Battle of Monmouth Reenactment This Weekend, June 16, 17

MANALAPAN, NJ — The pivotal Revolutionary War Battle of Monmouth will be re-enacted this Saturday and Sunday, June 16 and 17, at Monmouth Battlefield State Park in Manalapan.

The battlefield will become the backdrop to skirmishes between Gen. George Washington's Continental Army and British redcoats as cannons and muskets fire during the battle, which historians have long considered a strategic and pivotal turning point in the war.

Monmouth Battlefield State Park is located at 16 Business Route 33 in Manalapan, Monmouth County.

Encampments will open at 9 a.m. to the public and close at 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 16 and at 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 17. Skirmishes are scheduled each morning. Various presentations and battle re-enactments are planned each afternoon. Children can participate in an afternoon cannon drill on Saturday and an afternoon musket drill on Sunday. A $10 per vehicle donation is requested to help defray event costs.

Additional events commemorating the 240th anniversary of the battle fought on June 28, 1778, are scheduled for next Saturday, June 23 and Sunday, June 24 at the park's visitor center.

Several new activities are planned this year. Representatives with the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia will be on hand with replicas of Gen. Washington's tents and interpret their history for visitors. An ox team from Howell Living History Farm also will be present.

The story of Molly Pitcher, the legendary heroine of the battle, also will be told each day. Pitcher, whose real name is believed to have been Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley, reportedly loaded cannons and carried pitchers of water to aid soldiers, leading to her nickname. Legend holds that Molly Pitcher took her husband's place in a cannon crew after he either collapsed or was wounded.

"Monmouth Battlefield was the site of a day-long battle that pitted the Continental Army against British Redcoats," Division of Parks and Forestry Director Olivia Glenn said. "The bravery displayed on this historic field is a solemn reminder of the efforts made in the name of freedom."

The Battle of Monmouth occurred when Washington's army intercepted British, German and Loyalist soldiers fleeing from Philadelphia to New York to escape an impending blockade of the Delaware River by a French fleet. Although the British-led troops escaped during the night, the battle happened while the Continental Army was low on ammunition and had spent a brutal winter at Valley Forge. Both sides made leadership mistakes during the battle that may have ultimately helped Washington's army.

In addition to the battle re-enactments, visitors can get a glimpse of how soldiers lived during wartime, from cleaning their muskets and doing battle drills, to women cooking and other troops playing cards. Each day will also feature cavalry demonstrations and memorial services.

The re-enactment weekend is co-sponsored by Friends of Monmouth Battlefield, DEP's Division of Parks and Forestry, and the re-enactment community.

A food vendor will be on site and parking for the disabled will be available.

Activities for battle commemoration weekend on June 23 and 24 begin at 12:30 p.m. each day and end at 2:15 p.m. A tour of the battlefield will be offered each day, in addition to other activities for children and adults.

For questions about re-enactment activities in case of inclement weather, call the Monmouth Battlefield State Park Office at (732) 462-9616.

For a re-enactment weekend schedule visit www.friendsofmonmouth.org/reenactment.html