Today, we begin a series of #TrentonTuesdays. Every Tuesday for the next few weeks we’ll highlight interesting stories related to the Battles of Trenton and Princeton as we approach the inaugural Emerging Revolutionary War bus tour in November. Today we look at the story of Thomas Paine.

As Washington and his army marched quickly across the state of New Jersey from Fort Lee to Trenton in November and December of 1776, they were joined by a young writer. His name was Thomas Paine, and he was well known as the author of the famous patriot pamphlet “Common Sense” that was published earlier in 1776.

Paine, watching the American army melt away from more that 23,000 men in August of 1776, to less than 5,000 men by December, seemed to be witnessing the destruction of the nascent American nation. During the retreat Paine put quill to parchment to write another pamphlet that he would have published that December, titled “The American Crisis.” With Washington’s army on the verge of dissolution, it was an apt title. He started with a phrase that duly summed up the situation: “These are the times that try men’s souls.”

He goes on to exhort Americans to rally for the cause of liberty in spite of the hardships they faced, an exhortation that still evokes a sense of patriotism hundreds of year later. “The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.”

Continue reading ““These are the Times that Try Men’s Souls”” →

Iron Works Hill Battle Memorial

To support this effort, please see the GoFundMe page.

From our friends at the Rev War Alliance of Burlington County (New Jersey):

In December 1776, the American Cause for independence was at an all-time low. After losing New York to the British, General George Washington’s Continental army limped into eastern Pennsylvania broken and on the verge of defeat. Against all odds, Washington chose to attack the garrison at Trenton on December 26. The crossing of the Delaware River and victory that followed are widely recognized as having saved the American Revolution. What is less known are the events that occurred in Burlington County, New Jersey that affected this battle. 

Between December 21-23, 1776, Hessian detachments under the command of Colonel Carl von Donop were busy prodding the countryside south of Bordentown. American Colonel Samuel Griffin, with a force of 600 mixed units (more than half no older than 15 years old), established a foothold at Mount Holly. Two days of harassment at Petticoat Bridge (Mansfield Township) convinced von Donop that rumors of an American force of 3,000 at Mount Holly were true. On his own authority, the Hessian colonel moved his force of 2,400 on the morning of December 23. What transpired were a series of firefights at Petticoat Bridge, the Mount (along Woodlane Road) and finally at Iron Works Hill on the southside of the Rancocas Creek. The American forces retreated to Moorestown, leaving Mount Holly fully occupied by the Hessian forces. Instead of returning to Bordentown, von Donop stayed. Why? Our answer comes in the journals of Burlington resident Margaret Hill Morris and Hessian Jager Captain Johann Ewald. Both write of a “beautiful young widow” who kept von Donop occupied for three days. The Hessians remained at Mount Holly, more than a day’s march from Trenton. On December 26, a bugler rode into town delivering the news of Washington’s victory. Had Colonel von Donop remained or returned to Bordentown prior to the attack, he would have been readily available to reinforce Colonel Johann Rall at Trenton, likely changing the outcome of the battle.

In 1976, a stone monument was erected at St. Andrew’s Cemetery on Pine Street in Mount Holly to honor the events that took place in December 1776. While this monument has served its purpose, we, the Rev War Alliance of Burlington County, feel the time has come to enhance the visitor experience with a new monument project. To coincide with the coming 250th of American Independence, we have received permission to add/build to the existing monument along Pine Street.

The provided sketch/plan is broken down into three phases with Phase 1 being the purpose of this fundraiser.

Continue reading “Help Expand a Battlefield Memorial Park” →

We often think of re-enacting as a modern phenomenon. Those of us familiar with the hobby can attest that re-enacting has evolved greatly since the 1960s and 70s. In those decades participants often made their own clothing and accoutrements, with varying degrees of accuracy. It was not uncommon to see jeans and modern military gear mixed in with poor copies of historic clothing.

Today there is a thriving reenactment community and an industry to support it. Various suppliers offer reproduction clothing, weapons, gear, camping supplies, food, and every imaginable item for nearly every time period.

Continue reading “The First Re-enactment?” →

On May 12, 1780, around noon, the Southern Continental Army formed up in the tabby Hornwork (near present-day Marion Square), marched out of the fortifications and laid down their weapons between their main defensive line and the Hornwork. Their flags were cased and they were forced to play a Turkish march on their drums. This was humiliating to the Patriot defenders. British and Hessian grenadiers entered the Hornwork and the British flag was raised over the American fortifications. Charleston, South Carolina had officially fallen.

During the surrender ceremony, the British Army lined up to watch the American Continentals surrender their arms. They were amazed to see the wretched condition of the American soldiers. They noted their clothes were ragged and torn and many had no shoes. Despite this, they were extremely disciplined and professional. One British officer noted that it was “admirable that these people still fight for the chimerical freedom of America with such ardor.” Many Continental soldiers were too sick to march out and lay down their arms. Seeing how small a force was surrendering, some of the British were amazed that so few had “made a gallant defense.”

Over the course of the 42 day siege leading up to the surrender, the Americans had lost 89 men killed and 138 wounded.  The British had lost 99 killed and 217 wounded.  The British were successful in capturing the city, but more importantly than the city, the British had captured the entire Southern Continental Army: 5,618 men, 400 cannon, 15 stands of flags, and 5,000 muskets.  Of the men captured 3,465 were hardened Continental veterans who were irreplaceable to Americans.  In one swoop, the Continental lines of Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina ceased to exist.

Among the prisoners were three signers of the Declaration of Independence: Arthur Middleton, Edward Rutledge and Thomas Heyward.  This was the largest defeat the American cause would suffer in the Revolutionary War.  The next time America surrendered a larger force to a foreign enemy was at the surrender of Bataan in World War II.

In Philadelphia, John Adams wrote simply that “This is the severest blow we ever received.”

Over the following two years, a bloody civil war erupted throughout the backcountry of South Carolina.  As British General Lord Cornwallis marched into the wilderness to subdue the Patriots in the interior of the state, he met initial success, but eventual failure, and ultimately total defeat at Yorktown, Virginia in October of 1781.

The road to Yorktown began at Charleston on May 12, 1780.