At one time it was rumored that the Refugee, Captain John Bacon, with a party of his marauders, was on his way to Manahawken, on a plundering expedition, and such of the militia as could be notified, were hastily summoned together at Captain Randolph's house to prepare to meet them. The handful of militia remained on the alert the greater part of the night, but towards morning, finding the enemy failed to appear, they concluded it was a false alarm, and, retired to sleep, after stationing sentinels. Tradition says that the sentinels were stationed on the main road, two above the hotel, and two below, and that on one post were Jeremiah Bennett and Job Randolph, and on the other, Seth Crane and Samuel Bennett, and that Captain Randolph superintended the lookout.

The Refugees came down the road from the north, and the first intimation the sentinels stationed near the old Baptist church had of their approach, was hearing their bayonets strike together as they were marching. The sentinels halted long enough to see that the party was quite large, double the number of the militia, and firing, ran across the fields to give the alarm. By the time the few militia were aroused, the Refugees were abreast of the house, and before the Americans could form, they were fired upon, and Lines Pangburn killed, and Sylvester Tilton severely wounded. The militia were compelled to retreat down the lane before they could organize, when, finding the Refugees had the larger force, and were well armed, they were reluctantly compelled to decline pursuing them. The Refugees passed down the road towards West Creek.

Tilton, who was so severely wounded, recovered almost miraculously, as the ball passed clear through him, going in by one shoulder and out at his breast; the physician, as is well authenticated, passed a silk handkerchief completely through the wound. After the war was over, Tilton removed to Colt's Neck, where it is believed some of his descendants now live. Lines Pangburn, who was killed, was probably the same person who aided in organizing the Baptist church at Manahawken, was the first delegate to the General Association, and also the man referred to so very kindly by Rev. John Murray, as "Esquire" Pangburn.

Sylvester Tilton always believed that a Refugee named Brewer, was the man who wounded him, and he vowed to have revenge if he should ever meet him.

Several years after the war closed, he heard that Brewer was at a certain place, and he started after him unarmed, though he knew Brewer was always well provided with weapons. He found Brewer and closed in on him before the Refugee could avail himself of weapons, and gave him a most unmerciful beating; it would probably have fared worse with Brewer but for the interference of a much esteemed Quaker named James Willets. After Tilton had finished, he told Brewer, "You scoundrel, you tried to kill me once, and I have now settled with you for it, and you've got to leave here and follow the rest of your gang." The rest of the Refugees had fled to Nova Scotia.

After the war the widow of Lines Pangburn applied to the court at Freehold for relief and the following is a copy of the record in the Clerk's office:

"To the Honorable Court of Quarter Sessions to be holden in and for the county of Monmouth. WHEREAS L. Pangburn, a militiaman, an inhabitant of Stafford, under command of Captain Joseph Randolph, who was shot dead as he stood on guard, by a party of Refugees, on the thirty-first day of December, 1780, in the presence of Sylvester Tilton (who was shot through with a bullet at the same time) and Reuben Randolph, both being sworn and affirmed before me, Amos Pharo, say the above facts are true.

SYLVESTER TILTON,
REUBEN RANDOLPH.

Now the widow of him, the deceased, by the name of Ann Pangburn, prays that your Honors may give her some aid for her support as she is blind and in low circumstances.

The Court allowed her half pay."