Few know very much about the Revolutionary war in New Jersey, the Crossroads of the Revolution.
And most of what they know is central or north and not in the south. But a great many very interesting and momentous events took place in South Jersey.
When I was a volunteer at Red Bank Battlefield, a National Monument, I learned so much about it. So first and foremost is National Park and the James and Ann Whitall House. A beautiful park with picnic shelters, a playground and lovely walk along the mighty Delaware.
When the British had conquered Philadelphia, they needed to re-supply their troops by bringing goods up the Delaware; two forts kept them from being able to do that, Fort Mercer on the New Jersey side was manned by (numbers vary) about 200 Continentals who held the fort against roughly 2000 Hessians, battle hardened from European wars and well armed. They were under the command of Count Von Donop. Colonial Greene commanded the troops at Mercer.
At the same time as the land battle was taking place the greatest warship of the era, the British Augusta was being blocked by iron tipped logs sunk in the river and small craft manned by extraordinarily brave American seamen who pulled fire rafts hoping the tide would take them into the August. Perhaps they did, no one is quite sure, but the Augusta loaded with ammo, exploded and burned.
On land, the Hessians were caught up trying to climb over a bulwark of uprooted Fruit trees from the Whitall's grove; they stormed the fort, but found themselves in the unmanned part of the fort and there they were cut down by the American forces holed up in the other end of it. Soon 400 Hessians lay dead or wounded and the rest retreated after Count Von Donop lay dying of his 9 wounds.
The wounded were carried into the Whitall's house. The family had fled to Woodbury. It is said that Mrs. Whitall returned (a Quaker) and helped to nurse the wounded with her locally famed herbal skills.
War at the Shore:
Less well known was the fighting going on in the Pine Barrens. A shipyard and hiding place for Privateers working for the Continental forces, the Forks, was attacked in a surprise raid. The forewarned Americans fled into the woods but their ships and buildings were burned. A further battle took place at Chestnut Neck. I have visited both places.
I hope to learn more at the meeting of the Roundtable at the Voorhies Branch of the Camden County Library, Vogelson branch on June 20 at 7:15 when a lecture on the War at the Shore will be provided.
The British had to stop the predation of their ships by American Privateers who attacked then fled up the many Pine Barrens Rivers off the Atlantic Coast.
I have books on all these subjects and was astonished at how much happened here.
Happy Trails!
Jo Ann
