REVOLUTIONARY WAR SITES IN BELLEVILLE, NEW JERSEY

Belleville Reformed Church
171 Main St.
Map / Directions to the Belleville Reformed Church
Map / Directions to all Belleville Revolutionary War Sites
The church is currently closed for renovation and restoration.

This church was originally built in 1697. It was rebuilt in the 1720's and again in the 1800's. American troops passed by this church during the 1776 retreat across New Jersey, and also by the British troops who pursued them.  There is an unconfirmed legend that the bell tower was used as a lookout and a sniper's nest.  [1]

A sign in the Cemetery reads:
"Josiah Hornblower is buried in this cemetery along with his wife and many of Belleville's early settlers. Sixty-two Revolutionary soldiers are also interred here. It could be that no other town in the United Stated can make such a claim. Actually, there are at least three more Revolutionary vets that are not listed because they fought in other regiments. They are Col. Van Courtland, who is buried in the Van Courtland crypt, and Captains Robert and Gerard Rutgers, whose monuments are in the Rutgers plot, making a total of sixty-five Revolutionary veterans. This is truly a historical fact, one of which Belleville should be proud. The Rutgers that are buried here are related to Col. Henry Rutgers for whom Rutgers University is named".  [2]

There is a monument in the cemetery with a bust of General Washington that lists all of the Revolutionary War soldiers buried here. Many of the individual soldiers graves are marked with flags and are easily located. Here is a complete list of the Revolutionary War soldiers buried in this cemetery:  [3]

Battle of Second River Monument
In Belleville Park, where Mill St. intersects with Park Dr.
Map / Directions to the Battle of Second River Monument
Map / Directions to all Belleville Revolutionary War Sites

At this intersection  in Belleville park is this monument commemorating the Battle of Second River, September 1777. The Battle occurred on September 27 near the junction of Second River and the Passaic River. This is now the Belleville - Newark Border. [4]