Celebrating America250: The New Jersey Militia in the War for Independence

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
On April 19, 1775, a company of Colonial Militia stood fast against a battalion of British Regulars on the green at Lexington, Massachusetts to prevent their weapons and supplies from being seized. No one knows who fired the first shot, but it was the beginning of the War for American Independence.

That shot, and the battles that followed at Concord and Bunker Hill led to other the colonies organizing militia units to fight the British. On May 3, 1775, New Jersey was one of the first to do so.

For the next eight years the New Jersey Militia would fight the British, Hessians, Tories, and Indians in defense of Liberty. They raided supply columns, spied upon enemy camps, arrested Tories and British sympathizers, and sometimes fought alongside the Continental Army.

ABOUT THE PRESENTER: 
John is a retired United States Army Colonel with more than 37 years of service. He is a Jersey native and currently makes his home in Clinton Township, NJ. He is a military historian with extensive collections of equipment and items from both the Revolutionary War period as well as World War Two. He also collects and displays WW2 Army Jeeps. He participates in civic events, programs, and WW2 events throughout the year.

Please register in advance as space is limited.