Ed, or Honest Ned as he was often referred to, enlisted in Captain Mathew Smith’s command July 1, 1775 in Lancaster, PA for a period of 1 year “if not discharged earlier”. He then accompanied his company to Prospect Hill near Boston, Massachusetts. When Washington decided to invade Quebec, he participated in his regiment’s movement towards Quebec City under the command of Benedict Arnold. Leaving Cambridge in September of 1775, they did not encounter any enemy troops enroute to Quebec, however the men suffered tremendous difficulties and deprivations. Benedict Arnold had anticipated the march would take 20 days and took supplies for that period of time. Unfortunately, his estimate was based upon a map made for him by a mapmaker who, unknown to him, was a Loyalist who had purposely made errors on the map.

The actual trip took 45 days and the shortage of supplies was made even worse because over half of the supplies were ruined by water leaking into the poor quality boats. Eventually, the men began collapsing from a lack of nourishment and disease and, in an effort to survive, they began to boil the animal hides used to patch the boats for food.

Conditions became so severe that an order was given that if anyone fell they must be left because they had no food to leave them nor the ability to transport the infirm. At one point, in late October, 1775, while they were crossing the “Dead River” two of Honest Ned’s fellow soldiers became overcome with exhaustion and were close to drowning. Ed was able to save them. 

One of them was John Joseph Henry, who went on to become the President Judge of Lancaster and York courts. The other soldier became the famous General Michael Simpson of Fairview Township, York County who owned the Ferry which Simpson Ferry Road is named. 

Fortunately, they reached an area that had cattle for the troops. Benedict Arnold paid the farmer for the lost cattle. When they arrived in Quebec, General Montgomery took command of all troops in the area and split his troops into 3 units for an assault on the city. The Battle of Quebec took place on December 31 of 1775.

Honest Ned remained in the group assigned to Benedict Arnold. Arnold’s troops were to storm Quebec City through the “Palace” Gate. While they were successful in gaining access to the city, Cavenaugh’s unit was part of the three companies who were cut off and captured by the British. Because he was a recent immigrant from Ireland, the British offered him two choices. He could be held in tight quarters as a prisoner in a dungeon and be sent to England to be tried for treason when a ship arrived, or he could join the British Army. He elected to join the British Army.

 Approximately two months later while he was on guard duty with another British soldier, he acted on a plan he obviously had fostered for quite some time. He had been saving his ration of rum and on this night he shared it with his fellow guard. After his fellow guard became vulnerable, he hit him with the butt of his gun so hard that it stunned him. At this point he leaped from a twenty-five foot wall into a snowbank. Under gunfire, Ned made his escape. When he reached the Patriot line he was interviewed by Benedict Arnold who gave him permission to rejoin his unit in Connecticut. He was discharged sometime around June of 1776 and he went back to his trade as a weaver. In 1810, the then Judge Henry visited Ned and found him in poor health and impoverished. His case was made known to the Colonial government and, as a result of lobbying by the men whom he had saved, he was issued a special pension. .

Following the end of the Revolutionary War, Dillsburg was known to be inclined towards military parades and celebrations. Honest Ned was always recognized for his service. At a semi centennial celebration on July 4, 1826, six prominent men from Dillsburg gave toasts at a gathering near the “Eichelberger” spring. One of these men was Ed/Ned who raised his glass and said:.

“The memory of George Washington and

his brothers in arms who assisted the

independence this day we celebrate. May it

be handed down to the last ages of time.”

Honest Ned died in 1842 and the obituary below was written in the Carlisle Herald and Expositor on December 28, 1842.  From Gibson’s, History of York County 1886:

“At Dillstown, on Wednesday the 14th instant, Mr. Edward Cavenaugh, at the advanced age of 96 years. Everybody, almost, has heard tell of “honest Ned Cavenaugh.” The deceased was a gallant soldier of the Revolution from its commencement to its close and was one of the daring spirits who accompanied the expedition of Arnold to Quebec, in the winter of 1775, and participated in the attack which cost Gen. Montgomery his life. The late Judge Henry, in his account of that trying campaign, makes honorable mention of the daring feats of his fellow soldier, Cavenaugh, and was the first, we believe, who gave him the title above-mentioned by which he has been so generally known for many years. Old Ned was emphatically an honest man, and as such commanded the respect and esteem of all who knew him. Peace to his ashes.”

Edward Cavenaugh is buried in the Dillsburg Cemetery about 12 miles from Carlisle.