Revolutionary War in South Jersey

Tuesday, May 1st, at the Cherry Hill Library, Andrew Coldren (former director of the Salem Co. Hist. Society) will be presenting on the Revolutionary War in South Jersey. 1100 Kings Hwy., North.

For those of us who have spent any time in the history world of South Jersey, it is nothing short of ASTONISHING how much Revolutionary War history took place in our patch.

You may have read my piece about driving the Old Salem Rd (Kings Highway) on Saturday down to Salem and then to Hancock's Bridge, the site of a Revolutionary War era tavern where American militia men met, and were slaughtered one night by a Royalist force under Col. Simcoe.  The British offered freedom to enslaved people in the colonies if they would spy for them or guide for them.  Two enslaved men led the British force through the wetlands of the Always Creek, to sneak up on the sleeping militia men and slaughter them all, including the tavern keeper.

Salem County was also the site of a famous raid by "Mad Anthony" Wayne, to round up all the livestock left on the already ravaged farms in that area, to march them to feed the starving men of our Continental army in Pennsylvania winter quarters.

For a time, one of the many places I volunteered as a docent was Indian King Tavern in Haddonfield, where the New Jersey State Constitutional seal was adopted.  And lest we forget, there was a TEA PARTY in Greenwich, on the Cohansey River at the southern most border of South Jersey, when a black marketeer attempted to hide contraband tea until he could sneak it into Philadelphia, but local patriots discovered it and burned it in the town square!

I hope to learn even more, much more of our fabulous an often forgotten Revolutionary War history at the lecture.  Hope to see you there.

Oh, also, I just bought a book for a birthday gift for a friend called 266 Days, which uses primary sources such as diaries and other documents to describe the period when the British forces had invaded and held our once capitol city of Philadelphia.  I may have to buy a copy for myself!

Happy Trails!
Jo Ann