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"Parade with me my brave fellows!"

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

Eyewitness of the American Revolution: Thomas Clarke

As part of the Princeton Battlefield Society's Eyewitness of the American Revolution initiative, we are proud to present our latest video on Thomas Clarke. This project was made possible through a 2024 grant from the Mercer County Cultural & Heritage Commission.

Our initiative began with historian Larry Kidder’s development of Eyewitness cards—now totaling 28—and has since expanded to include two videos and the brochure, The Land, Home, and Farm of Thomas Clarke, a Quaker.

Watch the video below to learn more about Thomas Clarke’s role in history.

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.