Morristown National Historical Park, a Military Capital of the American RevolutionWeig, Melvin J.
History
Morristown National Historical Park, a Military Capital of the American Revolution
Weig, Melvin J.
Morristown National Historical Park (N.J.); New Jersey -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783
Immediately adjacent to the Army Burying Ground (No. 18), visitors may
see a log structure of the type used for hospital purposes while the
Continental Army lay encamped in Jockey Hollow. This building was
reconstructed by the National Park Service from a description and plans
prepared by Dr. James Tilton, Hospital Physician in 1779-80, and later
Physician and Surgeon General, United States Army.
NOS. 20-21. FIRST AND SECOND PENNSYLVANIA BRIGADE CAMPS, 1779-80, AND
RECONSTRUCTED OFFICERS’ HUT.
About 400 feet east of the reconstructed Army Hospital Hut (No. 19), on
the west slope of Sugar Loaf Hill, and cutting diagonally across the
Grand Parade Road, are the campsites occupied in 1779-80 by the
Pennsylvania Division commanded that winter by Maj. Gen. Arthur St.
Clair. In this division were the 1st and 2d Pennsylvania Brigades. The
former, under Brig. Gen. William Irvine, was composed of the 1st, 2d,
7th, and 10th Pennsylvania Regiments, with a combined total enlistment,
in December 1779, of 1,253 men. In the latter, under Col. Francis
Johnston, were the 3d, 5th, 6th, and 9th Pennsylvania Regiments, with a
corresponding enlistment, at the same period, of 1,050 men. The official
uniform of all these troops was blue, faced with red; the buttons and
linings, white.
On the First Pennsylvania Brigade campsite may be seen a reconstruction,
by the National Park Service, of the type of log hut used as quarters by
officers of the Continental Army in 1779-80 (p. 16).
[Illustration: _Reconstructed Army Hospital Hut._]
NO. 22. GRAND PARADE, 1779-80.
North of the Grand Parade Road, below the east slope of Sugar Loaf Hill,
is the level ground “between the Pensylvania & the York encampment”
which served as the Grand Parade used by the Continental Army in
1779-80. Here the camp guards and detachments assigned to outpost duty
usually reported for inspection, and the troops were sometimes paraded
to witness military executions. The ground was also used for drill
purposes. Near the Grand Parade was the “New Orderly Room” where courts
martial were frequently held, and where Washington’s orders were
communicated to the army.
NO. 23. HAND’S BRIGADE CAMP, 1779-80, AND RECONSTRUCTED SOLDIERS’ HUT.
Parallel to the north side of the Tempe Wick Road, about 300 feet
southeast of where it joins the Jockey Hollow Road, is the campsite
occupied in 1779-80 by Hand’s Brigade, named for its commanding officer,
Brig. Gen. Edward Hand. In this brigade were the 1st and 2d Canadian and
the 4th and New 11th Pennsylvania Regiments, with a combined total
enlistment, in December 1779, of 1,033 men. The official uniform of the
Pennsylvania regiments was blue, faced with red; the buttons and
linings, white. How all the Canadians were clothed is unknown, but some
of them probably wore brown coats, faced with red, and white waistcoats
and breeches.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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