Walking Tour To Visit Washington’s Encampments In New Hope

NEW HOPE, PA — As part of General George Washington’s strategy to defend his struggling army from the onslaught of the British in December, 1776 he ordered that all ferry crossings along the Delaware River from Morrisville to Coryell’s Ferry be heavily fortified to prevent General Cornwallis’s army from crossing the river and quelling the fledgling revolution.

Two regiments numbering approximately 600 soldiers encamped in Coryell’s Ferry, now New Hope, under the command of French general de Fermoy for two weeks prior to George Washington’s legendary crossing of the Delaware River to the decisive Battle of Trenton on December 25, 1776.

General Washington himself visited Coryell’s Ferry several times to prepare his generals for the imminent battles. And two years later, the entire Continental Army — more than 12,000 strong,

with about 500 wives who followed their husbands into battle, marched along Old York Road
and crossed the Delaware River at New Hope’s historic Ferry Landing on their way to the
important Battle of Monmouth.

On Sunday, December 17 at 2 p.m., the New Hope Historical Society will present a walking tour that will trace the footsteps of George Washington and his army through New Hope.

Led by Historical Society past-president and current board member, Roy Ziegler, the new tour will offer a colorful picture of New Hope’s role as Coryell’s Ferry in the American Revolutionary War. Tickets are limited, so the New Hope Historical Society suggests making reservations now at
newhopehistorical.org.