Belleville, New Jersey Revolutionary War Sites
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REVOLUTIONARY WAR SITES IN BELLEVILLE, NEW JERSEY

Revolutionary War Sites in Belleville New Jersey
BELLEVILLE REFORMED CHURCH AND CEMETARY
And
WASHINGTON RETREAT STREET SIGNS

Belleville Reformed Church
Belleville
Belleville, NJ
Belleville Reformed Church
Belleville Reformed Church Cemetary
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]

John Bayley
Henry Brown
Isaac Brown
John Brown
Henry Cadmus
Issac Cadmus
John H. Cadmus
John P. Cadmus
Peter Cadmus
Lt. Col. Thomas Cadmus
James Campbell
Minard Cumen
Capt. Amos Dodd
Thomas Doremus
Anthony Francisco
John Francisco
Jacob Freeland
Jonh Garland
Garrabrant Garrants
John Gilliland
John Harrison
James Hornblower
Josiah Hornblower
James Jacobus
John Jacobus
Henry Jacobus
Richard Jacobus
Capt. Henry Joralemon
Helmich Joralemon
Lt. Capt. James Joralamon
Capt. John Kidney
Abram King
Aurey King
William King
John King
Issac Kingsland
John Kingsland
John Luker
Joseph Miller
William Nixon
Ensign John Peer
Jacob Pier
Jacob Riker
Daniel Rutan
Capt. Anthony Rutgers
Gerard Rutgers
Robert Rutgers
Capt. Thomas Seigler
Capt. Abraham SPeer
Capt. Cornelius Speer
Capt. Henry Speer
Francis Speer
Lt. Herman Speer
James Speer
John Speer
John Spier
Lt. John SPier, Jr.
Christian Stimets
Daniel Teurs
Capt. Steven Van Cortlandt
Thomas Van Riper
Simeon Van Winkle
Michael Vreeland
Capt. Ezekial Wade
Samuel Ward
John Winne

 Two 1776 Retreat Route street signs are by the church. One is in front of the church (shown below left). The other is across the street along the Passaic River (shown below right)
Belleville, New Jersey
Belleville, New Jersey historic sites
Revolutionary War New Jersey
BATTLE OF SECOND RIVER MONUMENT
Battle of Second River
Belleville, New Jersey

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]

Sources:

1. ^ Mark Di Ionno A Guide To New Jersey's Revolutionary War Trail ( New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 2000) p.38-39

2. ^ Sign placed by the Belleville Historical Society

3. ^ List of names from the monument in the cemetery.

4. ^ Monument plaque dedicated by the State Camp of New Jersey  Patriotic Order - Sons of America - 1982

Essex County Revolutionary War Sites

List of New Jersey Counties