Revolutionary War Alliance of Burlington County

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Revolutionary War Alliance of Burlington County

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This page is about creating enthusiasm for the American Revolution in Burlington County. It happened here! Real battles, real soldiers.

10/15/2026

Less than two months away!! Calling ALL regiments! Sign up at revwaralliance.org!

08/30/2026

As we continue to celebrate the 250th, the last week has marked the anniversary of the Battle of Long Island (Brooklyn). The battle would be one of the largest in the war and would expose the inexperience of the Continental Army, from enlisted soldiers up to General Washington. What is note worthy is that many soldiers from South Jersey participated in the New York Campaign. The letters and journal of Philip Vickers Fithian, a chaplain attached to the state troops under Colonel Silas Newcomb, detail camp life through August 1776 and the rout of the Americans on August 27th. He was among the last boats to safely make the retreat across the East River in what can be referred to as the Revolution's "Dunkirk." Other Jersey troops were positioned southward at Perth Amboy to guard against a potential British invasion from Staten Island. Among them were militia in the Philadelphia Associators. These troops, part of the Flying Camp, would again join forces in December 1776 when Burlington County became the seat of war.

07/02/2026

Today we celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence! Yes, it was July 2, 1776, that Congress voted to adopt the resolution for independence. Our friend, John Adams, surmised that future generations would celebrate the 2nd with fireworks and remembrance. We must also salute Delaware’s Caesar Rodney. Very ill, he rode horseback to Philadelphia to cast the deciding vote for Delaware. We also cannot forget that today marks the 250th Anniversary of New Jersey adopting its first state constitution. Among other things, the first constitution left its language on voting ambiguous, which would later be clarified to include unmarried women. Yes, some New Jersey women (including African American) voted until 1807. Combined, radical political change was in the air in early July 1776.

07/01/2026

Today marks the 250th Anniversary of the “greatest sales pitch” in world history. This is the day John Adams stood before his fellow delegates in Philadelphia and sold them on why voting for independence was necessary. “The time is now!” he commanded, at the exact moment a crack of thunder rippled outside. While his cousin, Samuel Adams, was the leading voice from Massachusetts, the many contributions of John Adams in the months, weeks and days leading up to the vote for independence are innumerable. The United States of America would not exist without his patriotism and convictions he held for our rights and liberties.

06/17/2026

SAVE THE DATE. Saturday, December 12, 2026 - Join the Rev War Alliance of Burlington County as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the battle between American militia and the Crown Forces at Petticoat Bridge, the first action in the "Ten Crucial Days Campaign." A tremendous project undertaken with creative professionalism by Rutgers University student Nathan Melendez and his film team. We'd like to thank the Burlington County Board of Commissioners, the Mount Holly Elks Lodge, as well as both private sponsors and YOU, the general public, for continuing to show you want these stories told! Get ready, we have a BIGGER film coming your way soon! Huzzah!

06/10/2026

We're looking forward to being one of many historical groups at this Sunday's big shindig in Mount Holly! Stop by our tent to observe original artifacts while getting new information on the battles of Petticoat Bridge and Iron Works Hill! Original maps, t-shirts and other goodies will be for sale with ALL proceeds going towards Petticoat Bridge 250, Saturday December 12th, 2026! Huzzah!

05/27/2026

We're excited to be taking part in several local events in the coming weeks to celebrate our 250th!! Join us on Saturday, June 6, in the historic village of Crosswicks! Among the sights and sounds, expect to see Continental soldiers on the march near the meetinghouse - the site of a much overlooked skirmish on June 23, 1778, just days before the Battle of Monmouth! The fun starts at 11:00am!

01/25/2026

A tremendous thank you is in order to Historic Peachfield for hosting a wonderful film shoot this weekend. Special thanks to members of the 42nd Muskets of the Crown, Hessian Fusilier Regiment von Knyphausen, von Wreden's Feldjager Corp, Col. Outwater's Militia, and the 3rd New Jersey for their patience, willingness, and enthusiasm working with the Rutgers University film team. Something BIG in the works for the 250th!! Stay tuned....

