August 19, 1775
New Jersey
New Jersey Minutemen Mustered
New Jersey minutemen mustered under township committees of safety, forming the earliest rebel defense against Royal authority. Drawn from local farms and parishes, these men pledged to be ready at a minute’s notice — the first spark of New Jersey’s organized resistance.
September 28, 1775
New Jersey
New Jersey Minutemen Officially Mustered
On September 28, 1775, New Jersey Minutemen were officially mustered under orders from the Provincial Congress, marking a decisive move toward armed rebellion. That same day, Charles Stewart, later Commissary General of Issues, signed a letter certifying the formation of these rapid-response patriot forces — a signal that the colonies were preparing for full-scale war.
February 16, 1776
Pittstown, NJ
2nd Hunterdon County regiment formed
The New Jersey Provincial Congress authorized the formation of the 2nd Hunterdon County Regiment, calling up local militia to defend against British incursions. Led by officers like Abraham Bonnell and Joseph Beavers, these men would become a vital part of New Jersey’s revolutionary backbone — from Blazing Star Ferry to the Battle of Springfield.
December 17, 1776
Springfield
The Forgotten First Battle of Springfield
First skirmish in state in which New Jersey troops force British to turn and retire
The Hudson River Begins to Freeze
As bitter winds swept through the Highlands, ice crept slowly across the Hudson, choking its currents and signaling the approach of another brutal winter. The river, once a lifeline, now turned into a barrier—both shield and snare in the war for liberty.
November 30, 1779
Morristown
New York, First Maryland and Hand’s Brigades arrive at Jockey Hollow encampment
Weary from months of marching, the brigades descended into Jockey Hollow, where frozen earth and forest silence awaited—here, they would endure a winter of sacrifice and survival.
December 1, 1779
Morristown
Washington arrives at the Ford Mansion in Morristown
General George Washington took up winter quarters at the Ford Mansion, a stately home offered by Theodosia Ford. From its candlelit rooms, he would direct a fragile army through one of the harshest winters of the war—colder than Valley Forge, and just as perilous. Here, strategy met endurance, and decisions were made that would shape the fate of the rebellion.
December 1, 1779
Morristown
Woodford’s Virginia Division arrives at Jockey Hollow encampment
Through snow and sleet, Woodford’s men trudged north from Virginia, their ranks thinned by hunger and hardship. At Jockey Hollow, they joined the encampment—gaunt, frostbitten, but unbroken—ready to hold the line through the merciless winter to come.
December 14, 1779
Morristown
Stark’s Brigade arrives at Jockey Hollow encampment
Led by the hero of Bennington, General John Stark’s brigade marched into the frozen encampment with grit forged in northern campaigns. Hardened by war and winter alike, they brought fierce New England resolve to the hills of Morristown.
December 14, 1779
Morristown
Snow is reportedly 2 feet deep in Morristown
December 15, 1779
Morristown
Connecticut Brigade arrives at Jockey Hollow encampment
December 21, 1779
Morristown
Washington instructs Gov William Livingston to have the NJ Militia ensure that signal beacons are in working order
December 23, 1779
Morristown
Court Martial of Benedict Arnold commences at Dickerson’s Tavern in Morristown
December 26, 1779
New York
British Commanding General Henry Clinton departs New York for Charleston SC
December 31, 1779
Morristown
Martha Washington arrives in Morristown
January 2, 1780
Morristown
The “worst snow storm of the century” hits Morristown
January 5, 1780
Morristown
Washington sends a letter to the Continental Congress , reiterating the extreme hardships in Morristown
January 8, 1780
Morristown
Washington sends a letter to the magistrates of New Jersey describing the destitute condition of his men at Morristown
January 14, 1780
Staten Island
Raid on Staten Island by 2,500 American troops on 500 sleighs
January 15, 1780
Morristown
Richard Savage is murdered by fellow soldier William Loudon at Jockey Hollow encampment.
