On the 26th of June in 1777, Washington’s Continental forces of under 6,000 men fought a running battle on the plains below the Watchung Mountains against combined British and Hessian troops numbering about 12,000. After feigning a departure from New Jersey, the British under General William Howe began a midnight march on the American army, which had left its mountain camp for positions at Samptown, Quibbletown, Short Hills, and Ash Swamp to watch the British. Before sunrise, scouts of Daniel Morgan’s riflemen encountered Lord Cornwallis in Woodbridge, and the shots alerted Washington to the surprise approach. Realizing the British intended to seize the mountain passes, Washington hurried to withdraw his main forces at Quibbletown and ordered the divisions of Greene, Lincoln, Stephens, and Sullivan back to the heights, while the delaying action of the riflemen gave American troops and local militia time to assemble. The first massed American resistance came at Oak Tree at about eight in the morning, where Brigadier General Thomas Conway’s force of about 600 men fired on Cornwallis’s column and was joined by Pennsylvania-German volunteers under Major Nicholas Ottendorff, newly placed under the French Colonel Charles Armand-Tuffin with three brass field pieces, the first use of French command and arms in the war. After heavy fighting, Conway’s troops withdrew through Martin’s Woods to join Lord Stirling’s main body at the Short Hills near Ash Swamp. Stirling drew up 1,798 men on rising ground near Ash Swamp, including General William “Scotch Willie” Maxwell’s brigade of four New Jersey regiments, Conway’s and Armand’s troops, Morgan’s and Dark’s riflemen, and militia. The 3rd Hessian Grenadier Battalion of von Minnigerode attacked the American left flank and was joined by Howe’s column. Outnumbered and facing at least 15 cannons, the Americans stood their ground but were forced to withdraw. During the fighting, Stirling had his horse shot and Maxwell was nearly captured by Hessian grenadiers, while the three French brass three-pounders were taken. The wounded were carried by 37 wagons up to the heights by New Providence Road, also called the Bloody Gap. Washington then sent urgent orders to guard the five mountain gaps, assigning Stirling, Parsons and Varnum, Lincoln, Stephens and Woodford’s Brigade, Sullivan, and Greene to different positions. With no prospect of forcing Washington from his mountain stronghold, the British offensive failed. In frustration, British forces plundered and burned the countryside and camped overnight around Westfield before marching the next morning toward Rahway, where they camped on June 27 on the south side of the Rahway River. American light troops under Brigadier General Charles Scott with Morgan’s Rifle Corps pursued their rear flanks. The trials and hardships suffered by New Jersey’s soldiers and civilians were followed by the complete British evacuation of the state on June 30, 1777, and widespread rejoicing during the first anniversary of independence. Known American casualties were between 60 and 80 killed, including 3 captains, with upward of 200 officers and men wounded, and 64 prisoners taken including a major, two captains, and an adjutant. Known British and Hessian casualties were about 70 men killed, wounded, or overcome by the day’s heat, with two light dragoons and eleven infantry taken prisoner.
