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By Mary Beth Schwartz
It is a bright and blustery morning in January. The troops are stationed on the battlefield in regiments. They can feel the chill in their bones and see their breath on the wind. There is a sea of soldiers. Some in red coats, some with crested leather helmets, some wearing bearskin caps. Others in feather bonnets or tri-cornered hats. The dragoons loom in the distance. Despite the frigid temperature, their spirits are not deterred. The 350-plus reenactors are here to honor history, complete with horses and cannons. There to support them are 1,700 bundled history buffs waving flags, shouting Huzzah!, and imbibing lots of fresh Wawa coffee. It is Sunday, January 5, 2025, the 248th Anniversary of the Battle of Princeton, taking place on the sacred grounds of the Princeton Battlefield State Park. Another successful reenactment planned by the Princeton Battlefield Society.
The Battle of Princeton was a pivotal victory for the Colonies. It took place on January 3, 1777. It is part of the Ten Crucial Days, which took place from December 25, 1776 through January 3, 1777. Had General George Washington and his troops failed during these 10 days, the Patriot cause would have failed. Of course we are all familiar with the Christmas Eve crossing of the Delaware River (now Washington Crossing Historic Park in PA, and Washington Crossing State Park in NJ). The troops would then march on to fight at the Battle of Trenton on December 26, 1776. (The Old Barracks Museum is currently closed for restoration.)
According to the Princeton Historical Society, the Battle of Princeton was ignited on the night of January 2, 1777, when Washington and his men met the British at the Second Battle of Trenton, also known as the Battle of the Assunpink Creek. That evening, General Washington evacuated his army of about 5,000 men from its position, circled around the flank of General Lord Cornwallis’ army, and went to attack the British 4th Brigade garrisoned at Princeton (numbered around 1,200 soldiers) and under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Mawhood. Major General Nathanael Greene commanded part of Washington’s army as well.
The Society continues the unfolding of the battle. As Washington approached Princeton from the southeast he did not realize that Mawhood had been given orders to reinforce Cornwallis still in Trenton and was leading a column on the Trenton to Princeton Road. From a hill on this road just south of Stony Brook, Mawhood spotted the Continentals approaching the Princeton garrison. He reversed his column, and engaged the center of the American army’s left flank at sunrise on January 3, 1777, one mile south of Princeton on the Quaker farms of William Clarke and his brother, Thomas. At first the British gained the advantage against General Hugh Mercer’s Virginia brigade, and Washington sent militia units under Brigadier General John Cadwalader in support. The militia, on seeing the flight of Mercer’s men, also began to flee. Washington rode up with reinforcements and rallied the fleeing militia, personally leading a counterattack on Mawhood’s troops that placed him directly in the field of fire. Washington’s counterattack resulted in an organic double envelope maneuver and Mawhood’s 17th Regiment of about 450 men was nearly surrounded. Mawhood gave the order for a general retreat, scattering the British to the north, south, and west. Washington would then enter Princeton, where Brigadier General John Sullivan had forced hundreds of British troops who had taken refuge in Nassau Hall (now part of Princeton University) to surrender. Washington would head to Morristown to camp for the winter. Cornwallis withdrew his army to the north. With the victory, the Colonists would rally around the fight for liberty, and the British would no longer occupy what they termed the “Jersies.”
Not many may realize that several historic figures were “behind the scenes” at the Battle of Princeton. Alexander Hamilton was a captain in the Continental Army in charge of an artillery unit instrumental during the surrender. There is a legend that one of Hamilton’s cannonballs decapitated King George II in a painting hanging in Nassau Hall. Dr. Benjamin Rush was a physician serving in the Continental Army. A graduate of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University), he set up a hospital at Nassau Hall to tend to the wounded. Lieutenant James Monroe, who would become the fifth president of the United States, was present at the Princeton campaign. Noted painter Charles Willson Peale participated in the Battle of Princeton. He had served as a lieutenant and captain in the Philadelphia militia. His experience in Princeton would inspire him to paint the famous portrait Washington at Princeton. About 600 marines also made an appearance at Princeton. Washington had made an urgent plea for reinforcements after his arrival upon the Pennsylvania shore of the Delaware River.
Over the years, several groups would strive to preserve the battlefield, including descendants of the Clarke family, Sons of the American Revolution, local landowners, and philanthropists. In 1946, the State of New Jersey made it a state park. The Princeton Battlefield would become a National Historic Landmark in 1966. In 1971, a group of dedicated local citizens would form the Princeton Battlefield Society. Today, the battlefield is a place where visitors can walk back in history and learn about the fight for our independence.
When you visit Princeton Battlefield State Park, there are key areas to have on your checklist. First on the list is the Clarke House, the only structure to survive the Battle of Princeton. The 1772 Quaker farmhouse was smack in the center of the conflict. It served as a field hospital for soldiers on both sides. Next is the Mercer Oak. Today there is a direct descendant of the original, which fell due to storm damage in 2000. At this site, General Hugh Mercer was mortally wounded. (The British initially thought that Washington was killed in action.) There is also the memorial Colonnade, which is located at the edge of the battlefield. It was originally part of a 19th-century mansion designed by Architect Thomas Ustick Walter, who also drafted the U.S. Capitol dome. Throughout the historic site you will find battle windows featuring illustrations and paintings. There is also a Battle of Princeton map. These signs give visitors the feel of an outdoor classroom. You also can check the Society’s calendar for events held throughout the year, including guided battlefield tours, the Cadwalader Lecture Series, a 5K race, cleanup days, and family-friendly events.
To prepare for the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Princeton in 2027, plans are in place to shape Princeton Battlefield State Park, including new walking trails, a reconstructed Trace Road, replanting of the historic apple orchard, and a multimillion-dollar Visitor and Education Center. “We want to build a visitors’ center that tells the story of New Jersey’s Revolutionary War heritage— of Princeton, of the people who lived here in 1777, and of what this battle meant for our independence. That’s hallowed ground, and it deserves to be remembered,” says Mark Herr, Princeton Battlefield Society Communications Chair.
A research project in the works by the Princeton Battlefield Society is “Men Without Shoes,” drawn from firsthand accounts of Continental Army soldiers. Sergeant Nathaniel Root, who fought at Princeton, recalled how many men marched barefoot through snow and ice, leaving “the ground literally marked with the blood of the soldiers’ feet.” “While we know the names of the generals, too often the stories of the enlisted men have been forgotten. We will not let history forget them, especially in the year we mark the 250th anniversary of our country and the Battle of Princeton,” says Ben Strong, Princeton Battlefield Society President.
If you would like to save your spot to experience the 249th Anniversary of the Battle of Princeton on Sunday, January 4, 2026, visit www.pbs1777.org. Preregistration will be opening in the late fall of 2025. There is a cost for admission, except for veterans. Event highlights include British and American reenactors in calvary, military, and legacy color guards, musket and cannon firing, a narrated battle, conversations with living historians, and tours of the Clarke House. The Battle of Princeton reenactment begins at 9:45 am. At approximately 10:45 a.m., at the conclusion of the reenactment, there is a memorial wreath laying ceremony at the Mercer Oak. The ceremony includes military units, color guards, and lineage organizations. The reenactment concludes by 11:30 a.m. Location: Princeton Battlefield State Park, Princeton, NJ. Use of the provided shuttle service is highly recommended. Make sure to dress warmly and take lots of photos.
Mary Beth Schwartz is a freelance features editor from the Delaware Valley who enjoys visiting historic sites and attending reenactments around the country with her family.