During the Revolutionary War, the Evesham Friends Meeting House became an unexpected military campsite when Brigadier General Alexander Leslie’s brigade, part of General Cornwallis’s division, camped here in June 1778 during the British retreat from Philadelphia. Despite the Quakers’ pacifist beliefs and concerns about the war’s toll, the meeting house itself survived unscathed as British forces moved on toward Mount Holly, pursued by Washington’s army. Built in 1760, it remains as an active congregation today.
On June 23, 1778, the Crosswicks Friends Meeting House found itself caught in the crossfire as British forces clashed with New Jersey militia nearby. After fierce fighting and a strategic retreat across Crosswicks Creek, British troops secured the bridge and pressed the pursuit before pulling back to Crosswicks. A Continental officer later told Washington that the local patriots “fought the British here with spirit until they brought up some cannon.” Built in 1773 for a peaceful Quaker congregation, the meeting house still bears a cannonball lodged in its north façade.
On June 27, 1778, the Village Inn in Englishtown set the stage for a critical moment in the American Revolution. After a taxing march from Valley Forge, nearly 5,000 Continental soldiers awaited orders here. That evening, General George Washington met with Major General Charles Lee—likely inside this very inn—and gave the long-anticipated command to attack the British at dawn.
Today, the Village Inn stands at the heart of historic Englishtown, inviting visitors to imagine the tension and determination of that summer night as these leaders prepared to face the British in the Battle of Monmouth.
On June 26, 1778, thousands of British and Hessian troops marched past the Covenhoven House on their way to the Battle of Monmouth. British General Henry Clinton made this home his headquarters, promising Elizabeth Covenhoven her belongings would be safe—but soldiers soon took her horses, cattle, and possessions from the property.
Visiting the Covenhoven House today allows you to step back in time and consider the sudden and often harsh realities faced by those living amid the Revolutionary War.
If you were standing here on the morning of June 28, 1778, you would have witnessed the opening shots of the Battle of Monmouth as Major General Charles Lee advanced to engage a British rearguard left by Lieutenant General Henry Clinton. Cornwallis quickly turned his troops back, surprising the Continentals and forcing Lee to order a retreat—a decision that ultimately cost him his command.
General Washington then took charge, directing the battle westward under the scorching summer sun. Today, a towering 94-foot monument stands on this ground, commemorating the fierce fighting. Get up close to the monument and follow the story of the battle through a series of detailed bronze plaques.
During the Battle of Monmouth on June 28, 1778, the Craig House stood in the path of fierce fighting as American and British troops clashed nearby. Home to John and Ann Craig, who lived here with their family and two enslaved individuals, the house saw the turmoil of war firsthand—Ann hid her valuables in a well before fleeing, only to return and find them looted. Built between 1746 and 1770, the Craig House has been carefully restored to its 18th-century appearance and remains one of three original farmhouses at Monmouth Battlefield State Park. It is open seasonally for visitors to explore and reflect on the lives touched by the Revolution.
During the Battle of Monmouth on June 28, 1778, the Old Tennent Presbyterian Church served as a field hospital for wounded Continental soldiers. Situated just behind the main American defensive line atop Perrine Ridge, the church was within earshot of the largest artillery exchange of the Revolutionary War, described by Major General Nathanael Greene as “shot and shells flying as thick as hail.” Founded in 1733, the church became a place of both worship and wartime sacrifice, with an unknown number of soldiers buried in a mass grave in the churchyard alongside more than seventy identified Revolutionary War veterans. Among those buried here are Captain Henry Fauntleroy, killed on his 22nd birthday, and John and Ann Craig, whose nearby farmhouse witnessed part of the day’s fighting.
On June 28, 1778, amid scorching heat, General Washington and General Lee led Continental forces against the British rearguard near Monmouth. Despite being outnumbered, the well-trained Americans fought fiercely, though Lee’s hesitation gave British General Cornwallis an early advantage. Washington took command, rallying his troops and organizing a strong defense with divisions under Greene, Stirling, Lafayette, and Wayne, supported by artillery along key positions like Perrine Ridge and Combs Hill. After hours of intense back-and-forth fighting, the exhausted British slipped away under cover of darkness. Today, visitors can learn about the battle at the Visitor Center and explore the historic battlefield, including the hedgerow and key terrain where the struggle unfolded.
