Existing comment:
Another sign: Morristown
Morristown was a village of about 70 buildings in 1777.
General George Washington, Commander in Chief of the Continental Army, brought his tired troops to Morristown for rest and reorganization in January 1777. They had just completed successful attacks against the Hessian and British troops at Trenton and Princeton. The new year brought an end to many enlistments and Washington's regular army dwindled in size to a few thousand men. He warned the Continental Congress "to the Situation... of scarce having any army at all." Encouraged by the recent military victories, enlistments increased by spring and the army regained its strength, numbered about 10,000 men.
General Washington lodged at Arnold's Tavern, once located near the base of this hill next to the Green. The soldiers stayed in houses or encamped at various places near the town. A Delaware light infantry company stayed at the Colonel Jacob Ford on the eastern edge of town [which would become Washington's headquarters during the subsequent winter encampment here]. |