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As our nation celebrates the 225th anniversary of the American Revolution, the New Jersey State Archives has made conservation of sources documenting the war its highest preservation priority. New Jersey played a central role in the revolution that formed our nation, with more military engagements in our state than in any other (nearly 300 during the period 1775-1782). The fact that British and American interests focused on New Jersey for most of the war stems from its location between the British stronghold of New York City and the seat of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. General Washington commanded his army in New Jersey for nearly half the war. American forces engaged the British in major battles at Trenton, Princeton, Monmouth and Assunpink, and in lesser battles and skirmishes in every county. Washington and his troops encamped here three winters, at Morristown and Raritan. And amidst the armed conflict raging around them, New Jerseyans faced ongoing civil strife. The clashing ideals of independence and loyalty to the British crown brought desperate and sometimes deadly conflict to nearly every community. Revolutionary activity in New Jersey is documented most thoroughly in the records of government: from the political victory of a new regime declaring the state’s independence in 1776 to the ousting of Loyalists at the close of the war. Government papers document New Jersey’s contributions to the American military cause as the British invaded and occupied the state, through General Washington’s campaigns, and as the tide of the war shifted. They show how the state dealt with issues of security, treason and economy. As New Jersey’s official repository for government records of enduring historical value, the State Archives is the central source for information on revolutionary activity in the main theatre of the war. The State Archives holds the official records of colonial and state government, as well as certain county and municipal records dating back to the colonial period. Over two hundred cubic feet of manuscripts document military service in the war and several hundred cubic feet document non-military wartime activity. |
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