He is branded on the hand and escapes further punishment
January 25, 1780
Elizabethtown
British forces raid Elizabethtown and Newark burning the Presbyterian Church and Courthouse
January 25, 1780
Sub Label
Morris County magistrates send a letter to Washington acknowledging the starving soldiers but questioning plundering and “insulting behavior” of the troops
January 27, 1780
Morristown
Washington writes in response to Morris County magistrates thanking them for aid to the soldiers and vows to protect their property and persons
January 31, 1780
Morristown
Silas Condict, a member of New Jersey’s Council of Safety, wrote Washington expressing his concern: “I take the liberty to suggest my apprehension respecting Your Excellency’s situation, which I do not think so secure as I would wish, while the frost [ice] makes firm passing into Jersey from every part of the enemy’s lines.”
The prescient councilman advised Washington that the solid ice could make possible a “bold” attempt to surprise him and allow a party of cavalry to reach Morristown undetected
February 1, 1780
Staten Island
British Major John Simcoe leads two hundred of his Rangers in a foray into New Jersey.
His original aim is to lure Washington out from Morristown and capture him. Instead, Knyphausen orders him to conduct raids in Woodbridge area.
General order is issued by Washington to his troops declaring St Patrick’s Day a holiday
This is also a nod to the independence movement in the Parliament of Ireland
Washington sends a letter to Marquis de Lafayette describing the harsh winter conditions at Morristown
The last snowstorm of the season hits Morristown, after 5 previous storms in March
Verdict announced on Court Martial of Benedict Arnold in Morristown
Arrival of the French Ambassador (the Chevalier de la Luzerne) and Spanish agent Don Juan de Miralles in Morristown
Arrival of Committee of Congress in Morristown to investigate distraught in the American Army in Morristown
Marquis de Lafayette arrives in Morristown with news that the French would be sending an expeditionary force of about 6,000 men lead by the Count de Rochambeau
Report sent by Committee of Congress to the Continental Congress describing the “distresses” and “repetition of want” of the troops in Morristown
Mutiny of two Connecticut Regiments at Jockey Hollow encampment
Eleven convicted deserters were scheduled to be executed at Jockey Hollow
Ten received reprieves from Washington and one was hung
Death of Miralles in Morristown
Clinton's aide-de-camp, Maj. William Crosbie carries a letter providing details on fall of Charleston, SC
He also has verbal instructions from Gen. Henry Clinton to inform Gen. Wilhelm von Knyphausen of his plans for further offensive operations in NJ once he returned, date uncertain.
Knyphausen puts his plan into motion
Maj Gen William Tryon's intended vanguard division embarks abt. 11:00 am. Brig Gen Thomas Stirling's division follows at abt. 3:00 pm. Contrary winds hamper boat movement, and Stirling debarked at DeHart's point near Elizabethtown. Tryon's division could not follow, and had to unload at Decker's Ferry on Staten Island; then marched to Garrett Post House opposite Elizabethtown Point. Due to low tide, flatboats Stirling dispatched to Staten Island were unable to rendezvous with the troops waiting onshore. British engineers constructed small bridges to traverse the channels, taking a few houses. Maj Gen Edward Mathew's division, already prepared, boarded the boats first as the sun was coming up. Tyron's division, less organized, followed in Mathew's train. Knyphausen took up the rear with the remainder of Tryon's troops.
June 6, 1780
Elizabethtown
Col. Elias Dayton, informed of Stirling's landing as it occurred, or possibly earlier, dispatched Ensign Ogden of Spencer's Additional Continental Regiment to take post at the crossroads from DeHart's Point and Elizabethtown Point meet.
Dayton formed the built of his two regiments on Jelf's Hill behind a stone bridge in Elizabethtown. Dayton also sent word to alert Maxwell at West Farms. Ogden's detachment opens fire on the British column, and Stirling and is shot in the right thigh. The wound proves fatal. Ogden and his men fled back to Jelf'sHill, Dayton receiving them. Dayton had his son write to Washington, "the enemy landed this night at 12 o'clock, front the best intelligence four or five thousand men & Twelve field pieces, & it is his conjecture the intend to penetrate into the country."
