On June 23, 1778, the Crosswicks Friends Meeting House became an unwitting participant in the American Revolution. As British forces under General Charles Cornwallis advanced toward New York, they clashed with New Jersey militia near the village. The militia retreated across Crosswicks Creek, dismantling the bridge and regrouping with Brigadier General William Maxwell’s brigade. British Lieutenant General Henry Clinton counterattacked, secured the bridge, and pursued the Americans before returning to Crosswicks. One Continental officer later reported to Washington that the local patriots "fought the British here with spirit until they brought up some cannon.”
Completed in 1773, the Crosswicks Friends Meeting House served a devout Quaker community deeply unsettled by the war’s intrusion. Though committed to peace, their house of worship bore the brunt of battle. Today, visitors can still see a cannonball embedded in the north façade between the second-story windows—a solemn testament to the Revolution’s reach. It is unknown, to this day, whether the damage was done by the British or Continentals.
What's Nearby
Explore more of The Liberty Trail by visiting these nearby attractions.
Stories from Crosswicks Meeting House
The Battle of Monmouth took place on June 28, 1778, between the Continental Army and British forces, and is now preserved as Monmouth Battlefield State Park.
A precursor movement to the Battle of Monmouth, this Quaker meeting house was surrounded by the encampment of British troops under Alexander Leslie in mid-June of 1778.
