A Soldiers Body Found

Picked Up in the River Near Seabright Last Wednesday

The body of Private John McCulla, who had been missing from Sandy Hook since December 27th, was found in the river near Seabright last Wednesday. McCulla was granted a day's leave of absence on December 27th. He failed to return and it was thought at Sandy Hook that he had deserted. The bridgetender at the Highlands drawbridge said that there was a fight at the Highlands on the night of December 27th and that soon afterward he heard a splash that sounded as if some one had been thrown into the water. McCulla had been seen at the Highlands that day. No attention was paid to the story by the government officials. The finding of the body bears out the bridgetender's tale. It is not known whether the body was thrown overboard or whether McCulla fell into the water. In his pocket when the body was found was a bottle partly filled with whiskey.

Source: Red Bank Register, Wednesday, Apr 24, 1901

Some additional excellent resources for your research are:

• New Jersey Census, 1772-1890 - Ancestry.com

• Calendar of New Jersey Wills, 1670-1760 - Ancestry.com

• Interment.net - NJ ~ New Jersey Cemetery Transcriptions on the net.

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