Rare Insight into 2 Black Soldiers Who Were Involved in the Crossing
Excerpts from Peter Jennings’ pension applications. Rutherford County Record Book 9, pages 71-72, Rutherford County Archives, Murfreesboro Tennessee. Recordkeeping around the time of the crossing was spotty in many respects, but it was especially so with regard to the Black soldiers who were involved. However, thanks largely to preserved federal veterans pension applications, historians have been able to develop relatively nuanced profiles of two of those soldiers, Jacob Francis and Peter Jennings. “It’s ironic in a tragic way,” says museum curator Kimberly McCarty. “We’re able to learn so much more about some Black soldiers through their pension applications. But they’re Read More
New Plaque Recognizes Washington Crossing Historic Park as American Revolutionary War Site
A new plaque hangs in the Visitor Center vestibule at Washington Crossing Historic Park and its significance is…well…significant. The Pennsylvania State Society Daughters of the American Revolution (PSSDAR) placed the plaque as part of a national initiative to raise public awareness for the men and women who helped achieve American independence. The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution hopes that at least one marker will be placed in every state in advance of the 250th birthday of the United States in 2026. “The project is the epitome of what DAR stands for,” says Judi Biederman, park volunteer and Regent Read More
Four Common Misconceptions About the Ten Crucial Days
Considering the piecemeal recordkeeping of the time and general chaos that often surrounds war’s most intense moments, it’s astonishing that we know as much as we do about the Ten Crucial Days, the pivotal period surrounding the crossing. However, there are a few central facts that are frequently misconstrued to this day. The crossing began on Christmas Eve. The first involves the date of the crossing itself. “There were some references in the early 19th century that describe it as taking place on the ‘eve’ of Christmas, which modern readers could, and have, misinterpreted to mean Christmas Eve, when, in Read More
John Sullivan Challenge Coin Now Available
Washington Crossing Historic Park’s 2021 Challenge Coin is now available. The cost is $17.76, including tax. Shipping is an additional fee. The Major General John Sullivan Challenge Coin can be purchased in the Visitor Center gift shop or on our website. Every year until 2026—the 250th anniversary of the crossing of the Delaware River—Washington Crossing Historic Park will release a new challenge coin. The back of each year’s coin will feature a different officer in the Continental army, while the front features the crossing as depicted in Emanuel Leutze’s “Washington Crossing the Delaware” painting. About Major General John Sullivan Major Read More
Get Ready for the Crossing with these FAQs
December is here and that means it’s time for us to reenact George Washington’s daring crossing of the Delaware! If you plan to attend one of our two crossing reenactments, we’ve compiled a list of answers to the most common questions we receive. What are the dates for the 2021 Crossings? Washington Crossing Historic Park will host the First Crossing on Sunday, December 12 from 10 am to 4 pm. Narration begins at 12:30 pm. The crossing begins at approximately 1 pm. The 69th Annual Christmas Day Crossing Reenactment will take place on Saturday, December 25th from Noon to 3pm. Read More
December Lecture Spotlights Unknown Crossing Participants
Colonels John Glover and Henry Knox, future U.S. President James Monroe, and of course General George Washington are all celebrated participants in the historic Christmas Day crossing of the Delaware River. But who were the other 2,396 participants comprising Washington’s army at the time? Washington Crossing Historic Park curator Kimberly McCarty will introduce guests to four relatively unknown figures from this momentous event during her Sunday, December 5 lecture titled, “Who Was Here in 1776.” The lecture takes place from 7 – 8 p.m. and will be held in-person at Washington Crossing Historic Park (1112 River Road, Washington Crossing, PA Read More
New Book Club Selection Details the Continental Army’s Other War
The Washington Crossing Historic Park Book Club will begin a new book, Surviving the Winters: Housing Washington’s Army During the American Revolution by Steven Elliott, at its December meeting. The meeting will be held December 20, at 5:30 PM, on Zoom. Registration is required. To register, please visit DCNR’s website. Zoom meeting details will be provided upon registration. Participants should be prepared to discuss the Introduction through Chapter 2. Surviving the Winters: Housing Washington’s Army During the American Revolution Surviving the Winters is the first book to show how camp construction and administration played a crucial role in Patriot strategy during the Read More
Where Did the Soldiers’ Food Come From? And Who Did the Cooking?
While there was a system in place for feeding the Continental Army, museum curator Kimberly McCarty says that it was plagued by trouble throughout the war. “Which is why you hear so many stories about hungry soldiers,” she says. The Commissary Department responsible for supplying food and equipment. Because the Continental Army was established with the Revolutionary War, the Commissary Department was also new. In many ways, it resembled the British Army’s system for distributing provisions. That wasn’t a coincidence, according to McCarty. “A lot of the Continental Army’s officers served with the British Army previously,” she says. Read More
