In August 1780, the Continental Army moved into Bergen County to forage for food and await the French army and fleet for a campaign to drive the British from New York City. From September 4th to the 20th, 1780, about 14,000 American troops encamped on Kinderkamack ridge and surrounding area, where Howland Avenue divided the farms of miller Cornelius Van Saun to the south and Christian Dederer to the north, and Hendrick Banta lived west of Mill Creek. Banta sold cider from his mill to the troops, and his ten-year-old son Cornelius saw Washington three times on his horse, giving rise to the name Washington Spring.