During the war of 1812-14, Ocean county vessels trading to New York and elsewhere, found their business seriously injured by British cruisers on our coast. Occasionally some bold, fortunate master of a vessel would succeed in eluding the enemy's vigilance, and arrive safely at New York; but generally they were not so fortunate. Commodore Hardy, in his flag-ship, the "Ramillies," a 74-gun ship, had command of the British blockading squadron on our coast, All accounts, written and traditional, concede that he was one of the most honorable officers in the British service. Unlike the infamous Admiral Cockburn, who commanded the blockading squadron further south, Hardy never took private property of Americans, except contraband in war, without offering compensation. By his vigilance he inflicted considerable damage to our coasters, and by nearly stopping this trade, injury also resulted to a large portion of other citizens then depending on the lumber trade.

On the last day of March, 1813, Hardy, in the "Ramillies," came close to Barnegat Inlet and sent in barges loaded with armed men after two American vessels lying in the inlet. They boarded the schooner "Greyhound," Captain Jesse Rogers, of Potter's Creek, and attempted to take her out, but she grounded. The enemy then set fire to her and she was burned, together with her cargo of lumber. They then set fire to a sloop belonging to Captain Jonathan Winner, Hezekiah Soper and Timothy Soper, of Waretown. This vessel was saved, however, as signals were fired by the Commodore, recalling the barges in haste, that he might start in pursuit of some vessel at sea. As soon as the barges left, the Americans went on board the sloop and extinguished the fire. The name of the sloop has generally been given as the "Mary Elizabeth," but one or two old residents insist that it was the "Susan." The probability is that vessels of both names were fired, but at different times. While the barges were in the inlet a party landed on the beach, on the south side, and killed fifteen head of cattle belonging to Jeremiah Spragg and John Allen. The owners were away, but the British left word that if they presented their bill to Commodore Hardy, he would settle it, as he generally did similar ones. But the owners were too patriotic to attempt anything that seemed like furnishing supplies to the enemy.

At another time the schooner "President," Captain Amos Birdsall, of Waretown, bound to New York, was taken by Commodore Hardy, who at once commenced to take from the schooner her spars, deck planks, etc. Captain Birdsall, with his crew, had liberty to leave in their yawl; but on account of a heavy sea they were detained a day or two on board, when they succeeded in getting on board a fishing smack, and thus got home. Before Captain Birdsall left the "Ramillies," the masts of his schooner had been sawed into plank by the British.

The sloop "Elizabeth," Captain Thomas Bunnell, of Forked River, was captured by barges sent into Barnegat Inlet, and towed out to sea; but it is said she was shortly after lost on Long Island. The captain saw the barges coming, and he and the crew escaped in the yawl. She was owned by William Piatt and Captain Bunnell. At another time Captain Bunnell was taken out of another vessel and detained by the British some time, and then put on hoard a neutral vessel, said to have been Spanish, and thus got to New York. The sloop "Traveler," Captain Asa Grant, was set on fire by the British, but the fire was extinguished after the British left. At another time, two sloops, one named the "Maria," Captain Joshua Warren, and the other the "Friendship," Captain Thomas Mills, were chased ashore near Squan. They were coming down the beach, when Commodore Hardy espied and stood for them, and they ran ashore. Hardy sent barges ashore to plunder them. One boat came to the "Friendship," and the bowsman caught hold of the taffrail to jump on hoard. Jesse Chadwick, a soldier of the Revolution, went to the edge of the shore and shot the man. The barges then put back to the ship, which fired about two hundred balls at the sloops.

A vessel commanded by Captain John Rogers, who lived near Toms River, was also captured, and Rogers himself detained for a while on the British man-of-war. Captain Rogers used frequently to relate his adventures on this ill-starred trip which cost him his vessel.

Captain Jesse Rogers, of the "Greyhound," who lived to quite an advanced age, made efforts to have his losses reimbursed by Congress, as did also Messrs. Spragg and Allen and others, but they were unsuccessful.

At Waretown much excitement was created by the barges of Commodore Hardy entering the inlet and burning the "Greyhound." At Forked River a new dwelling and store had just been erected at the upper Landing by Charles Parker, father of ex-Governor Joel Parker. Mr. Parker informed the writer that though his house was unfinished, yet the roof was filled with persons watching Hardy's proceedings. Judge Jacob Birdsall, then a boy, was among the children sent to dwellings back in the woods for safety.

The war of 1812 did not seem to be a very popular one in New Jersey, as the political party opposing it generally carried the State. To raise troops, a draft was at one time ordered along shore, which called for one man in every seven. This draft, however, seemed to work but little hardship, as seven men would club together to hire a substitute, who could generally be engaged for a bonus of fifty dollars. Most of the men obtained under the orders for drafting were sent to defend Sandy Hook, where, from the reports they subsequently made, their time was principally occupied in uttering maledictions on commissaries for furnishing them with horse beef and other objectionable grub. Among those who volunteered, the last survivor at Forked River was the late Gershom Ayres, who served under General Rossell. At Waretown, Ralph Chambers was the last survivor. He was properly entitled to a pension for wounds received in the battle of Plattsburg; but as he had money of his own when wounded, he hired medical attendance at a private house to insure good attention, by which means his name escaped being embraced in the official report of wounded. At Barnegat, Tunis Bodine was the last survivor of the war of 1812, and received a pension for his services. In September, 1877, Mr. Bodine completed his eighty-sixth year, and was remarkably well and hearty.