Remembering George Washington’s Retreat Through Essex County | Belleville, NJ Patch – Belleville, NJ Patch

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — The following article comes courtesy of Al Frazza, creator of RevolutionaryWarNewJersey.com. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site.

In November 1776, George Washington and the Continental Army retreated across New Jersey, pursued by the British forces. Part of that journey took them through what is now Nutley and Belleville, and through Newark, where they encamped for several days.

New Jersey played a central and crucial role in the events of the Revolutionary War. Throughout the state, we are surrounded by physical links to that history – houses, buildings, churches, cemeteries, roads and monuments. Several places in New Jersey are well-known for their connection to that time period – such as Morristown, Trenton, and Princeton – but physical reminders of the Revolutionary War can be found spread throughout all of New Jersey. From the rural areas to the cities and suburbs, footprints of that great historic time still remain. And knowing where to look for them is a great way to get anyone interested in the history of that crucial time period.

The most famous Revolutionary War event involving New Jersey is certainly George Washington’s crossing of the Delaware River on Christmas Day 1776. In that well-known incident, General George Washington led the American Army (known as the Continental Army) for a surprise attack on the Hessian forces in Trenton. The American victory that day was an important turning point for General Washington and his army, and for the newly-formed United States of America. It has become an iconic historical moment, and has been immortalized in the famous painting by Emmanual Luetze, “Washington Crossing the Delaware.”

Most people are aware of the famous crossing, even if they don’t know the details. Many New Jersey residents have visited the Washington Crossing State Park in Titusville, and have perhaps even gone to see the reenactment of the crossing that is held there every Christmas.

However, the retreat across New Jersey that began a month before the famous Christmas Day crossing is much less well-known. Many Essex County residents may not be aware that part of that retreat took General Washington and the Continental Army through what are now Nutley and Belleville, and through Newark, where they encamped for several days. Knowledge of this incident can help local residents take an increased awareness of — and pride in — the role that this area played during the Revolutionary War.

The Continental Army’s 1776 Retreat Across New Jersey

The year 1776 was a tumultuous one for the American cause in the Revolutionary War. July 4 had seen the milestone of adopting the Declaration of Independence. But on the military side, the war had gone poorly for General George Washington and the Continental Army. They suffered a series of defeats on Long Island and Manhattan between August and September. Then on November 19-20, British and Hessian troops under the command of General Cornwallis invaded New Jersey by crossing the Hudson River from Manhattan and landing at Lower Closter Landing in Bergen County. This forced the Continental Army to evacuate their camp at nearby Fort Lee and begin a twelve-day retreat across New Jersey, with the British and Hessian troops in pursuit. (Hessians were German mercenary soldiers hired by the British to fight on their side in the Revolutionary War.)

The Continental Army’s retreat took them first through Bergen County to the Passaic River. They crossed the Passaic River into Acquackanonk (now Passaic) on November 21. The next day they marched along the west side of the Passaic River through what are now Nutley and Belleville, and on to Newark. Their path, along what are now River Road, Main Ave and Route 21/McCarter Highway, took them past or near two buildings which still stand in Nutley — the Van Riper House and Kingsland Manor. It also took them past the Dutch Reformed Church, which stood at what is now the corner of Main and Rutgers Streets in Belleville. The original church structure which stood there during the Revolutionary War no longer exists, but a later church building, built in 1853, stands in its place. There are many Revolutionary War soldiers buried in its cemetery.

The retreating Continental Army reached Newark by November 23, and encamped in what is now Military Park — then known as the Training Place. They remained at Newark until November 28 when they then continued their retreat southwest across the state through New Brunswick and Princeton. They arrived in Trenton on December 2, where they spent five days moving all the troops and supplies across the Delaware River into Pennsylvania.

This was a desperate period for General Washington, the army, and the country. Thomas Paine famously described this period as, “These are the times that try men’s souls.”

However, within weeks, General Washington and the Continental Army would turn the tide. On Christmas night, Washington’s forces crossed the Delaware River back into New Jersey to win a small but important victory the next morning at Trenton, followed eight days later with another victory at Princeton. Having revived their chances and morale, Washington’s army headed to Morristown where they would spend the winter.

As it would throughout the rest of the Revolutionary War, New Jersey had played a pivotal role during this period, part of which involved Essex County.

This month marks the 245th anniversary of that retreat across New Jersey, and the days that the Continental Army under the leadership of General George Washington spent in Essex County. The next time you find yourself driving on the west side of the Passaic River in Nutley, Belleville or Newark, try to visualize the time that Washington and thousands of Continental Army soldiers marched through here, nearly two-and-a-half centuries ago.

You can find out more about the Revolutionary War historic sites in Essex County, and throughout all of New Jersey, at RevolutionaryWarNewJersey.com. History is all around us. Get out and see for yourself the historical footprints left behind in our great state of New Jersey.

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