On the bitterly cold morning of January 3, 1777, 4,500 exhausted, footsore, hungry American soldiers marched into battle and the pages of history at Thomas Clarke’s farm in Princeton, New Jersey.
Over the next several hours, these heroes of the Battle of Princeton would defeat the military forces of the mighty British Empire for the third time in 10 days in one of the most important American victories in our War of Independence.
As we near the 250th anniversary of that battle, the Princeton Battlefi eld Society is proud to honor the “Heroes of Princeton,” courageous and stalwart men who fought that day to secure the blessings of liberty that we enjoy.
Help us honor the men who fought
in the Battle of Princeton. Tell us about
a Patriot who fought that day.
HEROES OF PRINCETON
Patriot Name: Henry Delatush
Unit/Regiment: Crosswicks Burlington Milita with Brother in law Nicholas Van Winkle
Submitted by: Cyndy Mack
Service Description: Henry Delatush was in several Battles in the area and had farms in the area, he would take turns going out to battle with his brother in law Nicholas VanWickle
Patriot Name: Andrew Keen
Unit/Regiment: Washington headquarters (New Hope)
Submitted by: Barbara Ritter
Patriot Name: George Shelton Daugharty
Unit/Regiment: Eastern Co of Artillery, New Jersey Line, Continential Army
Submitted by: Captain Daniel Neil
Service Description: Captain Neil commanded the Eastern Company of Artillery that had been assigned to General Hugh Mercer and his men for the Battle of Princeton. Captain Neil, along with a number of other heroic American officers serving with General Mercer, was killed during the bayonet charge of General Mawhood's British regulars. Captain Neil was killed while continuing to have his men fire their cannons, despite the fact that many other men were retreating in the face of the American line having been broken during that portion of the battle.
Patriot Name: Captain William Heyser
Unit/Regiment: Commander of a German Company from Maryland
Submitted by: Gerald Powell
Service Description:I have seen indicate he fought in the Battle of Trenton against the Hessians both as part of the operation where Washington Crossed the Delaware in the sneak attack on the Hessians in Trenton in late December 1776 and in early January 1777 against the British forces in the Battle of Princeton. The descriptions indicate he was wounded in either the Battle of Trenton or Battle of Princeton and taken to a hospital in Philadelphia.
Patriot Name: Molly Plunkett
Unit/Regiment: 10th PA
Submitted by: Ludwig Dorman
Service Description:My Third Great Grandfather, Ludwig Dorman fought in the Battles of Princeton, Brandywine, Paoli, Germantown, Monmouth and Elizabethtown.
During his career he served in the 10th PA Regiment under Col. Humpton and Hubley of the Pennsylvania Line for four years, as well as the Flying Camp under Col. Oldenbruck.
Patriot Name: Mary D'Amore (DAR, Princeton Chapter)
Unit/Regiment: 10th PA Regiment and Flying Camp
Submitted by: Ludwig Dorman
Service Description: Ludwig Dorman was a private in the 10th PA Regiment of the Pennsylvania line for four years and fought in the battles of Princeton, Brandywine, Paoli, Germantown, Monmouth, and Elizabethtown according to his pension papers.
He also was in General Mercer's Flying Camp, and in Captain Oldenbruck (Oldenbrooks) Company.
Patriot Name: John Hendy
Unit/Regiment: Ensign, General George Washington's Army
Submitted by: JoAnn Culp Youngman
Service Description: John Hendy began his military service at the age of 17 in 1774, as a Private-Volunteer initially in the militia in Lower Smithfield, Northampton, PA. From his deposition providing evidence for receipt of a pension for his Revolutionary War Service we learned that he received an Ensign's commission in General George Washington's Army in Philadelphia in early December 1776. On or about December 5, 1776, the Company was ordered to march to the camp of General Washington and immediately began making their way to New Jersey (John Hendy as Ensign) attached to the Battalion under Captain Benjamin Schoonover and Lieutenant John Gaston. They fell in with Washington's Army at Trenton. He outlines in his deposition that on January 2, 1777, he was attached to the Brigade being commanded by General Mifflin. The whole Corps took up the line of march for Princeton. They reached Princeton the morning of the 3rd and prepared for battle (Battle of Princeton). In this engagement General Hugh Mercer fell dangerously wounded and was conveyed directly by this deponent (John Hendy) to a private house (Thomas Clarke House). Hendy stated in his deposition as he carried the General: "This brave officer exclaimed as he was carried along: 'Cheer up my boys the day is ours.'" After the Battle, Hendy goes on to state "we took up our line of march for Morristown where General Washington had his headquarters and reached Somerset Court House the first night. The next day, which was on a Saturday, we arrived at the Village of Pluckemin (New Jersey) and halted there til the Monday following. While at this Village we buried a British officer, Captain William Leslie with the Honors of War." Leslie had been mortally wounded at Princeton and was brought on a wagon. On Monday John Hendy and company joined the main Army at Morristown.
Patriot Name: Brigadier General Hugh Mercer
Unit/Regiment: Mercer’s Brigade, Greene’s Division
Submitted by: Willis Mercer
Service Description: While leading 350 soldiers toward Princeton on January 3, 1777, Mercer’s brigade encountered two British regiments and mounted unit on the farms of William and Thomas Clarke. A fight broke out at William’s orchard and Mercer's horse was shot from under him. Getting to his feet, he was quickly surrounded by British troops who mistook him for George Washington and ordered him to surrender. Outnumbered, he drew his saber and began an unequal contest. He was finally beaten to the ground, bayoneted seven times, and left for dead. He was carried to the home of Thomas Clarke died nine days later. His encounter with the British is captured in the John Trumbull painting, “The Death of General Mercer at the Battle of Princeton, January 3, 1777.”
Patriot Name: Brigadier General Hugh Mercer
Unit/Regiment: Mercer’s Brigade, Greene’s Division
Submitted by: Willis Mercer
Service Description: While leading 350 soldiers toward Princeton on January 3, 1777, Mercer’s brigade encountered two British regiments and mounted unit on the farms of William and Thomas Clarke. A fight broke out at William’s orchard and Mercer's horse was shot from under him. Getting to his feet, he was quickly surrounded by British troops who mistook him for George Washington and ordered him to surrender. Outnumbered, he drew his saber and began an unequal contest. He was finally beaten to the ground, bayoneted seven times, and left for dead. He was carried to the home of Thomas Clarke died nine days later. His encounter with the British is captured in the John Trumbull painting, “The Death of General Mercer at the Battle of Princeton, January 3, 1777.”
Patriot Name: James Williamson
Unit/Regiment: 12th Pennsylvania Regiment
Submitted by: Melanie Gold
Service Description: Tell us what you know about this patriot’s service in the Battle of Princeton. In the fall of 1776 James Williamson received a commission as 2nd Lieutenant and, along with Capt. Peter Withington, raised a company of regular enlisted troops in and around Reading, Pennsylvania, that became the 12th Pennsylvania Regiment. After marching to Philadelphia, Captain Withington returned home with an illness, and Williamson was promoted to 1st Lieutenant. They arrived at Trenton on the day of the cannonade, then that night marched to Princeton and was engaged in the battle as part of the 3rd Pennsylvania Brigade under Gen. Hugh Mercer. Williamson was among the soldiers in Mercer's brigade who engaged with the British early in the battle. After Princeton, they marched to winter quarters in Morristown.
Patriot Name: Major Samuel Meredith
Unit/Regiment: Philadelphia Associators
Submitted by: Ben Strong
Service Description: Major Samuel Meredith, served in the Philadelphia Associators who fought with Gen. Cadwalader at the Battle.