Tell us about your Patriot's
service at the Battle of Princeton

"Parade with me my brave fellows!"

~ General George Washington during the Battle of Princeton, January 3, 1777

We invite you to listen to the stories of six eyewitnesses who experienced
the Battle of Princeton. Our second video, funded with a generous grant
from Americana Corner, is again based on our Eyewitness of
the American Revolution initiative, first-person narratives of 28 people, all
written by historian, author, and former teacher, Larry Kidder.

The Princeton Battlefield Society is proud of the
Eyewitness of the American Revolution initiative.
It brings the real experiences of people to life - -
military and civilian, British and American, men and women,
free and enslaved - - for the purpose of increasing
awareness, understanding, and appreciation of America’s
War of Independence and the heritage of the Battle of Princeton.

We invite you to listen and experience with them what it was liketo be at the Battle of Princeton.

We welcome your comments.

Welcome to the Princeton Battlefield Society, the Officially Recognized Friends Organization of the Princeton Battlefield State Park. As a national, non-profit organization, our mission is:

To acquire, protect, preserve, and restore
the lands and cultural landscape related
to the Battle of Princeton of 1777;

To enlarge and improve the
Princeton Battlefield State Park;

To educate the public about the Battle
of Princeton, the Ten Crucial Days,
and the American Revolution.

What Happened Here?

  • On the morning of January 3, 1777, American soldiers - - Washington’s army - - defeated British Crown forces.
  • The Trenton and Princeton Campaigns from December 25, 1776 to January 3, 1777, called the “Ten Crucial Days,” were a remarkable series of engagements and maneuvers that turned the tide for America’s fight for independence.
  • The Battle of Princeton was a morale booster for Washington’s army and inspired a young nation to keep fighting.
  • The Battle of Princeton and the Ten Crucial Days elevated the military leadership of George Washington in the minds of his army and the nation.
  • The battlefield, a historic site, is an educational resource to help us understand our national heritage and the sacrifices involved. (The battle site was named one of America’s most endangered historical places in 2012 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and continues to face preservation issues today.)
  • Among American military leaders and soldiers lost in the Battle of Princeton were General Hugh Mercer of Virginia and Colonel John Haslet of Delaware.
  • Captain William Shippin of Philadelphia became the first Marine killed on a battlefield.