On December 23, 1783, George Washington, the victorious commander of the Continental Army, resigned his commission and gave up his power. The only historic precedent to this action was in the days of ancient Rome when the Roman hero Cincinnatus who turned his sword into a plowshare and became a farmer. Washington was quickly hailed as the American Cincinnatus and esteemed as the greatest man of his age by his contemporaries. John Marshall, the future Supreme Court Justice, wrote from Richmond, Virginia that “at length the military career of the greatest man on earth is closed.”
The ceremony for his resignation occurred at the Maryland State House in Annapolis, where the Continental Congress was then meeting. Following his resignation at noon on the 23rd, Washington, now a private citizen, was eager to get to his home, Mount Vernon, less than 50 miles away.
Throughout the war, Washington had longed to return to his beloved Mount Vernon. He had left in the spring of 1775 and was away for more than six years. He returned, briefly, in 1781 on his way to and from the Siege of Yorktown. Other than those brief stays, by the end of 1783, Washington had spent more than eight years away from his beloved home Mount Vernon. His first desire as a private citizen was to get there as fast as he could. He hoped to live out his days on his plantation, under his “own vine and fig tree.”
He rode out of Annapolis accompanied by a few of his aides in the afternoon of the 23rd and made it halfway to Virginia before it became too dark, and he and his party stopped at a tavern for the night. The next morning, he continued his journey towards the Potomac. He crossed a ferry below Alexandria and made it to the house before dark, as snow began to fall on the ground. At Mount Vernon was his wife, Martha, who had traveled to be with Washington and his army at every winter encampment of the Revolutionary War.
Washington simply wrote a few days later on December 28, 1783 that “I arrived at my seat the day before Christmas, having previously divested myself of my official character—I am now a private Citizen on the banks of the Potomack . . .”
A fanciful lithograph of George Washington returning to Mount Vernon on Christmas Eve, 1783. (Library of Congress)
Having spent the Christmas of 1776 preparing an attack on Hessians at Trenton, and the past eight Christmases at various winter encampments (including Valley Forge), the Christmas of 1783 would have been among the happiest in his life. He wrote that “The scene is at last closed — I feel myself eased of a load of public care — I hope to spend the remainder of my days in cultivating the Affections of good Men, and in the practice of the domestic Virtues.” However, Washington would be called by his countrymen again to serve in building of a new nation. Although, he preferred the quiet walks of private life, he never would forgot his duty to his country.
To learn more about the eventful month of December 1783, including his farewell to his officers at Fraunces Tavern, his resignation and his homecoming, check out General Washington’s Christmas Farewell by Stanley Weintraub.
Merry Christmas from all of us at Emerging Revolutionary War!
Join ERW this Sunday evening, December 12 at 7 p.m. ET on our Facebook page to watch John Diaconis, President, Libby Del Greco, Secretary, and Lynn Briggs, Board Member of the Friends of Miller House/Washington’s HQ as they discuss George Washington during the battle of White Plains in late October 1776. Since their formation in 2011, the Friends of Miller House / Washington’s Headquarters have spent hundreds of hours working with Westchester County and the Town of North Castle trying to save Miller House / Washington’s Headquarters. Hear their preservation story, new exciting research and interpretation, and the importance of this site during the entirety of the Revolution.
Ms. Briggs is the Chairman of the Yorktown Heritage Preservation Commission, and a member of the Board of Trustees for the Westchester County Historical Society and the Board of Directors for Friends of Miller House/Washington’s Headquarters, Inc. She is a former executive with three Fortune 200 companies, with domestic and international management experience.
Libby Del Greco is the Board Secretary of the Friends of Miller House/Washington’s Headquarters, Inc. She has worked as a fundraiser for nearly fifteen years for the Wildlife Conservation Society at the Bronx Zoo, and holds a degree in American Studies from Siena College. She is also an alum of the Gettysburg Semester, Fall 2005 at Gettysburg College.
John S. Diaconis practices in the area of insurance and reinsurance claims and acts as an arbitrator in reinsurance matters, having been certified by ARIAS U.S. He has almost thirty years of experience in the industry as both in-house and outside counsel. He received his J.D. from Drake University Law School, where he was a member of Law Review, and his LL.M. from New York University School of Law.
As always, if you are unable to make it Sunday evening, you can catch this and dozens of other Rev War Revelries on our YouTube page!
Often around the Christmas holiday, history enthusiasts don reproduced uniforms of American, British, and Hessian soldiers and reenact the crossing of the Delaware River, the Battles of Trenton, and the Battle of Princeton. These historical reenactments are usually well attended by reenactors and visitors, and they offer an opportunity to celebrate the important military actions and give a small glimpse into the past at the sites where these historical events actually happened.
