George Washington Drank Here

There are certainly many places in New Jersey where General George Washington stayed during his military campaigns. He certainly ate and drank in those places, too.  

Washington was not a heavy drinker of alcoholic beverages, but he did drink regularly. Madeira wine was his favorite, but he also drank rum punch, hard cider, and occasionally beer or porter. He even ran one of the largest distilleries in America after the war in Virginia.

Washington, with a tavern madeira

Where did he do some of this drinking?

The Indian King Tavern in Haddonfield (Camden County) is probably his most famous drinking connection. Washington visited while traveling through the state. Taverns like this served Madeira, rum punch, hard cider, and ale. The building later hosted the New Jersey legislature. It has been a strong tradition that Washington drank here. It is still standing and preserved as a historic site.

The Nassau Inn's original tavern in Princeton was a drinking spot where Washington as he stayed in town multiple times.  Located near the Battle of Princeton, this and other taverns were meeting places for officers. He probably drank his favorite Madeira or punch during stays. Tavern culture was integral to military life. 

Wallace House / Old Dutch Parsonage in Somerville (Somerset County) was Washington’s winter headquarters (1778–1779). He hosted dinners with his officers and staff, and wine and spirits were part of officer hospitality.  Records show regular alcohol consumption by staff. 

Ford Mansion in Morristown was Washington’s headquarters during the harsh winters of 1777 and 1779–1780. Washington was known to prefer Madeira over harder spirits and there were social evenings including drinks despite shortages. (Within the Morristown National Historical Park)

The Old Barracks, located in Trenton, was where Washington stayed before and after the Crossing of the Delaware. Soldiers were issued rum rations, but officers drank separately, and typically had wine or punch.

Rockingham House in Kingston (near Princeton) was where Washington stayed after the British evacuation of NYC. Celebratory gatherings with wine and toasts were customary

You can't stop by most of these places for a drink today, but you can drink in some history at all of them. Only the Nassau Inn Tap Room still operates as a drinking establishment with direct historical continuity. But if you want to go non-alcoholic, I have another suggestion.

Along the Aqueduct Trail in the Jockey Hollow unit of Morristown National Historical Park, there is a historically significant natural spring that provided water to people long before modern pipes existed. This natural spring is perhaps the most historically documented one in New Jersey. It’s the source of Primrose Brook, one of the cleanest-rated waterways in New Jersey, and is marked by a rudimentary stone wall piled around it and a slate slab canopy.

The Lenni Lenape used it as a water source hundreds of years ago, as can be ascertained by the many artifacts found in the immediate area, showing there was a settlement around it. 

While the late-1800s aqueduct system itself wasn’t around in Washington’s time, the spring that feeds Primrose Brook was a key fresh water source that helped make the Morristown/Jockey Hollow area viable for troops during the Revolutionary War. Washington led his Continental Army to winter encampment in Morristown during the Revolutionary War for a second time in 1779-80, and the spring was documented as being a water source for the patriot soldiers, particularly the Maryland and Pennsylvania brigades. One story tells of Washington visiting the spring after inspecting nearby drills and drinking directly from it with his cupped hands. 

In 1890, an aqueduct system was developed by the Morris Aqueduct Company, New Jersey’s first water company, founded in 1799, and the spring was put into use, bringing drinking water to the growing town. Today, the spring, with crystal-clear groundwater still flowing from it through cracks in the Precambrian bedrock, can be found along the Aqueduct Trail in the park.

A NOTE ON MADEIRA
Madeira wine is a fortified (grape brandy is added) wine originally coming from the Portuguese island of Madeira in the Atlantic Ocean, and it was one of the most popular wines in colonial America. Madeira is deliberately heated and oxidized during production. This gives it remarkable stability and the ability to survive long sea voyages. Its flavors don’t spoil once opened, and so it became the preferred wine of the American colonies. Today, it is referred to as a dessert wine.

I bought a bottle recently that I'm saving for George's birthday on February 22nd. 

