neck. In what became Cape May County, the Tuckahoe River and Great Egg Harbor provided additional entrances, while in Atlantic County, Chestnut Neck at the mouth of the Mullica River became a major entry point and significant annoyance to the British.
Vessels and their contents were usually sold at public auction, with the proceeds divided among the privateers. The hauls included molasses, sugar, coffee, cocoa, salt, cotton, whale oil, and whatever items could be stolen or purchased cheaply in the Caribbean and sold for a substantial profit.
Importantly, the dense forests and swamps of the Pine Barrens and other wooded areas offered excellent cover for storing and transporting smuggled goods, making it difficult for British authorities to track and intercept these operations.
During this time, privateers were not only authorized by The Continental Congress through The Letters of Marque and Reprisal, individual state governments also issued Letters of Marque. This decentralized approach meant that many privateers operated under both state and congressional authority.
These official government licenses allowed private individuals (privateers) to outfit ships for war and attack enemy commerce, specifically British ships. However, privateers had to follow certain regulations. They were required to bring captured enemy ships (prizes) to an American port for adjudication in a prize court, which would decide the legality of the capture and distribute the proceeds from the sale of the captured goods.
The economic benefits were huge. Smuggling provided much-needed supplies to the colonists, who faced shortages due to British blockades and trade restrictions. Plus, smuggling was a form of economic resistance against British taxation and trade regulations. By bypassing British controls, smugglers supported the colonial cause and weakened British economic power, bolstering the American economy through the sale of captured goods, which also created an informal, but thriving black market.
The British attempted to curb smuggling through naval patrols and raids on known smuggling hubs. However, the shallow waters and numerous hiding places along the South Jersey shore made it difficult for the larger British Man-O-War ships to pursue and capture smuggling vessels effectively.
One misconception is about pirates destroying ships. They rarely sank ships they raided. Ships were incredibly valuable. They brought a huge price when sold or added to a privateer’s fleet. They would either take them back to a port like Port Royale or Chestnut Neck, and sell them or strip them to help maintain their own ship.
Sailing ships were complex machines and took a lot of constant maintenance and money to keep them going. Sinking a ship would have been viewed as a waste of very valuable resources and potential profit.
During the Revolutionary War, the South Jersey region played a key role in supporting George Washington’s Continental Army. Smuggled goods from the area, including food, whale oil, arms, and ammunition, were crucial to the army’s survival and war efforts.
Local residents who sympathized with the rebels were actively involved in these smuggling operations. They formed a well-organized network that made sure supplies reached Washington’s troops, despite British attempts to cut off supply lines. Their efforts were vital in keeping the Continental Army equipped and ready for battle.
Excerpted from Scoundrels & Seafarers, by Louis P. Mascolo. The book is available from Amazon and through the author’s website: https://louismascolo.substack.com
