Cannon Demonstrations At Batsto 6 / 11

Batsto Citizens Committee / Historic Batsto Village

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Saturday – June 11:
Thundering Barbara Comes to Batsto !
The West Jersey Artillery Company will make camp at Batsto and provide ongoing demonstrations of an authentic Revolutionary War era cannon. More than twelve cannon team members in Continental uniforms will operate this unique piece. The West Jersey Artillery is an exciting and dynamic company that brings back to life those patriotic men from New Jersey who fought so long ago to help create the United States. It is with great pride that each of our men today is able to stand in the shoes of the soldiers who serviced the cannons under the command of George Washington. The company recreates an actual New Jersey state artillery regiment that fought during the American War of Independence from 1776 till 1781. It was re-established in 2011 by a group of experienced Revolutionary War living history enthusiasts who desired to reactivate the original West Jersey Artillery to do historical presentations.
1:00 PM in the Visitor Center Auditorium
Rev. Norm Goos – President of the Col. Richard Somers Chapter – Sons of the American Revolution will present to story of the battles of Petticoat Bridge and Trenton

…. Fighting was normally much reduced during the winter months. New Jersey winters were brutally cold, with a lot of snow in the years during the
Revolutionary War. The Delaware River was clogged with ice flows. But during the month of December 1776, three separate but cooperating
groups of Americans were harassing the British Princeton and other places above Trenton. In the West, Gen. James Ewing’s Continentals and
Pennsylvania Militia were staging cross-river raids to harass the guards and patrols sent out by the 1500 Hessians commanded by Col. Johann Rall stationed at Trenton. Col. Griffin's 600 Gloucester and Cumberland Militiamen in the South moved threateningly toward Mount Holly and drew Col.Von Donop’s 3000 Hessian troops out of Bordentown and to the East. Additionally, the Middlesex County Militia was harassing the British
supply lines that stretched from Trenton east to New
Brunswick. The British were surrounded by American militia growing angrier by the day. To make matters worse, the most competent British
battle commander, Gen. Lord Charles Cornwallis, was in New York packing to leave to go home to London to visit his wife and family until the spring.
Maj. Gen. James Grant, who was only a mildly competent leader, to say the least, had taken Cornwallis's place. George Washington's trap for the British was fully baited and ready to be sprung… One of the West Jersey Artillery Officers will provide their actions during the Battle of Trenton. There is a $3.00 charge for this presentation.