Battle reenactments are not a new phenomenon. In fact, George Washington’s army engaged in battle reenactments, or as they often described them “sham fights” or “sham battles”, at Morristown in 1780. In the early and mid-nineteenth century, many of these sham battles occurred to mark historic anniversaries of Revolutionary War battles, sometimes with veterans of the battles engaged in the sham fights themselves. Trenton would often host a sham fight in the streets of the city to mark the anniversary of that important battle in the 1840s and 1850s. But perhaps the most significant one occurred to mark the centennial of the battles of Trenton and Princeton in December of 1876 and January of 1877 when among others, veterans of the American Civil War participated in the reenactment of the battles.
Spectators watch a sham battle at the Trenton Battle Monument in the 125th anniversary sham battle in 1901. (The New York Herald)
While the nation did a major anniversary celebration in Philadelphia for the centennial of July 4th in 1876, the people of Trenton and Princeton did not forget to mark the important battles that helped to secure our independence. Despite the national importance of this campaign, it was primarily a regional affair, with most participants coming from New Jersey or Pennsylvania. On December 26, 1876, about 1,200 men reenacted the crossing of the Delaware, the march on Trenton, and the battle of Trenton. Just eleven years following the end of the American Civil War, many of the participants were veterans of that recent conflict. Many local militias and national guard units formed the groups of men portraying the Continentals and Hessians. At this time, there was little emphasis on historical accuracy with regards to the uniforms and weapons that were used in 1776. Many of the men used percussion cap rifled muskets instead of the flintlocks used in during the real battle and wore 1876 style clothing. The honor of portraying General George Washington was awarded to General William Snyder Truex, who commanded a brigade of Union soldiers during the 1864 Battle of Monocacy, which played a pivotal role in preventing the Confederates from capturing Washington, DC. The New York Herald noted that Truex was “an old soldier and whose short stumpy figure and thick set, round head and dark, fall, stubbly beard, as well as the general outline of whose face, strongly reminded one of the hero of the last war, by some considered our second Washington, General Grant.”
William Snyder Truex, who portrayed General Washington at the 1876 Trenton sham battle. (Find-a-Grave)
The volunteer “Continentals” began the day by marching from Trenton up to McConkey’s Ferry in the middle of the night. They arrived around one in the morning and enjoyed “centennial whiskey” by a fire at the ferry house inn before they crossed the river. However, it was so cold that the Delaware River was completely frozen over. Undaunted the men walked across the ice to the New Jersey side of the river. From there they marched 9 miles to Trenton, following the same path Washington’s troops took. They arrived at about 9 a.m. and engaged the “Hessians” in town. The two sides fired blank cartridges at each other through the town and fired cannons as well. The generals ordered the Continentals to charge into the Hessians and they engaged in mock hand to hand combat. The New York Herald noted that not all the fighting was fake, as two drunken “Continentals” engaged in a real fist fight and some other minor injuries occurred as the two sides fired at each other at point blank range. Finally, the “Hessians” surrendered and two sides enjoyed a large parade. Among the participants in the parade was Adam Exton, a mainstay in Trenton society (and interestingly, the inventor of the oyster cracker) and a major proponent of the Trenton sham battle. After the parade they all enjoyed a feast with toasts, addresses, and patriotic songs.
James Madison Drake, who portrayed General Washington at the 1877 sham battle at Princeton. (Wikipedia)
Not to be outdone by their neighbors in Trenton, on January 3, 1877, Princeton celebrated their history with another sham battle. Hundreds of militia men gathered to recreate the battle on the anniversary. Portraying General Washington in this battle was James Madison Drake, who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for heroics while serving as a lieutenant in the 9th New Jersey during the Battle of Bermuda Hundred. Again, the troops largely wore their modern militia uniforms and Drake wore his Medal of Honor in the sham battle. (Drake’s ancestor was the owner of the Drake House, where Washington held a council of war in 1777 and is now a museum). Among the troops he commanded was Company C of the 3rd New Jersey National Guards (Phil Kearny Guards). General Philip Kearny had been killed during the Civil War at the Battle of Chantilly on September 1, 1862. The Sun newspaper noted that the Kearny Guards carried with them “the battle flag of the lamented General in whose honor it is named. In the center of the flag is a red Greek cross, Gen. Kearny had it with him at the battle of Chantilly, in which he yielded up his life blood on the altar of his country. It is but a remnant now; not more than half of it still clings to the staff.”
