Nathaniel Scudder

Nathaniel Scudder (* May 10, 1733 in Huntington, New York, † October 17, 1781 in Shrewsbury, New Jersey ) was an American physician and politician. He was a delegate for New Jersey in the Continental Congress where he signed the Articles of Confederation.

Career

Scudder attended the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University), where he graduated in 1751. He then studied medicine and then started in Monmouth County (New Jersey) to practice on. His house is now within the city Freehold.

When the American Revolution divided the colonies, he supported the rebel side. In his county, he was a member of the Committee of Safety, and represented this in 1774 at the Provincial Congress. In the same year he was appointed Lieutenant Colonel in the first militia regiment of the county. Then he was in 1775 and in 1776 elected to the New Jersey General Assembly, the Speaker, he was 1776.

Scudder was in 1777 promoted to colonel of his militia regiment and then sent as a delegate to the Continental Congress. During the summer of 1778, he was so busy that he had to give up his medical practice altogether. Following it, he divided his time between the Congress and the militia. In June, he led his regiment at the battle of Monmouth. He also wrote a series of passionate letters to the local and state leaders to adopt the Articles of Confederation. When the Legislature of New Jersey then a rubber stamp in November, he confirmed it for his state in Congress.

In the next few years he continued his work as a politician and militia commander. Finally, he introduced on October 17, 1781 part of his regiment against a British army that was looking for something to eat, and was killed in a battle near Shrewsbury. He was then buried in the Tennant Church Graveyard.

Scudder was the only member of the Continental Congress that was killed in a battle during the War of Independence.