Morristown About Your Visit Washington's Headquarters and the adjacent museums are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. A small admission fee is charged for persons over 16. The Jockey Hollow visitor center and nearby Wick House are also open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Park roads are open 9 a.m. to sunset. All park buildings are closed December 25 and January 1.

The First Maryland encampment area in Jockey Hollow contains a self-guiding nature trail, restrooms, and drinking water.

Administration Morristown National Historical Park is admin­ istered by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. A superintendent, whose address is Morristown, NJ 07960, is in immediate charge of the park.

As the Nation's principal conservation agency, the Department of the Interior has responsibility for most of our nationally owned public lands and natural resources. This includes fostering the wisest use of our land and water resources, protecting our fish and wildlife, preserving the environmental and cultural values of our national parks and historical places, and pro­ viding for the enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. The Department assesses our energy and mineral resources and works to assure that their development is in the best interests of all our people. The Department also has a major responsibility for American Indian reservation communities and for people who live in Island Territories under U.S. administration.

National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

Photographs by Ross Chappie irGPO 1976-21 1-308 93

National Historical Park, New Jersey of the town's social, political, and business life the object of minor engagements. Captured food Morristown's strategic location once again was conducted at Jacob Arnold's tavern. found its way back to the American camps and satisfied these requirements. Morristown often made the difference between starvation In the surrounding countryside prosperous and survival. At the end of November, Washington's army is the story of an army struggling to survive. farmers raised wheat, corn, rye, oats, barley, marched south from West Point to join the During two critical winters, the town sheltered vegetables, apples, peaches, and other fruits. The Continental Army not only survived, but in troops from the middle and southern colonies the main encampment of the Continental Army. Much of the land was heavily forested. In the the spring was greatly reinforced. As the winter already gathering at the encampment. The troops In 1777 George Washington overcame desertion hills north of Morristown mines and furnaces passed into summer and there were dry roads marching along the narrow dirt roads to Morris­ and disease to rebuild an army capable of taking yielded pig iron, which was cast into tools, farm and grass for the horses, the opposing armies town were veterans of the 1775 invasion of the field against William Howe's veteran Red­ implements and cannon at the forges of Hibernia began to move. The British crossed in strength Canada, and the battles of Long Island, White coats. In 1779-80—the hardest winter in any­ and Mt. Hope. At a secluded spot along the banks into New Jersey. Washington countered by Plains, Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, and one's memory—the military struggle was almost of the Whippany River, a small mill made gun­ ordering the army to Middlebrook, where it Monmouth. They were led by equally experienced lost amid starvation, nakedness, and mutiny on powder from saltpeter, sulphur, and charcoal. could oppose an enemy attack. Refusing battle, officers. John Stark had raised and commanded the bleak hills of Jockey Hollow. Never was the the British returned to New York, boarded troop­ the army which defeated the Hessians at Ben­ leadership of Washington more evident as he The 5,000 men who arrived from Princeton ships, and sailed south. The Americans followed nington. Anthony Wayne led the midnight assault held together, at a desperate time, the small, sought shelter from the blasts of winter in public by land. Leaving behind only small units to upon the fortifications at Stony Point. And James ragged army that represented the country's main buildings, private homes, even stables, barns, guard stores and a crude fortification on a hill Clinton had defended his position along the hope for independence. sheds, and tents. Some Delaware troops were overlooking the village, the American army left Hudson River, only narrowly escaping capture fortunate enough to find quarters in Col. Jacob Morristown and did not return for 2 years. by the British. Ford's fine home near the town green. 1777: Rebuilding an Army Great events filled the interval. A British army George Washington arrived in Morristown amidst Weary but elated from their brilliant victories at Maintaining the size and efficiency of the army surrendered at Saratoga. Philadelphia was cap­ a severe hail and snow storm on December 1, Trenton and Princeton, the Continental Army was a continuing problem. The force so recently tured, then abandoned by the enemy. The Amer­ 1779, and made his headquarters at the house trudged into winter quarters at Morristown in victorious at Trenton and Princeton began to ican army endured a hard winter at Valley Forge. of Jacob Ford, Jr. Other senior officers found early January 1777. Washington could hardly dwindle as enlistments expired and many of In June 1778, Monmouth, N.J., was the site of quarters in private homes in and around Morris­ have picked a more defensible place in which to the men deserted. Their replacements were the last major battle in the northern States. In town. Junior