January 3 was a cold clear day, but there was more than a foot of snow on the ground. The troops paraded out of Princeton south to the site of the old battleground. The “Continentals” marched first and were followed by the “British.” On account of the snow, they didn’t make it all the way to the original battleground where the Mercer oak marked the traditional location where General Hugh Mercer was dragged to after being bayoneted. Instead, they stopped a little closer to the town and engaged each other in the sham battle. The men portraying Mercer’s brigade were driven back by the “British” and the man portraying Mercer fell to the ground “mortally wounded.” As The Sun noted, “Just then Gen. Drake, in imitation or Washington, appeared above the crest, leading the Philadelphians.” In dramatic fashion, the “Continentals” drove the “British” back onto the road and up into the town. The sham battle continued up around Nassau Hall, where the “British” finally surrendered ending the battle. The day ended with a feast for the participants.
“Hessian” soldiers throw down their arms following the 1901 sham battle in Trenton. This shows how these early reenactments were less concerned on historic clothing and weapons. (New York Herald)
The tradition of holding a reenactment or sham battle has continued off and on over the past 150 years. Usually, Washington Crossing Historic Park hosts a reenactment of Washington crossing the Delaware every Christmas and the city of Trenton and the Old Barracks Museum hosts a reenactment of the battles of Trenton on the weekend after Christmas (known as Patriots Week). While the crossing is happening this year, the 2021 battle reenactment has been canceled due to COVID. Also, this year, the Princeton Battlefield Society will be hosting a reenactment of the Battle of Princeton on the original ground on January 2. These anniversary reenactments are great ways to remember our nation’s history and a perfect time to make a pilgrimage to visit the historic sites, something we just did a few weeks ago. While it is great to see a modern reenactment and think of the sacrifice of those original patriots, it is fascinating to think of veterans of America’s bloodiest war taking part in the reenacting of America’s Revolutionary War.
Revolutionary War reenactors (including the author) march down Warren Street in the 2018 reenactment of the Battle of Trenton. (author photo)
After a successful fundraising, the Alliance will be hosting a ribbon cutting for the public at the site of the monument (128 Pine St, Mt Holly, New Jersey) this Saturday (December 11) at 11 a.m. There will be reenactors and fife and drums. This project demonstrates how important local preservation groups are in memorializing the sites of our nation’s founding and the telling the story of the fight for freedom for future generations.
Searching for the perfect gift this year for the Revolutionary War enthusiast in your life? Looking to put something on your own list for Santa this year? Get one of the Emerging Revolutionary War books, or get them all! This year we have four titles available:
These heavily illustrated books offer a great, readable overview of these important military campaigns and include self guided driving tours of the battlefields.
Here’s some praise from participants on our first bus tour this year at Trenton and Princeton:
“Loved learning the story of what happened in Trenton and Princeton during that part of the Revolutionary War. I was amazed at the distances Washingtons men had to travel for each part of the battles. Wonderful presentations and the intelligent questions asked by participants!”
“You guys all did an excellent job. The live interp was why we came; and it was great.”
“Excellent tour; I tried to do both battles on my own several years ago but my self-tour was a complete failure compared to this ERW tour.”
“Loved the tour! Cannot wait for future tours!”
“Having toured some of these sites previously it was most enjoyable and I learned much more.”
We hope you all plan to join us in 2022 in exploring the battlefields where our liberty and independence was won!
Merry Christmas from all of us at Emerging Revolutionary War!
The group at Washington’s Crossing with George Washington himself!
Over the past weekend, Emerging Revolutionary War historians led a bus tour of the battlefields of Trenton and Princeton. Based on Mark Maloy’s book, Victory or Death, the tour took participants throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey following in the footsteps of George Washington’s army. Led by Mark Maloy and Billy Griffith, attendees were treated first to a Friday night lecture that explained the American defeats in the summer of 1776 that put Washington and his army in a dire position. That night guests were given tour packets and free tee shirts provided by our friends at Americana Corner. People were also able to purchase books from the Emerging Revolutionary War series, as all the authors were in attendance.
On Saturday, guests from as far as Alabama, Maine, and Ohio piled into a sold out 56 passenger bus. First we visited Washington’s headquarters from early December 1776 at Summerseat in Morrisville, Pennsylvania before driving by Washington’s headquarters where he hatched the plan to attack Trenton. We then drove by Nathanael Greene’s headquarters where Washington informed his commanders at a council of war about the plan. We visited the Thompson-Neely House and the nearby soldiers’ graves where numerous unknown patriots lie buried. Our last stop before lunch was the location location where Washington crossed the Delaware River at McConkey’s Ferry on Christmas night.
After a picnic lunch, the group crossed the Delaware themselves and traveled the same path the patriots took to Trenton. As we arrived in downtown Trenton a sudden and severe storm blew through, which added a flash of drama to an already dramatic story. The attendees braved the gusty winds and raindrops to listen about how the battle played out from the location of Col. Henry Knox’s artillery and walk down the streets those brave men fought on almost 250 years ago.