June 7, 1780
Elizabethtown
British Col. Friedrich Wilhelm Wurmb takes command from the wounded Stirling, however is distracted by Stirling's wound and not entirely sure of his responsibilities
Wurmb halts for reorganization and further instructions.
Washington would have been able to call upon 2,000 militiamen from Middlesex, Somerset, Essex, and Morris Counties who came out over the next few days in response to an urgent call from Alexander.
Washington augments his troop numbers by writing to Gen. Alexander to call out the militia
Further intelligence indicated the enemy was to move from Elizabethtown to Springfield….Washington orders Gen Alexander "to give the alarm as extensively as you can in your quarter and to remain to form them as they collect and march them towards the enemy."
June 7, 1780
Elizabethtown
Wurmb resumes his march at dawn, passing through Elizabethtown towards its northwest edge, crossing the Elizabeth River, passed Jelf's Hill, then headed north-northwest on the Galloping Hill Road toward Springfield, unopposed as Dayton had abandoned Jelf's Hill during the night and pulled back to Connecticut Farms
June 7, 1780
Watchung Mountains
Long before sunrise, signal beacons, and sometimes signal cannon, boomed to rouse the NJ militia and warn civilians of the approaching enemy.
June 7, 1780
Connecticut Farms
Delaying action in front of Connecticut Farms takes place by Maxwell's behest.
Maxwell dispatches Maj. Aaron Ogden to make contact with Dayton at Jelf's Hill, who pulls back to Connecticut Farms due to Maxwell's superior force.
Wurmb passes Gov. William Livingston's mansion
Livingston was a marked man and lived there infrequently. He allowed his daughters to live there under accepted rules of war. Wurmb arrives there at 6:00 am. Romantic tales may or may not have transpired, however Wurmb places a guard at the house ensuring the safety of the house and its inhabitants.
At 8:30 am, Washington, still in Headquarters, writes to Maj Jeremiah Talbot, commanding a small detachment in Paramus, to share the alarm with all militia detachments in the vicinity and to make haste for Chatham with his own detachment while sending scouts/couriers to keep watch for the enemy
Washington’s aide-de-camp, Lt Col Alexander Hamilton, writes to Maj Gen Baron Friedrich von Steuben asking him to meet the main army at Chatham.
In Washington's letter to Alexander, confessed his continuing uncertainty over whether the enemy "may aim at our camp or….only intend to proceed as far as the mountains and file off to the left making a sweep of all the forage Cattle &c. in their way."
The obvious move was to place his main force in Chatham to Hobart Gap, allowing the Continental army to make a stand, or advance on Springfield with a secure line of supply and retreat. If matters had reached the pass, an extended battle would take place
June 7, 1780
Connecticut Farms
Civilians followed what by this time was a standard drill in eastern NJ….hid their valuables, drove livestock into the woods, collected their families, and scattered.
The village was empty upon Knyphusen's arrival
June 7, 1780
Connecticut Farms
Dayton sent small detachments of Continentals to coordinate with local militia in screening the enemy and delaying it where possible
June 7, 1780
Connecticut Farms
Presumably on Maxwell's orders, elements of Dayton's and Spencer's regiments (now commanded by Lt Col William Stephens Smith, occupy a defile along the settlement's eastern edge
Maxwell retained the remainder of his force some distance further back, "protecting the roads leading to the right and left" around Connecticut Farms. Purpose was a delaying action
June 7, 1780
Connecticut Farms
"Our parties of Continental troops and Militia at the defile performed wonders" Maxell later informed Gov. Livingston in that they manage to hold up Wurmb's advance guard for "nearly three hours", though that was more of an impression than reality.
June 7, 1780
Connecticut Farms
After some inclusive fighting, and cautious probing by Wurmb, the American were pried out of the defile and pushed back through Connecticut Farms at abt. 7:30 am
The remainder of Knyphausen's 3rd division arrived at Connecticut Farms at 8:00 am. "The rebels generally retired from house to house , and from wood to wood, and resisted their foe in every way." Knyphausen later reported.
