The second fight for Princeton British and Americans unite to preserve 1777 battlefield 534 Flags on Memorial Day by Lindsey Morrison After nearly 240 years, British Maxwell’s Field is confirmed by and Americans meet again on 1777archaeologists and historians to be the the fields of Princeton, New site of George Washington’s famous counter-attack and the 17th Regiment Jersey. This time, the one- of Foot’s valiant stand. Archaeological time adversaries are united in research conducted over the last twenty their determination to save the years reinforces arguments by the Revolutionary War Princeton National Park Service and historians battlefield from desecration that Maxwell’s Field was at the heart of the battle. Dozens of artefacts have and development. been recovered as part of these studies, including grapeshot, lead musket balls The storied tale of the events and bayonet fragments, which clearly that occurred at Princeton is demonstrate a line of battle directly on the Institute’s property. deeply interwoven in the fabric of American and British history Construction at Maxwell’s Field . In an earnest effort to assist the Institute On the frigid morning of 3 January 1777, in finding alternate venues for its faculty a British force under Lieutenant-Colonel housing, the Civil War Trust, a Save The Death of General Mercer at the Battle of Princeton - January 3 1777 by John Trumbull Charles Mawhood was beginning to Princeton Coalition member, has offered to acquire the Maxwell’s Field tract for move to Trenton, New Jersey to join As the remnants of Mercer’s command Now, despite public outcry, a local the rest of the 8,000-strong British $4.5 million (more than $1 million above fled, General George Washington international research centre, the the appraised value of the property). Army, when scouts reported that the appeared on the field with his hat in his Institute for Advanced Study, is moving Continental Army under General George hand. Washington and his staff rode forward with plans to construct fifteen Washington was closing in on their Despite the immense historical among the disorganised Americans faculty housing units on a 22-acre part significance of this battlefield, the position. Mawhood recalled his troops shouting, ‘Parade with us, my brave of the Princeton battlefield known locally back to Princeton. Witnessing the British Institute for Advanced Study is fellows!’ The Continentals reformed as Maxwell’s Field. This property had continuing with its construction work. movement, the leading Continental and rushed forward towards the remained pristine open space for more troops under General Hugh Mercer Please join the Battlefields Trust, the outnumbered but resolute British line. than two centuries before the Institute Royal Tigers’ Association and the Save pushed towards the British scouts After intense hand-to-hand combat, began initial construction work in late guarding the road to Princeton. In Princeton Coalition in asking the Institute the British withdrew their forces back 2015. for Advanced Study to halt development response, Mercer was attacked in force to the town of Princeton, where many by Mawhood and eventually surrounded on the Princeton battlefield. Visit www. were captured during the brief siege of saveprinceton.org to learn about this by his red-coated adversaries, who – Nassau Hall. believing they had cornered George ‘Second Fight for Princeton’ and stand Washington – overpowered and fatally with us as we fight to save our common The battle of Princeton was the history. wounded Mercer who refused to concluding action in a ten-day campaign surrender. that began with Washington’s surprise Lindsey Morrison is the William attack on the Hessian garrison at J. Hupp Battlefield Preservation Trenton on 26 December 1776. Those Associate at the Civil War Trust ten days transformed an American Campaign 1776 Revolution that seemed all but lost in mid-December. It would ultimately lead British forces to abandon nearly all of New Jersey by the spring of 1777. Washington Crossing the Delaware The Americans and British alike lost by Emanuel Leutze, MMA-NYC, 1851 capable officers in the battle, with causalities from both sides totalling more The Battlefields Trust and the Royal than 500 killed, wounded or captured. Tigers’ Association (the veterans As such, the Princeton battlefield is association of the Royal Leicestershire a living memorial to the brave British Regiment) recently joined the Save and American soldiers who stood their Princeton Coalition, a collection of ground on that field nearly 240 years twelve preservation and conservation ago. Many of the British and Americans organisations united in their efforts who died at Princeton remain on the to preserve this critical piece of the The Brave 17th - Princeton battlefield, buried in unknown graves. Princeton battlefield. Washington at Princeton.