officers lived with their men in rest and reassemble his army, which had almost local militia and raw recruits. Resistant to mili­ the South a joint French-American siege of Jockey Hollow, a few miles south of Morristown. melted away during the Jersey campaign. The tary discipline, they often damaged their cause Savannah ended in failure. Watchung Mountains east of town protected him by harassing the farmers of the countryside. As each brigade arrived, it was assigned a from Howe's army in New York City, 30 miles campsite. The men lived in tents as work began away. Its passes could be easily defended, and Disease added yet another burden. Smallpox, 1779-1780: A Starving Time on the log cabins that would serve as their bar­ lookouts posted on ridge tops could quickly spy "the greatest of all calamities," struck the small "On the 14th reached this wilderness, about racks. Six hundred acres of oak, walnut, and any British move on Morristown or across the army, and Washington had to resort to desper­ three miles from Morristown, where we are to chestnut were converted into lines of soldier Jersey plains toward the patriot capital at Phila­ ate measures to avert disaster. At a time when build log huts for winter quarters. Our baggage huts which rose on the hillsides. delphia. Seeing that his adversary could not the procedure was feared and almost as dan­ is left in the rear for want of wagons to trans­ assail him in quarters, Washington used the gerous as the disease itself, he ordered both port it. The snow on the ground is about two December introduced the worst winter of the winter lull to fill his ranks and forge them into soldiers and civilians to be inoculated. Before feet deep, and the weather extremely cold." century to Morristown. Twenty-eight blizzards an effective fighting machine. the outbreak was stilled, the town's two churches Dr. James Thacher, blasted the hills and slopes with unremitting became hospitals filled with the sick and dying. Continental Army Surgeon, 1780 violence, blocking vital supply roads with 6-foot The foot-sore troops who came to Morristown snowdrifts. Bread and beef, the staples of a found a few buildings clustered around the town In spite of these difficulties, and the ever-pres­ As 1779 drew to a close, Washington turned his soldier's diet, were generally adequate, but the green—a large open field often used for grazing ent shortages of food and clothing, the army attention to the coming winter encampment of weather sometimes caused long delays in repro- sheep, cattle, and horses. The Presbyterian and kept fighting. Small units waylaid enemy forag­ the Continental Army. The large British force in visioning. As food supplies dwindled, starvation Baptist churches dominated the scene, while the ing parties, cut off supplies, and attacked the New York City had to be watched from a place confronted the beleaguered army. "Nothing to courthouse and jail served the legal needs of the British in countless skirmishes. Supplies vital to where the American army could be preserved eat from morning to night again," was a com­ town and surrounding farm communities. Much both American and British armies often became through the always difficult winter months. mon entry in soldiers' diaries. Touring the Park For Your Safety To add to the suffering, the quartermaster could Washington's Headquarters, mean survival and victory on Do not allow your visit to be spoiled by an not clothe the army. An officer wrote to his 1 1779-80 some distant field. Guard as­ accident. While every effort has been made to brother of "men naked as Lazarus, begging for In early December 1779 Morris- signments, issuance of orders, provide for your safety, there are still hazards clothing." Another reported only 50 men of his town's finest house became a and punishments occurred which require your alertness and vigilance. regiment fit for duty, many of whom were cov­ center of the American Revolu­ almost every day. ered by only a blanket. The huts offered only the tion. Mrs. Jacob Ford, Jr., a barest protection against the wind, which pene­ widow with four young children, trated to the bone and froze hands and feet. offered the hospitality of her home to General and Mrs. Jockey Hollow Encampment While the struggle for survival in the camps and Washington. With the com­ 5 Area, 1779-80 outposts exhausted both soldier and officer, at mander in chief came staff The Continental Army was a headquarters the commander in chief faced officers assigned to assist in cross-section of America: perplexing and crucial problems. The Continen­ multitude of duties. farmers, laborers, landowners, tal Congress could not provide for the army, and skilled craftsmen, village the ruinous inflation made the purchase of badly It was a busy house that tradesmen, and frontier hunt­ needed food and clothing almost impossible. winter. Daily meetings and ers. Almost every occupation In desperation, Washington turned to the gov­ discussions attempted to solve and social class was repre­ ernors of the neighboring States and the magis­ the many problems facing the sented. Home for the 10,000 trates of the New Jersey counties, pleading for army. The assistance and soldiers might be New York, supplies to keep the army alive. The response support of both State govern­ Maryland, New Jersey, Rhode from New Jersey was immediate and generous; ments and the Continental Island, Pennsylvania, Connec­ it "saved the army from dissolution, or starving," Congress was needed to clothe ticut, Massachusetts, or even said Washington. and feed the army. Military Canada. But their suffering strategy in the northern and gave them a common bond. Sickness and cold made each day at southern