Revolutionary Battles & Sites

Michael S. Adelberg brings to life the struggles within Monmouth County, a place that New Jersey governor William Livingston called the theatre of spoil and destruction.

Like much of New Jersey during the American Revolution, Monmouth County was contested territory in between the great armies. As the Battles of Trenton, Princeton and Bound Brook raged nearby, the people of Monmouth County fought their own internal revolution; Loyalist partisans led insurrections and raids that laid waste to entire neighborhoods. In 1778, General George Washington rallied his Continental army and fought the British within Monmouth's borders, barely holding the field. Monmouth Countians joined the fight and then spent the following weeks caring for the wounded and burying the dead. The remaining war years brought more hardships, as they grappled with a local civil war charged with racial, religious and economic undercurrents - a local civil war that continued long after the Battle of Yorktown supposedly ended hostilities.

Flanked by the Hudson River to the east and the Delaware River to the west, Bergen County comprised one of the most vital theaters of the Revolutionary War.

An army that could control this territory could drive a fateful wedge between New England and the other colonies.In The Revolutionary War in Bergen County, Carol Karels and her team of scholars weave a masterful account of the war in northeastern New Jersey. Here in Bergen County General Washington took the young Marquis de Lafayette under his wing; here in Bergen County the future antagonists Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton were baptized by fire; here in Bergen County families—in a prelude to the Civil War—split bitterly along Loyalist and Patriotic lines. From Washington's miraculous November 1776 retreat to the Delaware to the beginning of the Continental Army's epic August 1781 march to destiny at Yorktown, The Revolutionary War in Bergen County, comprehensively encompasses one of the Revolutionary War's most dramatic and pivotal fronts.

On the Jersey Shore, the Revolutionary War was more than a contest between the Continental and British Armies. In this neglected region, locals divided into pro- and anti-independence camps that fought a tumultuous six-year war only intermittently tied to the larger conflict. This war brought unprecedented economic opportunity to the Jersey Shore’s formerly poor and secluded villages, as locals risked their savings on speculative salt-making ventures and risked their lives in privateer vessels. British ships bound for New York were hunted by smaller vessels lurking in shore inlets. Local leaders sought to find and punish stealthy “London Traders” smuggling provisions behind British lines, and militia battled so-called Pine Robber gangs that frequently bested them.

Richly documenting and vividly narrating these events and others, award-winning historian Michael Adelberg explores the shore’s roll in America’s war for independence. 

The revolutionary Battle of Monmouth signaled the end of major combat in the North. Centuries later, reminders of the conflict remain. The Covenhoven House, the Village Inn, Marlpit Hall, the Craig House and the homes of Thomas Seabrook and the murdered Joseph Murray stand open to the public today. Visitors can also behold safehouses for the wounded—such as Old Tennent Church, St. Peter’s and Old First Church—and tread along the same ground as George Washington, General Sir Henry Clinton, Alexander Hamilton and the Marquis de Lafayette. Devoting attention to these sites and to the Battle Monument in Freehold, the Revolution’s most prominent and enduring symbol, historian Randall Gabrielan leads a tour through Monmouth County’s revolutionary heritage.

Join author Joan Williams as she takes you on a journey into Morristown, New Jersey's past and brings it back to life as it was.

For many Americans, Morristown evokes pictures of ragged troops huddled in log huts, shivering in the bitter cold of winter—but there is more to the history of the town than its important role in the Revolutionary War. By the early 19th century, Morristown was a thriving community, whose growth was accelerated by such projects as the Morris Canal and the railroad. It was finally incorporated in 1865 and the city attracted wealthy New Yorkers who built magnificent mansions, many of which can still be seen today. In 1878, the Library and Lyceum opened, bringing art and culture to the booming town. Immigrants were also attracted to Morristown and the Association of Work Among the Italians was founded in 1898 (later renamed Neighborhood House as the ethnic population diversified further), which instructed the new immigrants in English and provided services for their children.

