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.