12/23/2025

Today marks the 249th Anniversary of the Battle of Iron Works Hill - though this engagement could be divided into several parts. After the success of Petticoat Bridge on December 22, Continental Army adjutant general Colonel Joseph Reed visited Mount Holly in the early evening to discuss operations with Colonel Samuel Griffin. Instead, Reed found Griffin incapacitated and unfit for command. In Griffin's words, his force of 600 was already dissolving and returning to Haddonfield. All he could do was be a diversion, and would not hesitate to retreat if the enemy attacked him. In the early morning of December 23, Griffin fired off a letter to Colonel John Cadwalader at Bristol requesting artillery and reinforcements. He did not want give up Mount Holly if he could be reinforced.

Hessian Colonel Carl von Donop left Black Horse (Columbus) before daybreak on December 23, 1776. American pickets engaged the Jägers at Petticoat Bridge, and again near the Copany Meetinghouse. The first real engagement occurred at the old Quaker meetinghouse along Gaskill's Lane (Woodlane Road and Woodpecker Lane). Here, American militia from Gloucester and Cumberland counties fought Captain Johann Ewald's Jägers and advanced portions of the Hessian column. Driven back to the Mount, overall command was under Colonel Richard Somers. Colonel von Donop sent Ewald and Stirling/42nd along Woodpecker Lane; the Block grenadiers to the left, and the Linsing grenadiers up the center to envelope the hill. Donop concentrated his artillery on the Mount as well. The Americans fell back before being surrounded. What followed was a running fight down High Street into the center of town. Donop placed his artillery on top the Mount while another was brought down High Street (a third may have been brought to modern day Top-E-Toy Hill). The field piece on High Street began shelling houses along Church Street where militia had temporarily sought cover. They soon abandoned them and crossed the creek (on Pine Street) and fell in with the remaining militia dug in on Iron Works Hill at St. Andrew's Cemetery. Here were the 2 Virginia artillery companies, armed each with a 3-pounder. Donop had Iron Works Hill heavily shelled. By 4:40pm, the Americans were in full retreat from Mount Holly, escaping along the creek and heading for Long Bridge (Hainesport). Casualty estimates vary widely, but we know several were killed on both sides; an American reinforcement from Haddonfield may have been captured, and both Virginia field pieces left that evening. Donop had suffered a head wound (possibly thrown from his horse) while the Block grenadiers helped themselves to a cache of w**e looted from town. The above sketch's vantage point is from Iron Works Hill with the original church in the foreground, and Mount Holly rising on the horizon beyond the town.

12/22/2025

Today marks the 249th Anniversary of the fighting at Petticoat Bridge. Though we refer to it as a battle, the skirmish lasted less than an hour - pitting 200 South Jersey militia from mostly Gloucester and Cumberland counties against a dozen soldiers from the British 42nd Royal Highland Regiment. Overwhelmed, the Highlanders were initially reinforced by a separate attachment of Hessian grenadiers before all were driven back to Black Horse. As this was happening, according to Hessian Jäger Captain Johann Ewald, he was attacked by another detachment of militia while posted at the Bunting House a mile from Petticoat Bridge. In his journal, Ewald recalled that after he beat back his American attackers, he could hear small arms and artillery fire coming from Black Horse. This was the response by Lt. Col. Thomas Stirling of the 42nd Regiment. The Americans at Petticoat Bridge quickly fell back and retreated to Mount Holly with a detachment remaining at Slabtown. Hearing the signal cannon from Mansfield Square, Hessian Colonel Carl von Donop soon arrives in Black Horse. At a conference with Stirling, Donop is convinced to rid himself of a rumored force under General Israel Putnam in Mount Holly. By nightfall, Donop has assembled most of his brigade, about 1,800, to march on Mount Holly the following morning, December 23, 1776.

Address

PO Box 507
Mount Holly, NJ
08060

Website

http://revwaralliance.org/

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