NEW JERSEY REVOLUTIONARY WAR ERA TIMELINE

This Timeline lists events in the Revolutionary War era happening in, or related to, New Jersey. Some major non-NJ events are also listed here, just to put events in better perspective. Follow links in listings to see the current day sites where you can stand in the places where these events occurred.

1774

December 22, 1774 The Greenwich Tea Party, in Greenwich New Jersey

1775

April 19 Lexington and Concord.
May 10 The Second Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia
June 15 George Washington is named commander of the Continental Army
June 17 Bunker Hill

1776

June 15 Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" published
March 26 The British are forced out of Boston by George Washington.
July 4 The Declaration of Independence is signed in Independence Hall, Philadelphia.
      There were five signers representing New Jersey:
         Abraham Clark. (Abraham Clark House in Roselle, gravesite in Rahway)
         John Hart
         Francis Hopkinson (Francis Hopkinson House is Bordentown)
         Richard Stockton
         John Witherspoon
July 8 The first public readings of the Declaration of Independence include a one in Trenton NJ (The other 2 are inPhiladelphia and Easton, PA).
July 12 Howe's British fleet reached Staten Island, New York.
August 27 The British defeat George Washington at Long Island, New York.
September 12 Washington retreats from New York.
November 16 British capture Fort Washington, NY and Fort Lee, NJ
The forced Abandonment of Fort Lee, Nov. 20 th, 1776 starting the retreat of the American army across NJ to the other side of the Delaware river.
November 21 Acquackanonk Bridge Passaic
December 14 Flemington Raid
December 26 The Continental Army crosses the Delaware River to capture Trenton, New Jersey. The first battle of Trenton

1777

January 3 Washington surprises the British at Princeton, New Jersey, and captures it.
January 6 - March 28 Washington winters in Morristown, NJ
June 14 Flag Resolution (See the Middlebrook Encampment entry on the Bound Brook page)
April 13 The Battle of Bound Brook
June The Battle of Short Hills
July 14-15 Washington stays at the Hendrick Van Allen house in Oakland.
River Forts defense of the lower Delaware, fall of 1777
October 22 Hessian attack on Fort Mercer, NJ repulsed
The Continental Army winters at Valley Forge.
The United States' alliance with France causes the British to return to New York.

1778

June 19 Washington leaves Valley Forge in pursuit of the British.
June Washington stays at the John Holcombe house in Lambertville, prior to the Battle of Monmouth
June 28 The Battle of Monmouth
September 28 Baylor Massacre in River Vale
October 6 The Battle of Chestnut Neck
October 15 Little Egg Harbor Massacre
Winter 1778/1779 Second Middlebrook Encampment

1779

August 19 "Light Horse" Harry Lee attacks Paulus Hook (Jersey City)
Nov.-June 23, 1780 Coldest Winter of the war, Washington at Morristown, NJ

1780

June 6 The Battle of Connecticut Farms,
June 23, The Battle of Springfield, last large action in the north.
July 1 to July 29 Washington at Dey Mansion in Wayne
October 8 to November 27 Washington returns to Dey Mansion in Wayne
November Washington's entertained at Wilson House in Hackettstown

1781

March 2 Articles of Confederation adopted
August 27-29 Washington headquarters at Chatham, where troops are massed prior to march on Yorktown
October 19 Cornwallis surrenders.

1783

September 3 The Treaty of Paris ends the war. Under the conditions of the treaty, the United States of America owns all of the land from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River, excluding modern-day Florida.

1787

September 17 U.S. Constitution signed. There were 4 signers representing New Jersey: William Livingston, David Brearly, William Paterson, and Johnathan Dayton.

1789

April 22 Washington stayed the night at the Cross Keys Tavern in Woodbridge on his way to his Presidential inaguartion in New York City.
April 23 Washington stopped in Rahway on his way to New York City