June 7, 1780
Connecticut Farms
Dayton and Smith maintained order with their men.
Knyphausen, with his exhausted troops, may have given up if his behavior is an indication. British troops break into homes, causing damage, and carry out some looting.
June 7, 1780
Connecticut Farms
Hannah Caldwell is killed
June 7, 1780
Connecticut Farms
Maxwell pulls back his command slowly toward Springfield, climbing the heights just east of the bridge over the Rahway River
He keeps pressure on Knyphausen with skirmishing parties.
June 7, 1780
Connecticut Farms
Approximately 4,000 Continental troops under MG Sullivan tried to take a hill from Brig Gen Erskine' Highlanders.
Erskine's troops prevail, reporting 18 killed and wounded, while claiming 250 Continentals killed on the spot.
June 7, 1780
Connecticut Farms
Knyphausen reaches the outskirts of Connecticut Farms, per Maxwell, abt. 9:00 or 9:30 am near David Meeker's House on the western outskirts of Connecticut Farms
Knyphausen deploys his forces into two lines, then waited for about 2 hours justifying the need to wait for supplies. Maxwell orders an immediate attack at 11:00 am, pushing the enemy advance guard back. Smith offers a more complex description of these events that suggests a more hurried and certain degree of confusion on the Americans part.
June 7, 1780
Connecticut Farms
Smith sends 3 platoons abt. 100 yards to the right of Galloping Hill Rd. and 3 platoons abt the same distance to the left
Smith continues forward until David Meeker's house comes into view.
June 7, 1780
Connecticut Farms
Jager Corps and British Guards light infantry force push the Americans back after several attempts to press forward
June 7, 1780
Connecticut Farms
Smith orders his men to advance against the enemy …after reaching the Meeker House, the enemy 30-40 yards away, a "smart" skirmish ensued, however Smith was forced to order his troops to retreat
June 7, 1780
Connecticut Farms
Americans withdrew behind the bridge, backed by one small cannon, possibly two.
Knyphausen's troops force them back.
June 7, 1780
Connecticut Farms
Knyphausen later claims he had no chance of seizing Hobart Gap before nightfall, however he thought it realistic to take Springfield and "force the pass" into Short Hills and beyond
June 7, 1780
Connecticut Farms
Knyphausen awaits arrival of Maj Gen Robertson, Hachenberg's Division and Lossberg
Knyphausen constructs a temporary defensive breastwork along Galloping Hill Road west of Connecticut Farms. Troops begin plundering.
Washington in Short Hills by midafternoon
Washington deploys Pennsylvania division on the right under Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene, and Connecticut division under Maj. Gen. Lafayette to the left. Maj. Gen. Steuben commanded Brig. Gen. John Stark's and Brig. Gen. Edward Hand's brigades in support, detaching two regiments to guard the road north to Newark Mountain.
June 7, 1780
Connecticut Farms
Knyphausen gives his troops liberty to do as they pleased in Connecticut Farms, specifically to torch the place
Only two buildings remain. Set fire to the Presbyterian meetinghouse and the courthouse.
June 7, 1780
Connecticut Farms
Orders came to pack up and British march back toward Elizabethtown at 9:00 pm
Retreat was difficult with thunder and rain
June 7, 1780
Connecticut Farms
Americans had to hunker down until daybreak
A scout and two dragoons sets out to reconnoiter. They quickly return with the news of the withdrawal. Washington is cautious and issues orders from the heights above Springfield, for his three division commanders to follow up on the enemy.
June 7, 1780
Connecticut Farms
Crown forces retreated to the high ground just NE of Connecticut Farms in a heavy thunderstorm and entrenched
Continentals received reinforcements and pursued the Crown forces who burned most of the homes in Connecticut Farms as they retreated to DeHart's point near Elizabethtown on June 9. Knyphausen evacuates to Staten Island.
