DEY MANSION

The Dey Mansion of Totowa New Jersey was home to Washington 7/1-28/1780. It is still a beautiful home and one of my favorites of all of Washington's Headquarters. Colonel Theunis Dey has a wonderful home. The Watchung Hills to the East protect the local militia and army from direct British attack.

While here Washington waited for news of the French. On July 14th, the news came. The French Fleet had come to Newport Rhode Island.

Count de Rochambeau had landed with 6000 thousand troops.

Washington left here to gather forces and protect the flank of his newly arrived ally. The word was, the British were moving towards Newport.

He returns 10/8-11/26/1780. The French Fleet has been caught in the Newport harbor by the British squadron and of late, 10 more ships have arrived from the West Indies.

Washington also learned that his General, Benedict Arnold had betrayed him.

On 10/22, Washington was ordering changes to the Southern army. General Gates, the hero of Saratoga had beaten badly by Lord Cornwallis and was subject to a board of inquiry. Washington had decided to send his reliable General Greene south to rebuild the command.

Washington had learned of the victory at King's Mountain and the link up with the French was underway.

STONE RIDGE

On 11/15/1782, Washington stayed at the home of Cornelius Wynkoop in Stone Ridge New York. Wynkoop was a colonel in the Continental Army.

Washington dined and stayed the night here before moving on to Kingston NY. His body guard stayed at the tavern across the road.

Washington was moving North to meet with General Schuyler and visit the battle sites of the Northern Campaign.

PRIVATE HOME.

DRAKE HOUSE

The Drake House pictured was used by Washington on 6/24/1777. It is in Plainfield New Jersey.
Washington moved the Army into the area as the British Army withdrew to the East into Amboy.

The house has been modernized over the years, so I took this picture to show the older lines of the house.

DOREMUS HOUSE

Captain Thomas Doremus in Montville New Jersey hosted General Washington on 6/25/1780. Washington was not sure which way the British Army was going to march. He thought that they would attack West Point, but then the British moved West from Elizabeth and the Battle of Springfield took place.

Washington was caught between posts.

The house was also used by Rochembeau and the French Army as they marched South to the Battle of Yorktown in 1781. The orchard across the road from the house was the campsite of thousands of French infantry. Alexander Hamilton also stayed at the house.

The house has just been restored beautifully. Go and see!

BAIRD TAVERN

In Warwick New York, at the town center, is this beautiful church. In the grounds around it, a celebration is held every year on July 27th of George Washington's visit in 1782.
He dined in the Baird Tavern. We don't know for sure if he stayed the night, but we do know that Martha did. Both were on their way to Newburgh New York for the Winter encampment and the end of the war.




The festival has music, kids activities, en actors, food, and local artisans. Some taught my daughter to make a wreath for her hair...nice. Warwick is a beautiful sleepy town. My kids and my wife all had a great time.















The artillery let off a charge to celebrate the arrival of General Washington!













The General and his ensign. The General gave a few words.
















The Baird Tavern is open for the day. It has an active support group and has been lucky to have the support of the community.

DAWESFIELD

A private home.

On 10/21/1777, the British Army pulled back out of Germantown into Philadelphia for the Winter. Washington moved the Continental Army closer and took up quarters in the home of James Morris called Dawesfield. Dawesfield is in Ambler Penn and is privately owned.

Washington stayed here till Nov. 1st, 1777. During his time in residence, he learned of the gallant defence of Fort Mercer in Red Bank NJ. He offered a pardon to any soldier who deserted to return to the ranks, and the outcome of the court martial of General Anthony Wayne.

Wayne was cleared of wrong doing in his leadership at the Paoli massacre. Washington was slowly moving towards Valley Forge.

ROCKINGHAM

From 8/23/1783-11/3/1783, Washington stayed at the Rockingham in Rocky Hill NJ. The Rockingham was 4 miles north of Princeton. Princeton was the home of the Congress at this time of the war.

The house was owned by Judge Berrian and is near the Millstone River. While in residence, Washington conferred with British representatives over the surrender of New York City.

He also received many guests and foreign dignitaries, dined with Martha and sat for a portrait by Charles Wilson Peale of Philadelphia. The duties of running the army fell to General Henry Knox. While here, Washington made a sizable donation to Princeton.



The house still stands. It has been moved many times, but now seems settled and is in good order, ready for visitors.

An ezhistory tour was attended by this gentleman who didn't get out of frame fast enough.

WYNKOOP HOUSE

Not a public house.
On 11/15/1782, General Washington stayed with his friend Col. Cornelius Wynkoop in Stone Ridge NY.
Washington was moving North to meet with General Schuyler and a review of the New York State campaign.

At this time, the Asgill incident was concluded. Captain Charles Asgill was a British POW selected by lot to be executed in retaliation for the
death of Captain Joshua Huddy. Huddy was taken prisoner in Monmouth County New Jersey and hanged on April 12th. Letters were written to the French ambassador to intercede with Washington and Congress. Congress allowed Washington to release Asgill, so a pass was written allowing Asgill to travel to New York City and the British Forces there.

Washington moved onto Kingston NY on 11/16/1782. That house is gone.

