James' cousin Peter I. Larew provides the following account of their service together in the Revolutionary War to a Hunterdon County, NJ Justice of the Peace:
(Introductory Material) State of New Jersey, County of Hunterdon. Before me Philip Marshall one of the Justices of the Peace in and for said County Personally Appeared Peter I. Larew who being duly sworn as the Law Devises Doth Depose and Say, that he was Born in the Month of April in the year 1756 in the township of Hopewell, County of Hunterdon and State of New Jersey, that he came to live with the father of James Larew in the township of Amwell County and State aforesaid in the year 1774. And that he Continued to Reside with him until the year 1785. And in that year removed with his father into the state of Pennsylvania in the County of Bucks in the township of ?, where he now Resides, and that he has been acquainted with his Cousin James Larew ever Since the year 1770.(end of Introductory Material)And that he was enroled in the company of the Jersey Militia under the Command of Capt. David Jones of Amwell aforesaid in the year 1775. And in the year 1776 Marched with my said Cousin James Larew in the Company of Militia under Capt. Ely through New Jersey to Long Island, there Joined the Army under the Command of Sulivan and Lee, was in the Battle of Long Island with Said James Larew. Retreated with Said Army through N.J. by way of Newark, Elizabeth town, Newbrunswick and Trenton into Pa. was out upwards of four months and about the 10th Dec. Same year got a discharge and returned home and in Feb 1777 we both Marched in the Company under the Command of Capt. John Philips to Milstone in NJ and assisted in taking 42 four hourse teams from the Enemy. And in taking and killing nearly all their guards. And we were both discharged about the Last of March following and Returned home, then in the month of April following we were both Drafted and Marched in the Company under Capt. George Ely into Pa. to Brandywine there Joined Washington's Army. Was with him in the Battles of Brandywine and Germantown. Recollects Generals Lafayette, Green. Was out two months and got discharged and returned home. And in March 1778 was Drafted and marched in the Company under Capt. John Schenck with Said J. Larew who went as a substitute for his Brother Joseph. Went to Newark in NJ was out upwards of one month. And in the month of June following we was Drafted and marched in the company under Capt. D. Jones to Trenton, NJ and joined the Army under General Maxwell and marched from thence to Monmouth Co. we were in the Battle at Freehold. Recollects Washington, Green, Maxwell and Lee being there. Was out ten days. Sept. following we were Drafted and Marched in the Company under Capt. Philip Snook to bergen Point N.J. near New York. Was out upwards of one month got Discharged After which (or all thru which) the said James Larew acted in the Capacity of orderly (?) Sergent. And in the year 1779 I think in June we were both Enroled in the troop of Cavalry under Capt. Henry Hewlich or Gulick, thinks one Anderson was Leut. in Sept. following we volunteered and Marched in Said Cavalry under Capt. Wm. White to Hackensack N.J. was out upwards of one month, got discharged. Then in the year 1781 in April then we both volunteered and march under Said Capt. Hulich of gulick from N.J. through Pa. by way of Lancaster, Little York. We crossed the Potomac into Virginia and joined Washington's Army near Yorktown. Were both at the taking of Lord Cornwallis. Recollects seeing Washington, Lafayette, Sullivan. We was out upwards of six months the day following the taking of Cornwallis was both Discharged and Returned home together. And further Do surely Believe that the Said James Larew Served a number of times not herein mentioned and have no hesitancy in saying that he served in all upwards of two years and that we were both Private Soldiers while belonging to Said Cavalry. And further Sayeth not.
Sworn and Subscribed, This 19 Day of Dec 1832, Before me, P. Marshall, Justice of the Peace.
The notebooks of M. H. Dubbs, early LaRue researcher, state that James lost a little finger in the Battle of Monmouth. Also says he fought in the war of 1812, but this seems unlikely in view that James was 54 in 1812 and he had a wife and 10 children at the time. Dubbs states that in the Battle of Monmouth James captured an Englishman's sword, spurs and watch.
Source: Military and pension records for James Larew, File #S4513, U. S. National Archives and Record Service.