June 7, 1780
Connecticut Farms
Hamilton, under orders from Washington, drafts a letter to Alexander, directing the militia to be as active as possible in harassing the enemy
June 7, 1780
Connecticut Farms
Crosbie arrives late afternoon with news of Clinton's impending arrival from Charleston, providing an opportunity to formally cancel the attack.
June 7, 1780
Elizabethtown
Hand assembles his troops in Elizabethtown
Loyalists opened fire, with the militia retiring. Skirmishing continues into the afternoon
June 7, 1780
Elizabethtown
Alexander reports to Washington at 5:00 pm that the enemy is too strong to attack and halts the main force of the army 2-3 miles in the rear
Washington directs Alexander to pull back his force well behind Elizabethtown, which he does.
June 7, 1780
Elizabethtown
The Battle of Connecticut Farms comes to an end
June 23, 1780
Elizabethtown
Clinton and Knyphausen cross over into Elizabethtown, advancing toward Springfield
They marched in two columns, one on the main road (currently the turnpike), the other on the Vauxhall Rd
June 23, 1780
Elizabethtown
Sighting the British advance, the Americans respond crisply
June 23, 1780
Elizabethtown
A few shots are exchanged with the fast moving enemy at Liberty Hall
June 23, 1780
Connecticut Farms
Maxwell passed the alert on to Greene at Bryant's Tavern behind Springfield
Greene orders Stark's brigade to stand to arms
Washington notified by Greene at 6:00 am that "The enemy are out, and on their march toward this place in full force."
Greene disposed his troops to preclude a flanking maneuver by the British
It was pointless to fight for the ruins of Connecticut Farms , as it was to fight for Springfield as it held no intrinsic military value. Springfield was close to the Hobart Gap, 3 miles away. Fighting in Springfield might prevent Knyphausen from breaking through to the west
Greene deploys Col Ogden's 1st NJ Regiment, Lee's Dragoon's, and some militia, to take post in the Short Hills behind Littel's Bridge 1.5 north of Springfield on Vauxhall Rd. protecting his vulnerable left flank
Greene deployed Col Angell's 2nd Rhode Island with a field piece to hold the bridge over the Rahway long enough to cover Dayton's retreat
Shreve's 2nd NJ Regiment would wait for some of Lt Col Procter's artillery to hold the door open for Dayton and Angell to pull back from the village and across a second bridge another branch of the Rahway. These were all delaying actions to hold on to the Hobart Gap
June 23, 1780
Connecticut Farms
Dayton stations his regiment on a defile, where Galloping Hill Road proceeds through a hollow over the high ground in Connecticut Farms
Loyalist guards quickly broke the American position there
June 23, 1780
Connecticut Farms / Springfield
Dayton crosses the bridge under cover of Angell's cannon sustaining losses of only a few prisoners
June 23, 1780
Connecticut Farms / Springfield
Angell's Rhode Islanders opened fire on the Loyalists as they observed the American position from the heights above the bridge
June 23, 1780
Connecticut Farms / Springfield
Mathew waits in Connecticut Farms until Knyphausen arrives at 8:00 am then executes a flanking maneuver
Pulling back the Loyalists, Mathew turned his division north and set course for the Vauxhall Road and Little's bridge
June 23, 1780
Connecticut Farms / Springfield
Knyphausen deploys a battery of several guns and engages Angell's single gun…inclusive artillery duel
Lee and Ogden take up defensive positions with militia by the Vauxhall Bridge by placing his main force about a mile west behind Littel's bridge over the west branch of the Rahway River
Lt Col Simcoe describes approaching the bridge in a column, deploying into and then extending it
Lt. Shaw sent to clear out some American riflemen, then Simcoe crosses the river. Lee's troops fought back, Knyphausen hears the road of guns to his right at about 11:00 am. Lee's troops are outflanked, and retreat. The Loyalists skirmished for a short time, then pull back to rejoin Mathew and his column behind them. Greene, understandably overreacting to Simcoe's thrust, moves his forces back to cover the Hobart Gap
June 23, 1780
Connecticut Farms / Springfield
Mathew pauses, then sends his troops south on the road to Springfield
