7/26/15 - Milton, NJ

Today we drove to Morristown National Historic Park.  No battle took place here -- this was an area where George Washington and his 10,000 troops wintered.  Washington arrived here on December 1, 1779, amidst a hail and snow storm and made his headquarters at the home of Jacob Ford’s widow.  Other officers were in nearby homes.  The troops were assigned campsites in Jockey Hollow a few miles south of Morristown where they cut down thousands of trees and constructed cabins for shelter.  The Watchung Mountains east of town protected them from Howe’s army in New York City, 30 miles away. The passes could easily be defended with outposts on ridge tops.

The winter of 1779 – 1780 was the coldest of the century in Morristown.  Troops nearly froze and starved to death.  Washington kept writing the Continental Congress for support but didn’t get a reply.  Spring brought relief, both food and clothing.   Also, the Marquis de Lafayette arrived with navy war ships and French troops.  In late spring of 1780 British and German troops had left Staten Island and were advancing into New Jersey.  Washington’s brigades marched toward Springfield and forced the enemy to turn back.  Within days all troops had departed Morristown, ending the winter encampment of 1779-1780.  We had a private tour of the Ford Mansion -- we finally got to visit a place where “Washington slept here” could be said.

We drove back to camp and there was a black bear near us.  We tried to get a picture from the truck but he was walking away from the road into the trees.  We sat outside in the screen room until late and then put it away in preparation for leaving camp in the morning.  After going into the Casita it started to lightning and thunder and eventually it rained during the night.  I made a salad with some raspberries we picked at Jockey Hollow.