MORRISTOWN

Morristown New Jersey was home to Washington's headquarters numerous times during the Revolutionary War. This statue commemorates the frequent stays by the General.

Starting on 1/6/1777 to5/28/1777, the General retreated to Morristown after the victory at Princeton.
He stayed at the tavern owned by Co. Jacob Arnold on the town square. The building is now gone. So was much of the army. Washington depended mostly on the militia. They harassed the British Soldiers preventing them from resupply.
Washington was afraid that the British would discover how weak he was and attack. The militia activity prevented the enemy from gaining a clear picture of their advantage. The supplies that Washington needed came in slower and slower.

He tried to rebuild the army and challenged the British and Hessian forces who came to New Jersey for supplies.
He also organized an attack on Staten Island under the command of Lord Stirling. Alexander Hamilton became one of his aides.



He returned 7/4-7/10 1777. Washington was not sure of what General Howe in New York City would do. Would Howe move North to join up with General Burgoyne or South to attack Philadelphia. He moved the army to Morristown to position himself to go in either direction.



He stayed overnight at Arnold's Tavern on 6/3/1779. The British seemed to be making an advance on the Hudson Highlands and Washington stopped overnight before pushing on for West Point.



Returning again on 12/1/1779 to 6/6/1780, Washington stayed at the Ford Mansion. The trials endured by the Continental Army while encamped at Morristown are incredible. The army was starving, maybe eating every 3-5 days. It was a terrible winter with bitter cold. The only good news that came out of this camp was the news from Lafayette that the French would come with troops and a Navy to support Washington.



Again on 11/27/1780. Washington stopped to visit troops in the hospitals before moving on to New Windsor.



Lord Stirling's Headquarters in Parsippany near Troy Hills. A private home.
Stirling protected the North flank of Washington's command. From here, he launched his attack on Staten Island with the use of hundreds of sleds to move troops.












Reproductions of the cabins for the troops at Jockey Hollow.

More cabins and a training ground in front of the cabins.

The Ford Mansion. It is a beautiful museum open to the public.

The troops cabin in front and junior officers cabins to the rear. Endurance levels would have been unbelievable. Thank goodness they had it.