In the meantime, during this winter, I will have some "Newark cider" like the hard cider George thought was the best. Made from a blend of four elite New Jersey apple varieties. The blend was dominated by the Harrison apple and“lauded by George Washington.” Modern NJ cider makers restoring the tradition say that Ironbound’s Newark Cider is “literally the cider that George Washington drank.”

A Revolutionary Christmas Week in New Jersey

New Jersey is often called the "Crossroads of the American Revolution" because it saw more battles and skirmishes than any other state.

December 1776 was particularly important. It begins with a retreat. In early December, after losing New York City, General George Washington and the Continental Army retreated across New Jersey, pursued by the British. They crossed the Delaware River into Pennsylvania in early December, seizing all boats to prevent the British from following.

Thomas Paine's pamphlet "The American Crisis" was written while Paine was with the army in NJ and PA was published this month to boost morale. Washington ordered it read to his troops on December 23.

The 1776 Christmas-night crossing of the Delaware River by George Washington's Continental Army to attack Hessian forces in New Jersey is a very famous image and story. Washington’s army braved a winter storm to cross the ice-choked Delaware River from Pennsylvania back into New Jersey at McKonkey's Ferry (now Washington Crossing). 

The Battle of Trenton via Washington Crossing Historic Park

The first Battle of Trenton was on December 26, after the Delaware crossing and a march of nine miles to Trenton. This surprise attack on the Hessian garrison (German mercenaries hired by the British) was a decisive victory, capturing nearly 900 prisoners with almost no American casualties.

However, a massive British army of about 8,000 men led by Lord Charles Cornwallis was marching south from Princeton to crush him. Washington, with his back to the Delaware River, was effectively trapped. Cornwallis, believing Washington had no boats and was trapped against the impassable Delaware River, famously told his officers they could "bag the fox in the morning." He ordered his troops to rest for the night.

Realizing his army would be destroyed in a dawn attack, Washington executed a daring deception. He ordered a small group of soldiers to keep the campfires burning bright and to make digging noises, tricking the British sentries into thinking the Americans were digging in for a fight. In total silence, the rest of the Continental Army wrapped their wagon wheels in rags to dampen the sound and marched around the British flank in the middle of the night.

By the time Cornwallis woke up the next morning to "bag the fox," the American camp was empty. Washington was already miles away, about to launch a surprise attack on the British rearguard at the Battle of Princeton, which was another victory.

The "Second Crossing" (December 29–30) came because Washington took a huge risk and crossed back into New Jersey to solidify his gains and encourage the militia to rise up.

The Continental Army skirmishes with British and Hessian troops in Princeton on New Year’s Day. The Second Battle of Trenton, also known as the Battle of the Assunpink Creek, was a pivotal defensive stand by the Continental Army on January 2, 1777. While often overshadowed by the surprise attack on the Hessians a week earlier, this battle was arguably the moment the American Revolution came closest to total collapse.

If Washington had lost at Assunpink Creek, the Continental Army would likely have been captured or destroyed, effectively ending the Revolutionary War. Instead, the successful defense and subsequent escape allowed Washington to drive the British out of most of New Jersey and boosted public support for the Revolution.

After marching approximately 12 miles through a cold night, Washington’s army arrived at Princeton at dawn on January 3, 1777. They encountered a British brigade, led by Lieutenant Colonel Charles Mawhood, that was marching out of Princeton to join Cornwallis in Trenton. A sharp, fierce engagement broke out on the fields south of the town. 

At a crucial moment, when the lead American units were wavering and being overrun by a British bayonet charge, Washington personally rode to the front of the lines. He rallied the troops and led the counterattack, resulting in a decisive American victory. The remaining British troops were surrounded and forced to surrender inside Nassau Hall (the main building of the College of New Jersey, now Princeton University).

Washington at the Battle of Princeton

Following the victory at Princeton, Washington knew his army was exhausted and vulnerable if Cornwallis—who was now rushing up from Trenton—caught them. Washington broke off the pursuit, leaving New Jersey's central corridor, and marched his army north to Morristown, New Jersey.

