Sandy Hook in Middletown Township in Monmouth County, New Jersey — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
H.M.S. Assistance Tragedy Memorial
Halyburton Monument
Photographed By R. C.
1. H.M.S. Assistance Tragedy Memorial Marker
On this spot were buried the remains of the Honorable Hamilton Douglas Halyburton, 1st Lieutenant, Royal Navy, son of the Earl of Morton, and James Champion, Lieutenant of Marines.
Together with twelve members of the crew of H.M.S. Assistance who died here at Sandy Hook in line of duty on December 31, 1783.
Erected 1939.
Topics. This historical marker and memorial is listed in these topic lists: War, US Revolutionary • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical month for this entry is December 1862.
Location. 40° 26.895′ N, 73° 59.75′ W. Marker is in Middletown Township, New Jersey, in Monmouth County. It is in Sandy Hook. Marker is on Hartshorne Drive. Monument is on Hartshorne Drive, which is the only road in or out of Sandy Hook Recreational Area. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Highlands NJ 07732, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. A Last Tragic Episode of the American Revolution (within shouting distance of this marker); British Embarkation (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Nike Missile Radar Site (about 600 feet away); Nike Missile Site (about 600 feet away); Nike-Hercules (approx. 0.7 miles away); Nike Ajax Explosion Memorial
this page online
Additional commentary.
1. Names of the dead crewmembers
Lieutenant [Honorable Hamilton Douglas-]Hallyburton**
Lt [James] Champion (Marines)
Midshipmen Mr Rt Haywood, Chas Gascoigne, Wm Spry, Geo. Towers, Geo. Faddy, Wm Scott, Davd Reddie, Alex. Johnstone, Andw Hamilton, Robt Wood, Wm Tomlinson
Seaman Jno McChain
— Submitted December 13, 2008.
2. Loyalists' grave site found in Sandy Hook
An Asbury Park Press article written by Carole Ann Lang and published July 11 2005 reported, in part:
A detachment of 14 [Royal Navy crewmembers], led by 21-year-old 1st Lt. Hamilton Douglas Halyburton, began a hot pursuit. But shortly after leaving the ship, Halyburton and his men were attacked by a howling blizzard.
All those in the company perished and were eventually found frozen to death in a Sandy Hook salt marsh. The deserters were
Photographed By R. C.
2. Two British Flags Fly over the Monument
Later, Lt. Halyburton's mother, the dowager Countess of Morton, had a monument erected over the resting place of her son and his comrades.
But vandals destroyed the marker so completely that the grave site was lost. Fortunately, the bodies were found in 1908, when a group of workmen grading a railroad bed for the U.S. Army came upon the burial site under the sands of the peninsula.
The bones were taken to Cypress Hills National Cemetery in Brooklyn, where they now truly rest in peace.
— Submitted December 13, 2008.
Additional keywords. H.M.S. Assistance Tragedy Memorial
Photographed By R. C.
3. H.M.S. Assistance Monument and Plaque
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, September 20, 2009
4. Memorial on Sandy Hook
Photographed By R. C.
5. Plaque Describing the H.M.S. Assistance Tragedy
On New Year's Eve 1783, British forces were evacuating New York City as part of their final withdrawal from the new American Nation.
The British warship H.M.S. Assistance was anchored in Sandy Hook Bay when 11 seamen deserted the ship. 1st Lieutenant Hamilton Douglas-Halyburton led a party of 13 seamen to apprehend them.
While searching Sandy Hook, a blizzard overcame the Halyburton detachment. They were discovered frozen to death in a salt marsh meadow along the bay, and buried in a common grave.
By 1808, the monument that commemorated the incident and the gravesite were lost. A century later, workmen grading an army railroad bed discovered the crypt. The remains were re-interred at Cypress Hills National Cemetery in Brooklyn.
The present stone monument and memorial grounds were erected by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1937.
Photographed By R. C.
6. Unusual Pipes with Threaded Caps on Either Side of Monument
I'm not sure what these were. Probably not for flowers and I can't think of any reason to attach chains to the pipe caps.
Photographed By R. C.
7. Metal Plugs on Slate Sidewalk that Leads to Monument
There might have been a small naval cannon here at some point in time.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, November 4, 2009
8. Honourable Hamilton Douglas Hallyburton Memorial
This memorial to Lt. Hamilton Douglas Halyburton is located in Trinity Church in Manhattan.
At Sandy Hook lye interred
The Remains
of the Honourable Hamilton Douglas Hallyburton, Son of Sholto Charles Earl of Morton and Heir of the Ancient Family of Hallyburton of Pitcurr in Scotland, who perished on this coast with twelve more young gentlemen and one common Seaman, in the spirited Discharge of Duty
on the 30th or 31st of December 1783
Born on the 10 of October 1763.
A youth who in contempt of hardship or Danger, though possessed of an ample Fortune served seven years in the British Navy with a manly Courage and seemed to deserve a better fate.
This plain Monumental stone is erected by his unhappy Mother Katherine Countess Dowager of Morton to his dear memory and that of his unfortunate companions.
James Champion Lieutenant of Marines
Alexander Johnstone, George Paddy, Robert Haywood
Midshipmen
Charles Gascoigne William Tomlinson
Andrew Hamilton William Spry
William Scott John McChain
David Reddie Robert Wood
Young Gentlemen
George Towers common seaman
Cast away, all found dead and frozen, and buried in one Grave.
The Remains
of the Honourable Hamilton Douglas Hallyburton, Son of Sholto Charles Earl of Morton and Heir of the Ancient Family of Hallyburton of Pitcurr in Scotland, who perished on this coast with twelve more young gentlemen and one common Seaman, in the spirited Discharge of Duty
on the 30th or 31st of December 1783
Born on the 10 of October 1763.
A youth who in contempt of hardship or Danger, though possessed of an ample Fortune served seven years in the British Navy with a manly Courage and seemed to deserve a better fate.
This plain Monumental stone is erected by his unhappy Mother Katherine Countess Dowager of Morton to his dear memory and that of his unfortunate companions.
James Champion Lieutenant of Marines
Alexander Johnstone, George Paddy, Robert Haywood
Midshipmen
Charles Gascoigne William Tomlinson
Andrew Hamilton William Spry
William Scott John McChain
David Reddie Robert Wood
Young Gentlemen
George Towers common seaman
Cast away, all found dead and frozen, and buried in one Grave.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 23, 2008, by Ronald Claiborne of College Station, Texas. This page has been viewed 4,066 times since then and 93 times this year. It was the Marker of the Week December 28, 2008. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 23, 2008, by Ronald Claiborne of College Station, Texas. 4. submitted on October 16, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 5, 6, 7. submitted on February 23, 2008, by Ronald Claiborne of College Station, Texas. 8. submitted on November 10, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.
