On June 7, 1780, along the retreat path of the Battle of Connecticut Farms, a combined Hessian and British force passed by the Caldwell Parsonage. On that day, tragedy struck as the bullet flew through the window and Hannah Caldwell, the wife of Rev. James Caldwell, fell dead.
To this day, it is not known if the bullet fired was mistake or an intentional attack on the wife of the "Fighting Parson" of the NJ militia. Following the tragic death of Hannah Caldwell, the British burned the parsonage, the nearby Presbyterian church, and other structures in the area.
Two years later, the parsonage was reconstructed on the original foundation, and the untimely death of Hannah Caldwell is now displayed on the contemporary Seal of Union County.
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Union, NJ 07083
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Stories from Caldwell Parsonage
The Battles of Connecticut Farms and Springfield were small but at the same time significant. It proved that New Jersey militia would stubbornly oppose any attempt by the British to move inland. The battles also showed that militia and Continental regular troops could work well together.