Joshua Huddy

Joshua Huddy
Huddy being led from prison to be hanged, early 20th century depiction
Born(1735-11-08)November 8, 1735
DiedApril 12, 1782(1782-04-12) (aged 46)
Cause of deathHanging
Resting placeOld Tennent Cemetery
40°17′02″N 74°19′34″W / 40.2838735°N 74.3261134°W / 40.2838735; -74.3261134
OccupationPrivateer
Spouses
Mary Borden
(m. 1764; died 1771)
Catherine Applegate
(m. 1778)
Children2
Military career
Allegiance United States
Service / branchNew Jersey Militia
Years of service1777–1782
RankCaptain
Battles / warsAmerican Revolutionary War

Captain Joshua Huddy (November 8, 1735 – April 12, 1782) was an American military officer and privateer. Born in Salem County, New Jersey, he struggled with financial difficulties in adulthood and was repeatedly convicted of several crimes. During the American Revolutionary War, Huddy supported the Patriot cause and served in the New Jersey Militia along with captaining the privateer ship The Black Snake. In 1782, he was captured by Loyalist irregulars and turned over to the British.

Shortly thereafter, a group of Loyalists removed Huddy from British custody and summarily executed him by hanging. His execution led to a furore among Patriots and sparked the Asgill Affair, in which the Continental Army arranged for the summary execution of British officer Charles Asgill, an act that violated the terms of the 1781 Articles of Capitulation. After diplomatic pressure from the Kingdom of France, the Congress of the Confederation voted to order Asgill's release, ending the affair.[1][2]

  1. ^ Hoock, Holger (2017). Scars of independence : America's violent birth (1st ed.). New York. pp. 336–357. ISBN 978-0-8041-3728-7. OCLC 953617831.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  2. ^ "A Melancholy Case". Archived from the original on 7 June 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2019.