The Provincial Congress of New Jersey passed an act on August 16, 1775 for the creation of the New Jersey Militia. The Provincial Congress and the Committee of Safety selected the officers and on October 28, 1775, the Congress of New Jersey ordered that all men capable of bearing arms had to enlist. In July of 1776, New Jersey had to muster a militia unit of 2,000 men that consisted of four battalions made up of thirty companies of sixty-four men each. Essex County furnished three companies led by Colonel Edward Thomas. The Essex County militia was ordered to the northeast side of the Raritan River and later fought at the battles of Quinton's Bridge (1778), Hancock's Bridge (1778), Three Rivers (1776), Connecticut Farms (1780), Van Nest's Mills, Long Island, Trenton (1776), Assumpink, Princeton (1777), Germantown (1777), Springfield (1780) and Monmouth (1778).
From the description of Essex Brigade, Second Regiment record book, 1776-1778. (New Jersey Historical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 53399979
