Princeton Battlefield Society
ABOUT
The Battle of Princeton took place on January 3, 1777, and was one of the most consequential battles of the American Revolution. It came at a time when America’s fortunes had reached an all-time low, when their hopes of securing their liberty from England were slowly fading away.
Since August 21, 1776, when General William Howe’s Redcoats had routed General George Washington’s Continental Army at the Battle of Brooklyn Heights, the Americans had had little reason to cheer. In the following four months, the Americans had suffered one defeat after another and had fled pell-mell across New Jersey, finally reaching the relative safety of Pennsylvania in late November.
Then, Washington crossed the Delaware on Christmas night 1776 and defeated a Hessian garrison at Trenton and followed up that success with the Battle of Princeton.
The battle was fought between Washington’s Continentals and the British under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Mawhood. Although the fight started badly for the Americans, Washington arrived in the nick of time to charge into the fray, rally the troops, and rout the Redcoats. Washington’s sterling victory at Princeton was the final act of the “Ten Crucial Days” that saved our quest for independence.
HISTORY
The idea to preserve the Princeton battlefield dates to the 1840s, but it was not until 1899 that the first piece of land was acquired, by Moses Taylor Pyne, for the sole purpose of preserving of this iconic site. In 1946, Pyne’s granddaughter, Agnes Pyne Hudson, and neighbor Robert C. Maxwell donated their properties to the state of New Jersey to create Princeton Battlefield State Park.
First established on about 40 acres, its boundaries have expanded over the years and currently comprise just under 100 acres, including the recent addition of Maxwell’s Field, the site of General Washington’s heroic charge.
The Princeton Battlefield Society (PBS) was formed in 1971 by a group of dedicated local citizens. The Society’s mission is to preserve and restore the lands associated with the Battle of Princeton and to educate the public about what happened on that hallowed ground.
To make our founding era come to life for Americans today, every January PBS hostsExperience the Battle of Princeton. This event is fun and informative, replete with reenactors in period garb and a detailed explanation of the battle and its consequences.
GRANT PROJECT
The Americana Corner Preserving America grant awarded to the Princeton Battlefield Society funded six Eyewitness of the American Revolution videos. These films tell the tales of everyday men and women, both black and white, who participated in or were affected by the momentous events at Princeton on January 3, 1777.
These first-person narratives compliment Eyewitness of the American Revolution cards previously created by PBS as educational resources, underscoring the human aspects of our fight for independence. Some of the diverse stories told include that of Continental soldier Sergeant Nathaniel Root, Captain William Leslie fighting for King George, and Ann Clarke, around whose home and farm the battle was fought.
Americana Corner is proud to assist the Princeton Battlefield Society with its mission to preserve the Great American Story and to help our fellow citizens grow their love of country.