theaters had to be Jockey Hollow an ordeal for the soldiers. At sun­ worked out with the French. Activity in the encampment rise the army assembled on the parade ground The Ford family, crowded into began early each day, and for assignment of daily work details. Brigades two rooms of their home, was often continued until late at marched to towns near the enemy for duty on the witness to these activities. night. Inspections, drills, train­ front lines, while Continental troops at New ing, work details and guard ' Brunswick, Perth Amboy, Rahway, Westfield, duty, filled each day. Dogged Springfield, and Paramus helped to confine the by hunger and biting cold, they British to the vicinity of New York. Only in Janu­ Wick Farm: St. Clair's spent most of their free time ary 1780 was this routine changed. Contrary to nHeadquarters , 1779-80 huddled around the fireplace. the general practice of not fighting in winter, The Wick family was pros­ Twelve men often shared one 3,000 Continentals crossed the frozen sound on perous. While many of their of the over 1,000 simple huts sleighs and raided Staten Island, but without neighbors lived in small log built in Jockey Hollow to success. The British retaliated with raids on houses, the Wicks lived in a house the army. Newark and Elizabethtown. Except for such comfortable home whose con­ skirmishes, the days were a seemingly endless struction and style reflected succession of cold, snow, and hunger. their New England origins. The farm surrounding the house Many visitors came to Washington's headquar­ Fort Nonsense included 1,400 acres of timber 6 ters on business. Representatives of the Conti­ In May 1777 this hill throbbed land and open field. Like all nental Congress met with him to discuss the with activity as soldiers dug farmers, Henry Wick, his wife, state of the army and the prospects for victory. trenches and raised embank­ and children worked their land The French Minister Luzerne and the Spanish ments. General Washington to meet their daily needs. representative Miralles came to review the small ordered the crest fortified, but army. And in May 1780 the young Marquis de because of a later legend that Lafayette arrived In Mornstown with momentous Perhaps more than most small the fort hart heen built only tn news: France had six warships and 6,000 French farmers of his day, Henry Wick keep the troops occupied, it soldiers on the high seas bound for Rhode knew a measure of security became known as "Fort Non­ Island to aid the American cause. and comfort. But war came to sense." No trace of either the this family as it did to many original or subsequent earth­ Americans. In 1779-1780 the Spring brought both this welcome news and works now remains. Wick house was used as some relief to the suffering soldiers, even though General Arthur St. Clair's shortages of food and clothing continued to be headquarters. a fact of life. But the hard winter had almost destroyed the morale of both officer and enlisted man. Indicative of the suffering was the brief mutiny in May 1780 of the 1st Connecticut Brigade, veterans of Germantown, Monmouth, Pennsylvania Line and the Valley Forge encampment. The quick 3 Sugar Loaf Hill housed 2,000 response of their officers, supported by the men during the 1779-80 Morris­ troops of the Pennsylvania Line, forestalled a town encampment. Around the major rebellion. Realizing that conditions had to face of this hillside, lines of be improved to prevent further mutinies, crude huts stood in military Washington continued to plead with Congress array. There was little to sug­ for desperately needed food, supplies, and gest in this bleak yet orderly money. But it would take another mutiny in scene that here was the heart January 1781, when troops marched on the of Washington's army. Many capital at Philadelphia and demanded supplies of the men encamped here had and back pay, before Congress would fully marched in the 1775 invasion realize the gravity of the situation. of Canada, contested the 1777 British crossing of Brandywine Creek, and advanced into a More bad news reached Washington in the storm of enemy fire at German- spring of 1780. British and German troops had town. left Staten Island and were advancing into New Jersey. The majority of Washington's army was already moving north, but to meet the threat he ordered troops from Morristown toward Spring­ field. Then on June 21,1780, he sent the few Grand Parade remaining troops in Morristown to join the main 4 Military ceremony, training army, ending the 1779-80 encampment at Morris­ and discipline were as im­ town. While small numbers of troops camped at portant to 18th-century army the town during the winters of 1780-81 and life as they are today. Much of 1781-82, the major role of Morristown in the a soldier's day was spent on American Revolution was over. this open field, and he grew to know the scene well. The encampment at Morristown in 1779-80 was one of the Continental Army's severest trials. Daily ceremonies and parades Held together by Washington's leadership and instilled important military ability, the army survived a time of discourage­ traditions in the soldier. Dig­ ment and despair. A soldier named Stanton nitaries visiting Morristown perhaps best summed up the significance of went to the Grand Parade to Morristown. On February 10, 1780, he wrote a witness ceremonies involving friend: "I am in hopes the army will be kept the entire army. Training meant together till we have gained the point we have marching, drill, inspection, and so long been contending for. ... I could wish obedience to orders. The I had two lives to lose in defense of so glori­ things learned here might ous a cause. . . ."