Beginning around January 6, 1777, the Continental Army set up its winter quarters in Morristown. This strategic location in the New Jersey Highlands allowed Washington to protect his army while constantly threatening the British supply lines that stretched between New York and their garrisons in New Jersey.

In this film, the "Ten Crucial Days" refers to the short, decisive period from December 25, 1776, through January 3, 1777, during the American Revolutionary War that was a critical turning point where General George Washington and the beleaguered Continental Army launched a series of daring, successful military operations in New Jersey that snatched victory from the jaws of defeat and renewed the Patriot cause.

Princeton's Largest Remaining Undeveloped Property Now Protected

The largest remaining undeveloped property in Princeton is more than 150 acres of mature oak, beech and hickory forest, and contains wetlands. It is now permanently protected, thanks to a partnership among several government agencies and nonprofits It is located on Province Line Road, in the town’s northwest corner.  

The purchase price was $8.8 million from the Lanwin Development Corp. and the family of the late Bryce Thompson. The purchase is part of an initiative called “Princeton’s Emerald Necklace” that seeks to connect preserved green spaces in the town and beyond. A partnership of organizations – led by the town of Princeton and including the Friends of Princeton Open Space, Ridgeview Conservancy, The Watershed Institute, Mercer County, the state Green Acres Program and New Jersey Conservation Foundation – worked cooperatively on the acquisition. Nearly $3 million in private donations were received. The land is now jointly owned by Princeton, the Friends of Princeton Open Space, The Watershed Institute and the Ridgeview Conservancy.

It is now open to the public for passive recreation, including hiking, birding and nature observation. It is also an important habitat for endangered and threatened species, including the red-shouldered hawk and barred owl, as well as songbirds, salamanders and other species whose numbers are in steep decline.

The purchase is important since a development of large homes was previously approved on the land, despite local opposition. Approximately 4,000 trees would have been cut down on the site had the land not been preserved.

planetprinceton.com

fopos.org 

8th annual Princeton Environmental Film Festival

The 8th annual Princeton Environmental Film Festival, sponsored by the Princeton Public Library will run from January 30 - February 9, 2014. All screenings are offered free of admission and will be in the Community Room of the Princeton Public Library unless noted otherwise.

The festival's mission is to engage the community in examining environmental sustainability from a wide range of perspectives via this annual presentation of exceptional documentary films.

The screenings are accompanied by Q&A with film directors and producers, and/or talks with guest speakers. Films exploring topics from climate change to rooftop farming and more shine a light on issues that are important to all of us.

There will also be a panel discussion "Farming at the Edge of Nature" on February 1 at 4 pm.
A group of farmers and naturalists from our region will talk about their farming practices, philosophy, ethics, business models, challenges and their optimism for the next generation who are embracing working closely with the land. Many on the panel are also visual artists and the presentation will exhibit their photography focused on their work. This session will also feature the opportunity for a Q&A and networking.

The panel features: Alec Gioseffi, Adam Martin and Lauren Nagy, Cooperative 518; Lindsay Napolitano and Johann Rinkens, Fields Without Fences; Jared Rosenbaum and Rachel Mackow, Wild Ridge Plants, Growers and Stewards of Native Plants; and Steve Tomlinson, who works at Great Road Farm.

Jared Flesher, documentary filmmaker and Edible Jersey editor will be the moderator of the panel. Jared is an award-winning reporter, photojournalist and documentary filmmaker, with a focus on the topics of energy, agriculture and ecology. His last two documentaries are “The Farmer and the Horse” (2010) and “Sourlands (2012.) His latest film “Field Biologist” is in production and will be released later in 2014. A trailer previewing this film will be featured during the session.

One film that interests me is "Tiny: A Story About Living Small" produced and directed by Merete Mueller and Christopher Smith (2013, 62 minutes) which is the story of Christopher Smith who, approaching his 30th birthday, decides it’s time to plant some roots. He impulsively buys a 5-acre plot of land in hopes of fulfilling a lifelong dream of building a home in the mountains of Colorado. With the support of his girlfriend, Merete, he sets out to build a Tiny House from scratch despite having no construction experience.

