Introducing a bold new tour on The Liberty Trail--Henry Knox's Noble Train of Artillery!
Guest blogger George Weghorst shares a deceptively familiar story from the earliest days of the American Revolution.
Kate shares an account of a stop on The Liberty Trail in New Jersey, centered around the dramatic capture of the British supply ship HMS Blue Mountain Valley during the American Revolution. After a grueling 13-week voyage, the ship limped into Sandy Hook, where Patriots seized its first mate and launched a surprise boarding operation. Expecting military supplies, they instead found a cargo of coal, porter, beans, potatoes, sauerkraut, and hogs—more fit for a feast than a fight.
Learn more about how The Liberty Trail is blazing paths across the east coast.
Uncovering History
We invite you to visit the preserved locations along the Liberty Trail and to immerse
yourself in the extraordinary events that determined the fate of a nation.
This last major battle of the war in the South succeeded in driving the British out of rural South Carolina.
The plantation & gardens bears witness to 350 years of American history. Learn about the Europeans who colonized South Carolina, and the enslaved people who worked in the rice fields and gardens.
The Battle of the Capes occurred around the mouth of Chesapeake Bay in 1781. The naval battle occurred between the French and the British navies. Even though the battle lasted two hours, it played a significant role in the Siege of Yorktown's success, ultimately leading to the United States' independence.
A home to a Quaker family, it served as a hospital following the Battle of Red Bank.
At this bridge, American forces under Colonel Samuel Griffin and foraging parties under Hessian Colonel Carl Ulrich von Donop clashed several times throughout December of 1776.
This parsonage was constructed in the 1750s and housed the reverend of the Dutch congregation in what is now modern-day Somerville.
The site of the 1775 Battle of Williamson's Fort and a critical outpost for the British after they captured Charleston in 1780, the colonial town of Ninety Six was also the setting of a 28-day siege in 1781. Here, Nathanael Greene’s Patriots attacked the heart of Loyalist commander John Cruger’s defenses — the Star Fort.
A station constructed during high tensions with the Cherokee, this fortification was utilized by Loyalists until July of 1780.
The Battle of Mount Holly, also known as Iron Works Hill, fought on December 23, 1776, was a minor skirmish in which Hessian Colonel Carl von Donop occupied the town, diverting his forces from Trenton and indirectly contributing to Washington’s victory there three days later.
A strategic location for the defense of New York's harbor, the Continentals failed to reinforce this peninsula, leading to the city's capture in August of 1776. A lighthouse dating to 1764 still operates there today, once serving as a Loyalist fortification.
The Patriots Take Provisions and Prisoners in a Surprise Attack on a British Supply Depot.
Morristown National Historical Park marks the site of the Continental Army’s 1779-80 encampment under George Washington. It symbolizes America’s fight for independence and Washington’s leadership in uniting the army, remaining a lasting symbol of resilience and patriotism.