The 20th century saw many changes. The first trolley rumbled around the Green in 1909, and motor cars soon appeared on the streets. Young men and women went off to two world wars to serve (and many to die for) their country. With the 1960s came urban renewal. As many old buildings were destroyed, corporations took the place of many of the large mansions and new highways were developed. Yet, still, in the quiet back streets, and among some of the old buildings, a hint of the past can still be seen.  This piece will delight young and old, visitor and resident alike.

Between the Watchung Mountains to the north and the Sourland Mountains to the west lies the fertile valley of the Raritan River.

Stout Dutch, Huguenot, German, Scottish, and English settlers began to cultivate family farms here as early as the 1680s. For almost a hundred years, the tramp of soldiers' feet and sounds of cannons had been unknown, but that was about to change. With its location astride two major routes between New York and Philadelphia, it is little wonder that Somerset County became the Crossroads of the Revolution. A friendly populace and the protection of the mountains made this a safe haven for General Washington's army. His soldiers camped for three winters, including the harshest winter of the Revolution, in Somerset and in the adjacent areas of central New Jersey. Washington spent more time here than any other place during the War for Independence. It was in this historically significant county that the first military academy in the nation was built, the 13-star flag was first flown over American troops after its adoption by Congress, and the Regulations for the Infantry of the United States was written by General von Steuben.

Morristown: A Military Headquarters of the American Revolution chronicles the many famous people connected to the area such as Benedict Arnold, who was tried here for treason. A landmark event of the communication industry also occurred here when Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail perfected the magnetic telegraph in a barn. This new volume invites readers for a ride through the past, with glimpses into the lives of one of the world's richest and least-known colonies of wealthy people, the hidden drama and sometime romance of a Revolutionary army camp, and the secret network of tunnels dug beneath the city during Prohibition.

Discover and celebrate the heritage of Cape May County's revolutionary patriots.

Descendants of whalers and those accustomed to hard living, the people of Cape May County served their emerging country on land and sea. They fought in the Continental army and the local militia at places like Brandywine and Germantown, and they fought at sea and on Delaware Bay, mostly as privateers. Their activities devilled the vaunted British navy and damaged the British war effort. Men like the Stillwell brothers, Nicholas and Enoch, prowled the waters around Egg Harbor and Peck’s Beach. Others, like successful Philadelphia lawyer and merchant Thomas Leaming, financed privateer ventures at the risk of losing everything.

Cape May County author Ray Rebmann tells the story of the roles played by local men and women in securing America’s liberty. 

From daring escapes and naval skirmishes to the resilience of everyday people, The Revolution on Raritan Bay reveals how this region’s sacrifices and conflicts influenced the outcome of America’s independence.

Raritan Bay was more than a body of water during the American Revolution—it was a front line. Its villages, farms, and ports became places where Patriots, Loyalists, and those in between clashed in a struggle that reshaped the colonies. Smugglers, privateers, and spies used its waters and inlets to move men, messages, and supplies. Families were torn apart, neighbors eyed one another with suspicion, and violent raids brought the war directly to the doorsteps of New Jersey residents.

Historian and television host John R. Schneider uncovers these overlooked stories, weaving together local accounts with the broader fight for liberty. 

During the American Revolution, New Jersey took center stage as a vital battleground with over 600 engagements and skirmishes.

Strategically located between New York City and Philadelphia, it endured constant conflict and divided loyalties, hosting crucial Continental army encampments, like Morristown, and witnessing pivotal victories such as Washington’s crossing of the Delaware and the surprise attacks at Trenton and Princeton. With over 150 historic sites within the state connected to the American cause for independence, New Jersey can make the claim it was the “Crossroads of the American Revolution.” The pages within this book illustrate a portion of these historic sites with a mixture of vintage images gathered from state, county, and local historical organizations and images from the photographic collection of photographer Alexander J. Pochek.