VAN ALLEN

The Hendrik Van Allen home was host to Washington on 7/14/1777 in Oakland NJ. Washington was waiting out storms which made the roads impassable. The army was aware of Burgoyne marching South and the surrender of Ticonderoga back to British hands.

Lord Howe had the British Army aboard the ships of the fleet at Staten Island NY. Washington was waiting for some word as to where they were heading. If they went North to aid Burgoyne, he had his army in Northern New Jersey. If they sailed South to Philadelphia, then he would march South.

VAN DOREN HOUSE

A private home.

On 1/3/1777, Washington left the battlefield of Princeton and moved the army to Millstone NJ, then Somerset Court house. He resided in the home of John Van Doren while some of his officers slept in the barns out back. One of the officers was Lt. James Monroe still recovering from his wounds at the 1st battle of Trenton.

So in ten days, Washington and the Continentals had fought three battles winning all three. With an army weakened from depravation, he had marched, counter marched and outflanked two of the best armies in the world. He would leave Millstone and move the army first to Pluckemin and then Morristown.

DOUGLASS HOUSE

It's 1/1/1777 and in this small house Washington had a war council. The Douglass house in Trenton NJ. The first Battle of Trenton on Christmas was a victory for the Continentals.
Now The British and Hessian Armies were marching southwest from Princeton to attack Washington in full at Trenton.
Washington had sent out a small force to challenge the British progress on their march. This gave the Continentals time to prepare their position on the hill overlooking the town. The British and Hessians came on and attacked three times into the evening. The ground was covered in dead as the Americans would not yield.

Washington also knew that if he stayed on his hill, the British under Cornwallis would surround him and destroy him. So in the small Douglass house, Washington held a council. Greene, Sullivan, Cadwalader, Mercer, and Knox all voiced their opinions. The plan developed to withdraw the army at night and quietly march northwest to Princeton and attack the rear of the British Army.

So, camp fires were kept burning and the army quietly marched out at night.
They reformed the next morning and attacked the 7000 man British and Hessian Army at Princeton.

The Douglass House is currently being rehabbed and it is needed.

ANTES HOUSE

The Frederick Antes home was host to General Washington from 9/22-25/1777 in Upper Frederick Township Penn.
Washington regrouped his army in the fields surrounding trying to refit his men with blankets, food and repair weapons. All this in days of pouring rain and while the British Army maneuvered its way into Philadelphia.
Washington would ready his forces for the attack on Germantown.

The house is being restored and needs help.

HERMITAGE, HO-HO-KUS

The Hermitage in Ho-Ho-Kus New Jersey. Washington stayed here first on 7/10-14/1778 and again on 12/6-7/1778 as the guest of the widow Provost. Mrs. Provost was the widow of a British Officer who had patriotic sympathies. She was also believed by her neighbors to be a Loyalist. By hosting Washington and officers at her home, she showed her loyalty to the cause.
One of the officers she met was Aaron Burr. She later married him on these grounds.

Washington recieved praise from Congress for the Battle of Monmoth and learned that the French Fleet had arrived at Newport.

As you walk the grounds, it is hard to pick out the revolutionary time period. The guides are wonderful and they will help. The house also entertained the wife of Benedict Arnold as she traveled South shortly after the traitor was found out.

KING of PRUSSIA INN

The King of Prussia Tavern is in King of Prussia Pennsylvania right in the mall area. At the time of the Revolution, it was named Berry's Tavern.

Washington is strongly believed to have Thanksgiving Dinner here with his officers in 1777. Thanksgiving was a New England tradition that Washington would have been familiar with. I do not know what his personal view was, but as a farmer at heart, I think he would have supported it.

It is thought that the name change to King of Prussia was to encourage the Hessian POW's to remain after the war locally. Also there were many officers that served with Germanic roots like Von Stueben and de Kalb.

The tavern eventually became landlocked due to road development for the mall. The state, local chamber of commerce and local interest groups combined to move the tavern and save it. They did a beautiful job!

It is adjacent to the Home Depot and worth the stop. Also, Lafayette was put through the Mason Ceremony here.

BOYLAN HOUSE

In Pluckemin NJ, Martha Washington joined her husband on 1/4-5/1777 right after the Battle of Princeton. Incredible when you consider that in the month prior, a British raid destroyed the town. The British Cavalry burned the church, robbed many dwellings, drove off cattle and disrupted the village.

On 1/5/1777, British Captain William Leslie was buried in Pluckemin by Dr. Benjamin Rush. Rush was good friends with Leslie's sister when he was younger and studied medicine in Scotland. Leslie was the son of the Earl of Leven. Washington made sure that Capt, Leslie was buried with full military honors.

When I walked in the cemetary, I was drawn to the grave because it was the only Union Jack marker among all the American veteran flags. I wanted to know why.

Also in Pluckemin is the Boylan House, pictured below. Mr. and Mrs. Boylan hosted the Washington's for the Grand Alliance Ball of 2/18/1779. General Knox organized the ball for 400 guests to honor the French-American Alliance. Festivities included a thirteen gun salute, dinner, fireworks and a ball with the first dance between Washington and Mrs. Knox.

It was behind the Boylan House, in the fields that Knox organized an artillery corp. 1600 men with 60 cannons were trained as a forerunner to West Point.