Benjamin Tusten

  Benjamin Tusten was born on December 11, 1743 in Southhold New York. He was meant to be a farmer as was his father, Colonel Benjamin Tusten Sr. But because of his poor health he was sent to the academy to learn mathematics, Latin, and Greek. This education enabled him to join a more suitable profession. He choose medicine. 

Depicting Benjamin Tusten caring for the wounded.

   We see a glimpse of Benjamin's unyielding determination in 1770, a time when small pox inoculation was passionately opposed. The inoculation of small pox was only used as a last resort, a final chance for recovery. Benjamin recognized the potential usefulness of the vaccination.  In spite of the naysayers, he rented out four houses and filled them with people infected with smallpox. There Benjamin successfully immunized 800 people. Thus, it could be said that he saved 800 lives. The success of this "experiment" completely changed the popular feelings against small pox inoculation. 

   The year 1777 found Benjamin Tusten getting involved in the Revolutionary War. He was in favor of the war. He saw strongly the need for America to be independent from her mother country, Great Britain. He was appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the Goshen Regiment of Militia under General Allison. 

   In July, 1779 General Joseph Brant, a Mohawk chief that was commissioned by the British army, led a strong group of fellow Indians to raid a town called Minisack and the surrounding valley settlements. These raids were for the purpose of gaining supplies and demoralizing the colonists.   They burned over twenty buildings all the while killing and capturing civilians. Colonel Benjamin Tusten with his Militia of Goshen were called to go to their aid along with the Militia of Sussex County, led by Major Samuel Meeker. Altogether they totaled about 150 men. 

    A council of war was held to decide what to do about these Indians under the British flag raiding American settlements.  All but one called for immediate attack. They were ready for the glory of battle! They were typical Americans. They thought they could beat the living tar out of anyone. It didn't matter that they were out numbered two to one. While their bravery is to be admired, they acted hastily without weighing all of the factors. Benjamin Tusten was the only one to speak out against an immediate attack. He felt that the enemy forces were too strong for them and that they should wait for reinforcements from the Continental Army. After much argument, Major Meeker mounted his horse and with the wave of his sword said, "Let the brave men follow me: the cowards stay behind." So it was decided. The controversy ended and the march began. They marched through the night and moved into position July 22nd in the hills above the Delaware River. Ambush and destroy the enemy, that was their goal.  

Hospital Rock: where Benjamin Tusten tended
to his wounded men and where he was killed.

   As Brant's forces were crossing the Minisack Ford, Captain Tyler Bezelael III shot at one of Brant's Indian scouts. The shot made Brant aware of the colonist's presence. Conscious of the plot against him, he quickly outflanked Meeker's forces splitting them into two groups. Meeker was unable to regroup for a counter attack. He quickly realized his only option was a hasty retreat. This left Benjamin Tusten and his men of the Goshen Militia surrounded and outnumbered. 

   They fought bravely for several hours. After running out of ammuniton they resorted to hand to hand combat at which the Indians were far superior. Tusten was told by a wounded and retreating Colonel Hathorne to leave the battlefield and save himself. Benjamin Tusten refused to leave his dying men behind. Not long after, the lines were breached and they were run over. Benjamin, now wounded, was with his men on Hospital Rock tending to the wounded.  He was killed with a tomahawk to the head. The men of the Goshen Militia had killed only 7 Indians. It was a slaughter.  

The mass grave where the remnants
of the Goshen Militia are buried.

   General Meeker, the one who had called for all the brave men to follow him and the cowards to stay behind, left for home. Colonel Benjamin Tusten left behind his wife and five children. The battlefield was too far from home and to dangerous of a journey for the family members of those who died to find and bury the bodies. Not until 1822, 43 years later, was a committee established to search the battlefield for bones of the lost. They were buried in a mass grave.            Giving ones life for a cause is, I believe, the greatest act of devotion. That is the ultimate sacrifice. I can only hope that if I were to be put in the circumstances of Benjamin Tusten that I would make such a heroic stand as he did. He had the opportunity to go back home to his family. He was told to quit the battlefield. I'm quite certain it was not an easy decision he made deciding to face certain inevitable death. But Benjamin Tusten was a man of character. And for him that was the only choice. 
   I think if he would have chosen to leave his men behind, it would have been a more painful death. It would've dealt a strong blow to his soul. He would have forever carried the memory of leaving behind his men, hearing the deathly screams as he ran away. Knowing that he should have died there with them that day. I suppose that would cause a very long lasting pain. And yet I believe that Benjamin died in peace, knowing that he did his duty. He gave his life for his country. It is because of his sacrifice and many, many more that we live in such freedom. This country has become great because of people like Benjamin Tusten. People who answer the call and give their all until the very end, even if that end is death.