Visiting Revolutionary War New Jersey

Hopefully, anyone who grew up in New Jersey knows that our state was pivotal in the American Revolution and played an important part in the American colonists' victory. NJ is often referred to as both the "Crossroads of the Revolution" and the "Military Capital of the Revolution."

Throughout the Revolutionary War, there were 296 clashes between the Americans and British within the colony of New Jersey. That is more than any other colony in the Revolutionary War.

I have written here earlier about a key battle that occurred on January 3, 1777, in the town of Princeton, when the patriots were pushed back by a British charge, General Washington, with his staff, took to the field to rally the retreating troops back into battle.

But there are many other historical locations that are less well-known.

The Abraham Staats House is one of the finest surviving buildings from the Dutch Settlement of the Raritan Valley in the 18th century. The house was entered onto the New Jersey Register of Historic Places and the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. It is located on the Delaware-Raritan Canal. (For birders, there are a variety of birds which have been spotted on the property and on the canal.)

Of course, not all Jersey colonists were in favor of breaking from the crown. Governor William Franklin was the illegitimate son of Benjamin Franklin and was a loyalist who supported the Stamp Act. Governor Franklin signed the charter for Queen's College, which would evolve into Rutgers University. He was like other colonists who had emigrated from England and still felt loyalty to England. On January 8, 1776, Governor Franklin was arrested for opposing the Revolution.

Morven

Another National Historic Landmark in Princeton is known as Morven. Now, it is a museum and public garden. The museum occupies the house called Morven, which was formerly the New Jersey Governor’s Mansion and 18th century home of Richard Stockton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Its restoration and conversion to a museum were completed in 2004. Morven Museum & Garden is administered by Historic Morven, Inc., a non-profit organization founded in 1987, in cooperation with the New Jersey Department of State. The state acquired Morven in 1954.

The Jacobus Vanderveer House is located in Bedminster Township, Somerset County, on part of the 218 acres that make up River Road Park. The oldest part of the Jacobus Vanderveer House was built in the early 1770s. It is typical of the Dutch frame houses that dotted the countryside before the American Revolution. Much of the original fabric of the house remains intact. It includes a wall in the west parlor that features raised wood paneling above the fireplace with a barrel-back cabinet to the side, and the home has original flooring of wide pine boards. The house gained a Federal-style addition in the early 1800s.

 Some Revolutionary War Links for New Jersey

1. Abraham Staats House
2. Bergen County Historical Society
3. Bravo - Battlefield Restoration and Archaeological Volunteer Organization
4. Burlington County Historian
5. The David Library of the American Revolution
6. Fort Lee Historic Park
7. Friends of the Hancock House
8. Jacobus Vanderveer House & Museum
9. Lawrence Historical Society
10. The Meadows Foundation
11. Monmouth Battlefield State Park
12. Morven
13. New Bridge Landing
14. Old Barracks Museum – Trenton
15. Princeton Battlefield Society
16. Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route

Princeton Battlefield Park

General Washington rallying his troops at the Battle of Princeton.

The first inhabitants of the Princeton area were the Lenni Lenape Indians. Europeans founded the settlement in the latter part of the 17th century. The first European to find his home in the boundaries of the future town was Henry Greenland who built his house in 1683 along with a tavern. It was in that tavern that representatives of West and East Jersey met to set boundaries for the location of the township.

Princeton was to be divided into two parts: a borough and township. It was founded from pieces of Middlesex, Burlington, Somerset and Hunterton counties which were divided by the central “King’s Highway.” The King's Highway is today's Nassau Street which eventually turns into Princeton-Kingston Road to the north and Stockton Street to the south.

Even though New Jersey's capital is the city of Trenton, the governor's official residence has been in Princeton since 1945. That is when Morven became the first Governor's mansion. It was later replaced by the larger Drumthwacket, a colonial mansion also located in the township. Morven is now a museum property of the New Jersey Historical Society.

