New Jersey in The American Revolution - Battles

Battles

Besides being the location of several important battles, New Jersey was also helpful in disrupting British supply units. Forts on the Delaware River could attack British supply troops as they sailed to Philadelphia. Men in whaleboats crossed the Hudson and raided New York City and Long Island, and captured shipping in the Sandy Hook staging area outside New York Harbor. Ships based in south Jersey ports raided British shipping at sea. New Jersey also had several ironworks that provide iron and iron products, such as cannon, for the war effort, besides its food production. The Ford family in Morristown ran a black powder mill that supplied needed powder for the early war effort. The Continental army encamped three years in New Jersey, in the winters of 1777 at Morristown, 1778-79 at Middlebrook (near Bound Brook), and in 1780 again at Morristown. Large parts of the Continental forces wintered in other years in NJ. Raids from British held New York City across the Hudson into New Jersey happened very frequently. The British sent men into New Jersey looking for supplies, firewood, cattle, horses, sheep and pigs, and looking to capture leading patriots.