A brief overview here. The British, led by Sir Henry Clinton, were evacuating Philadelphia to return to New York City. Washington saw an opportunity to strike their 12-mile-long baggage train as it moved across New Jersey.
The Battle of Monmouth, fought on June 28, 1778, was a massive turning point for the American cause and a defining moment for the Sussex Count men. It was the first major test of the Continental Army after their winter training at Valley Forge and remains the longest one-day battle of the war.
The Sussex militia was not just present; they were part of the tactical screen that followed the British across the state during one of the most brutal heatwaves in history.
The battle is famous for two things: the 100-degree heat and the controversial actions of General Charles Lee. Washington ordered Lee to lead the “Advanced Guard” (which included Jersey militia units) to attack the British rear. Lee, unsure of the British strength and facing a counterattack from Lord Cornwallis, ordered a disorganized retreat.
Washington famously met Lee on the road, reportedly swore at him in a fury, and took personal command, rallying the troops near the Old Tennent Church. Washington established a defensive line on a ridge. The battle turned into a series of massive frontal assaults by the British elite guards and grenadiers.
It was one of the largest artillery exchanges of the war. This is the battle where Mary Ludwig Hays (Molly Pitcher) famously took her husband’s place at a cannon after he collapsed from the heat.
The men from Sussex County were positioned on the flanks, tasked with harassing the British and preventing them from outflanking Washington’s main line.
By nightfall, both armies were exhausted. Washington planned to resume the attack at dawn, but under the cover of darkness, Clinton slipped his army away to Sandy Hook and then to New York.
While technically a draw, it proved that the Americans could stand toe-to-toe with the British in a formal European-style battle.
A Tactical Draw, A Moral Victory
More men died from the sun and dehydration than from musket balls. Many Sussex veterans’ records mention the “killing heat” of the June march.
