Washington-Rochambeau Encampment at Trenton, 1781

15 Market Street,Trenton NJ 08611

27 August, 2022

Description

The final major battle of the Revolutionary War took place in 1781 when the combined forces of General Washington’s Continental Army and its French allies under General Rochambeau captured British General Cornwallis’ army at Yorktown in Virginia. This victory, after five years of warfare, ensured America’s independence. It was at the end of August 1781 that the two armies camped in Trenton and prepared for crossing the Delaware River and heading south. French cannons were parked on the estate known as Bloomsbury, which in the early 1700s was the home of William Trent, for whom Trenton is named. On Saturday, August 27, 2022, the William Trent House Museum hosts a recreation of this camp. Demonstrations of military drills and camp life take place throughout the event as well as other family-friendly activities and historical talks. Meet soldiers of Le Régiment Bourbonnais and the 1st Rhode Island Regiment, also known as the "Black Regiment" for its recruitment of African American soldiers. Talk with Ned Hector, a free Black man who served as teamster and bombardier in the Continental Army. Children can take home a book about the Revolution as they learn about the war for independence in a scavenger hunt. Hear talks about this crucial point in the long march to Yorktown and learn how today's highways follow the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail. Co-sponsors of the event include the Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie, the Lawrence Historical Society, and the National Washington Rochambeau Revolutionary Route Association (W3R-US) and its local New Jersey chapter.