Princeton Battlefield State Park is a 200-acre (81 ha) state park located in Princeton Township. The park preserves the site of the Battle of Princeton on January 3, 1777.

On the night before the battle, George Washington, Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, repulsed a British attack at the Battle of the Assunpink Creek in Trenton. That night, he evacuated his position, circled around General Lord Cornwallis' army, and went to attack the British garrison at Princeton. Brigadier General Hugh Mercer, of the Continental Army, clashed with two regiments under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Mawhood of the British Army.

Mercer and his troops were overrun and Washington sent some militia under General John Cadwalader to help him. The militia, on seeing the flight of Mercer's men, also began to flee. Washington rode up with reinforcements and rallied the fleeing militia. He then led the attack on Mawhood's troops, driving them back. Mawhood gave the order to retreat and most of the troops tried to flee to Cornwallis in Trenton.

In Princeton itself, General John Sullivan forced some British troops who had taken refuge in Nassau Hall to surrender, ending the battle. After the battle, Washington moved his army to Morristown, and with their third defeat in 10 days, the British evacuated southern New Jersey. With the victory at Princeton, morale rose in the ranks and more men began to enlist in the army. The battle was the last major action of Washington's winter New Jersey campaign.

Princeton hosted the first Legislature under the State Constitution of New Jersey to decide the State’s seal, Governor and the organization of its government. In addition, two of the original signers of the Declaration of Independence—Richard Stockton and John Witherspoon lived in Princeton.

In 1783, Congress fled from Philadelphia to Princeton, fearing a mutiny by some of the soldiers. General Washington took up residency at Rockingham in Rocky Hill, where he wrote his Farewell Orders to the Army.

On September third, he rode to Nassau Hall to receive news that the Treaty of Paris had been signed, which officially recognized America's independence. Princeton, thereby, became the first Capital of the new nation.

The Battlefield Park is maintained by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry, and is located on Mercer Road (Princeton Pike), about 1.5 miles south of Princeton University and 3.8 miles north of Interstate 295/95.

Besides the battlefield itself, another stop is the Mercer Oak named after Hugh Mercer, a brigadier general in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. During the Battle of Princeton, Mercer was stabbed by an English soldier's bayonet. According to legend, he was unwilling to abandon his troops, and rested on the tree's trunk while they stood their ground. After the battle, Mercer was taken to the Clarke House where he died from his injuries nine days later.

The tree was about 300 years old when it was torn by strong winds in March 2000. It is the emblem of Princeton Township and appears on the seal of the township and is an element of the seal of Mercer County, New Jersey. For public safety reasons, arborists cut off the remnants of the trunk the day after the tree fell and several scions from the tree were planted around the battlefield. In May 2000, an 8-foot sapling grown from a Mercer Oak acorn was planted inside the stump of the former tree.

The Thomas Clarke House Museum, built in 1772, was built by the third generation of Quakers at Stony Brook. The house is furnished in the Revolutionary period and contains military artifacts and battle exhibits, as well as a research library. During the battle General Mercer was brought to the Clarke House and treated unsuccessfully by Dr. Benjamin Rush.

There is also an Ionic Colonnade designed by Thomas U. Walter (architect of the US Capitol Building)and a stone patio marking the grave of 21 British and 15 American soldiers killed in the battle. A poem was written for the site by Alfred Noyes, Poet Laureate of England.

The park's hiking trails lead to the Delaware and Raritan Canal and to the adjacent property of the Institute for Advanced Study.

The Princeton Battle Monument is located near Princeton University on park property at Stockton Street and Bayard Lane.

The Historical Society of Princeton uses the Bainbridge House which had previously been used once for a meeting of Continental Congress in 1783, a general office and as the Princeton Public Library. The House is actually property of Princeton University and is leased to the Princeton Historical Society for one dollar per year. The house has kept its original staircase, flooring and paneled walls and is 70% unaltered.


Take a virtual tour of the Princeton Battlefield Park

Princeton Battlefield State Park official site