New Jersey played a major role in the fight for independence, from Washington’s daring crossing of the Delaware River to the Battle of Princeton. Its location caused the Continental and British armies to clash on this ground repeatedly throughout the War for Independence.
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.
Soon after Greene took command of the southern theater, the tide of war began to turn in favor of the Patriots. Greene and his men turned south to reconquer the South Carolina backcountry. Throughout 1781, Greene steadily drove the British back to Charleston, which they abandoned the following December.
Washington's enslaved huntsman and valet, William Lee was tasked with following Washington throughout the war where he witnessed events such as the encampment at Valley Forge and the victory at Yorktown.
While serving as a drummer in the Revolutionary War, young Stephen Tainter witnessed Burgoyne’s surrender and the failed Newport siege.
William Franklin, the loyalist governor of New Jersey and son of Benjamin Franklin, remained devoted to Britain throughout the American Revolution, even as his father supported the revolutionary cause.
