Historic Site | Fort/Outpost

Pluckemin Artillery Cantonment

Nestled in the sloping mountains of New Jersey, the birthplace of American military academies can be found. Initially a part of a winter encampment, it became the proving grounds for Patriot artillerists.

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Bedminister, NJ

The Pluckemin Cantonment, located in present-day Bedminster Township, New Jersey, served as the Continental Army's artillery winter encampment from late 1778 to early 1779 during the second Middlebrook Encampment. Under the command of General Henry Knox, the site became the army’s first organized military training facility—often referred to as the precursor to the United States Military Academy at West Point. The cantonment included barracks, officer quarters, workshops, and a military academy that trained artillery officers in mathematics, engineering, and tactics, reflecting a level of discipline and structure previously unseen in the Continental forces.

Strategically situated near the Watchung Mountains and protected by natural defenses, Pluckemin was critical to the army’s preparedness and logistics. It housed over 1,000 soldiers and provided a centralized location for storing and maintaining artillery. Excavations have revealed foundations, artifacts, and the remains of structures, offering valuable insight into the daily life and operations of Revolutionary War soldiers. Today, the site is recognized for its national significance and is commemorated through the efforts of local historians and the Friends of the Jacobus Vanderveer House, which preserves the only surviving structure linked to the cantonment. One can learn more about the cantonment at the Jacobus Vanderveer House, located nearby.

What's Nearby

Explore more of The Liberty Trail by visiting these nearby attractions.

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Exterior of the Wallace House

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Washington's HQ at the Middlebrook encampment

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The Van Veghten House, Greene's Headquarters at Middlebrook

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Greene's Headquarters at Middlebrook

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Abraham Staats House, located in South Bound Brook, NJ

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Von Steuben's Middlebrook HQ that hosted Washington

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The Wick House at Jockey Hollow in Morristown

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View of the encampment area at Jockey Hollow area of Morristown NPS

Morristown, NJ 07960

Site of two Continental winter encampments

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Nathaniel Drake House Exterior

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Washington's HQ prior to the battle of Short Hills

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View from a gun position at Fort Nonsense, Morristown NPS

Morristown, NJ 07960

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Historic Depiction of Arnold's Tavern in Morristown New Jersey

Morristown, NJ 07960

Washington's HQ for the first Morristown encampment

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Washington's Headquarters at Morristown photographed in the winter

Morristown, NJ 07960

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Washington's Headquarters at Rockingham

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Where Washington penned his Farewell Orders

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Stories from Pluckemin Artillery Cantonment

Trail Site

The only surviving building associated with the Pluckemin Artillery Cantonment, America's first military academy, it served as the headquarters of Henry Knox during the Middlebrook encampment of 1778-1779.

Biography

A self-educated bookseller and artillery expert, Knox led artillery efforts that forced the British to evacuate Boston and later serving as a trusted officer under General Washington and the first U.S. Secretary of War.

Trail Site

Once a sprawling manor complex in the New Jersey countryside belonging to Major General William Alexander, all that remains are two extant structures and the cellar of the original home.