Mark Maloy describes the Battle of Trenton.
After looking at the site of some of the heaviest fighting on December 26, 1776, the group traveled down to the banks of the Assunpink Creek. There we learned about the intervening time between December 26, 1776 and January 2, 1777 and the Battle of Assunpink Creek that occurred on that day. After looking at a statue to George Washington, we went and saw the house Washington held a council of war in and made one of the boldest decisions of the war: to disengage the British and make an overnight 12 mile march to strike the British rearguard at Princeton.
We then loaded on the bus and traveled most of the route of Washington’s army and made it back to our hotel. After a fun evening of enjoying the company of others, we were ready for our final day of touring.
Mark Maloy and Billy Griffith describe the lead up to the crossing of the Delaware River.
On Sunday, the day was cool and clear. We traveled to Princeton Battlefield State Park. Here we learned about the meeting engagement that occurred on the morning of January 3, 1777. We learned how Washington rallied his breaking troops and led a charge against the British regulars. Following in the footsteps of the patriots from 1777, we walked across the field they did and saw the Mercer oak and learned of the brutal hand to hand combat that occurred in that area. We then walked to the site of a mass grave of British and American troops and listened to how the battle and campaign ended.
Afterwards we were treated to a look inside the Thomas Clarke House, where General Hugh Mercer died, and then traveled to our final stop. At the Princeton Battle Monument, we closed out the tour focusing on how the campaign has been remembered over the years and the importance of keeping those memories alive for future generations.
The tour was an outstanding success with many positive reactions and many signups for next year. Next year we are planning a tour of Monmouth battlefield and Valley Forge. Emerging Revolutionary War loves connecting the stories from history to the places where they occurred. If you would like to have a fun, engaging, and unique experience learning about the Revolutionary War, sign up today, as we expect it will sell out again!
A happy bus full of people after two days of exploring the Ten Crucial Days!
In another installment of #TrentonTuesday we look at Washington’s plan of attack. George Washington, who had been mulling the prospect of an attack for weeks, saw an opportunity in the Hessian outpost at Trenton. Much of his information was coming from his spies and he also realized that the British employed numerous spies in his own camp, so he would need to conceal his plans. Secrecy and stealth would be the most important aspects if he wished to keep the element of surprise on his side. Washington though needed to act. His aide, Colonel Joseph Reed wrote to Washington that “Our affairs are now hasting fast to ruin if we do not retrieve them by some happy event. Delay is now equal to total defeat.”
John Trumbull’s painting of the surrender of the Hessians at Trenton depicts a wounded James Monroe lying behind the dying Colonel Rall.
Join ERW historians Mark Maloy and Rob Orrison as we welcome Scott Harris, Executive Director of the James Monroe Museum, to discuss James Monroe’s service in the American Revolution. Monroe had a well-known and distinguished political career, but it all started as a solider in George Washington’s army. Leaving his studies at the College of William & Mary in 1776 he would distinguish himself on numerous battlefields during the war. We will highlight Monroe’s role in the Battle of Trenton as we gear up for our November bus tour! At the Battle of Trenton, Monroe was nearly killed in some of the fiercest fighting in that pivotal engagement. Tune in on Sunday to learn more and join us in November to see where it actually happened!
To watch it live, visit our Facebook page at 7p.m. EST on Sunday, September 19. If you can’t make it on Sunday, you can watch it and dozens of other programs on our YouTube page.
For this week’s edition of #TrentonTuesday, check out the recent presentation by ERW author Mark Maloy for the American Battlefield Trust’s 2021 Virtual Conference. In it he gives a broad overview of the campaign and touches on some of the places we’ll be visiting this November as part of our 2021 bus tour. If you haven’t already, check out the book here. Enjoy!:
In another installment of #TrentonTuesday, we look at the desperate situation George Washington found himself at in December of 1776. With the Delaware River serving as a barrier between his army and the British and Hessians, Washington was hoping to stave off the entire dissolution of the army. He had already seen his army melt away from over 23,000 to just about 5,000 soldiers due to battle casualties, disease, and desertion. By January 1, 1777, the enlistments of many of those remaining soldiers would be up, and he would lose the basic core of his army. Washington wrote on December 18 to his brother John Washington about how his army had “less than 3,000 men fit for duty owing to the dissolution of our force by short enlistments—the enemies numbers by the best accounts exceeding ten, and by others 12,000 men.” He added that “between you and me I think our affairs are in a very bad way.”
Washington deep in thought by a fireplace. (NYPL)
He needed to recruit more soldiers. In the same letter to his brother, Washington wrote that “In a word my dear Sir, if every nerve is not strained to recruit the new army with all possible expedition I think the game is pretty near up.” Here was the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army writing that war was nearly lost.
