Joshua Huddy
Joshua Huddy | |
|---|---|
Huddy being led from prison to be hanged, early 20th century depiction | |
| Born | November 8, 1735 |
| Died | April 12, 1782 (aged 46) |
| Cause of death | Hanging |
| Resting place | Old Tennent Cemetery 40°17′02″N 74°19′34″W / 40.2838735°N 74.3261134°W |
| Occupation | Privateer |
| Spouses | Mary Borden
(m. 1764; died 1771)Catherine Applegate (m. 1778) |
| Children | 2 |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | New Jersey Militia |
| Service years | 1777–1782 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Conflicts | American 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.