Sussex County History Today: The Unknown Soldier

Every war leaves terrible scars in its wake. The American Revolutionary War was no exception.

War dead have been strewn across the whole East Coast of the United States as the 13 Colonies struggled during the conflict. Other battles occurred further inland as well on the frontiers.

One soldier was buried and his grave can be seen today on Cherry Lane in today’s Hampton Township outside of Newton.

The inscription is a simple one: “Erected to an unknown soldier of the Revolution.” This does not say much but there is not much to say. Back in those days the written word was not truly common. Commanders with perhaps a thousand or more troops had an enormous task to perform in a short time, and he may not have even known that he lost one. It is reported that men came and went, with simply marching off and going home with no documentation to inform. In those days perhaps half of troop losses may have been due to sickness and disease. Even today, with good health and medications, troops in very inclement field conditions fall or die.

The little we know came by word of mouth over a hundred years. The ever-active Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) have been keenly interested in matters of the war. The local Chinckchewunska Chapter took upon the task and memorialized the marker at this site.

Applying some local lore and reasonable detective work gives us an outline of this person. He probably was a Continental Army regular. Thus, he may have been from any of the 13 Colonies. If he had been a local he would have probably been a militiaman, and this may not have been a location for him to drop. More importantly, being a local his family would have taken him home for burial. Cherry Lane, in my estimation, was along the “old” Route 94 road leading into Newton from points north. Route 206 would have replaced this road. By the way, all things considered, an army during this era would have marched maybe 10 miles per day. So a scenario is for them getting from Warwick and Baird’s Tavern (known for George Washington’s visit and a campground) and the to Morrisvale as a next night stop at another documented campground; the farm being owned by Lewis Morris III who was noted as the last signer of the Declaration of Independence for New York.

A next stop would have been in Newton, where the Quartermaster Anderson lived (in another episode of this column). Then on to the farm house called “White House” in Huntsville in Fredon Township near Yellow Frame, which is another place that Washington is said to have been. And so forth for troop movement steps.

Back to the gravesite, with the Continental Army troop movements, of which this soldier probably was part, it is possible that during the long march he had become exhausted or sick and died on the spot. Circumstances most likely drove the decision to bury him here. It is an honor to recognize this Patriot.