Pressure grows from the militia in the north
When Simcoe began his action to drive off Lee's force at the Littel’s Bridge, Knyphausen deployed his own troops to attack Angell's regiment defending the de-planked bridge before Springfield
June 23, 1780
Connecticut Farms / Springfield
Cpt. Thomas Thompson oversaw the single fieldpiece and held off the enemy for about 40 minutes
June 23, 1780
Connecticut Farms / Springfield
When the 37th Regiment of Foot began to lead the advance downhill toward the river in two columns, Angell deployed his men forward to take post on either side of the bridge
Continentals opened fire when the British infantry came into range. Thompson's fieldpiece soon silenced by British artillery
The Continentals are forced to retreat from the bridge from the advancing Germans
The Americans pull back conducting a fighting retreat through the village
Lt Col William Stephens turns over command of his regiment to Col. Israel Shreve
Smith leads the regiment toward and over the second bridge behind Springfield joining some of Lt Col Forrest's artillery
Troops remain there until Angell's regiment begins losing its hold on its position on the first bridge. Greene orders the artillery to deploy on the high ground near the Presbyterian Church
Greene orders Smith to move his regiment forward and deploy "upon the left of the Brigade (presumably Dayton's regiment) withdrawn from Connecticut Farms
Lt Col Lewis Morris declares to Smith that Greene wanted to pull back behind the second bridge; which he does
Knyphausen's advance parties, presumably Jagers, moves toward Smith's right after Smith's troops fired a few volleys, then ceases fire
The Germans approach close and fire on Smith's troops
A small melee develops near a stone house where some of Spencer's regiment and some militia have been posted
As fighting for the second bridge fades, several houses burst into flames
With the artillery and Angell's men now withdrawn to safety, Smith order his regiment to cease wire and pull back
They wheel to the left by platoons and march back along the road to Short Hills. The enemy infantry did not pursue, but did shell the Americans and inflict a few casualties. For all intents and purpose, here the combat ends
Maj Gen Mathew's division rejoins Knyphausen in Springfield in the early afternoon just after Lt Col Smith's column disappeared into Short Hills
At 3:00 pm, judging the American positions (in Clinton's later words) "too respectable to encourage any further attempts," Knyphausen abandoned his expedition and pulls his force back to Elizabethtown
Greene imagined Mathew might be pressing Lee through the Short Hills toward Chatham
He took the precautionary measure of dispatching two regiments and a cannon to reinforce Lee, afterward pulling back Stark's brigade and the now reunited NJ Brigade into the hills closer to the Hobart Gap
June 23, 1780
Rockaway Bridge
Washington sent his aide-de-camp, Maj David Humphrey's to Springfield to investigate
Two more signal cannon fired from camp ordered the troops to prepare to move. Later that morning, he threw his force into motion toward Springfield, and Gen Wayne in the vanguard. Wayne's brigade arrived in support of Greene just behind the Hobart Gap at 8:00 pm
June 23, 1780
Springfield to Elizabethtown
A detachment of 120 men that Greene dispatched to harass Knyphausen's retreating column could do no more that fling a few shots at their backs, nor was Stark's brigade, which followed up thereafter, able to catch up
Only Lee's cavalry managed to exchange some shots with Knyphausen's rear guard and capture the occasional straggler and abandoned supplies
June 23, 1780
Elizabethtown
By 7:00, Knyphausen's entire force is ensconced at Elizabethtown Point and preparing to cross back to Staten Island
By sunrise the next day, the pontoon bridge is dismantled and the withdrawal is complete
June 23, 1780
Elizabethtown
The Battle of Springfield comes to an end
December 17, 1776
Springfield
Samuel Beach answers the call to arms
During the 1776 skirmish, Samuel Beach, the teacher of the little school at Lyons Farms (now part of Newark), on hearing that British soldiers were marching on Springfield, dismissed his school and shouldering his gun went into the fight.
