New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-27
HISTORIC NEW-JERSEY.
prM,NprRs OF DAYS WHEN REVOLT
TON WAS RIFE
THE WALLACE HOUSE. A FAMOUS rih'h VT
PROPERTY. PURCHASED BY THE REVOLT

r1oNARY MEMORIAL SOCIETY

pROpFRTY PrRCHASED bi III"
r,oSARY MEMORIAL SOCIETY
".,,houch New-Jersey Is often spoken OF as
being ont OF the Union her history IS iii OF 'he
most stirring events in the struss,e 10 ,tn
| indenendence" said a Jersey city woman the
| otber dav .The land which lies between the Deia'
! woro RIvor and the Atlantic ocean was inc pain
WAY from Philadelphia and the country "es' anu
! sou,h ~ 4, IN New-York and the sea- ana over
! this small area the opposing armies on'''' CAV"
| other many times in those evenfu ye"''
| "Thn valley OF the Rarltan was from the carry
o,,,ornort NJ tho colony to the close OF tho Revo-
/ Iutionarv War full OF historic incidents r'v'S
/ foot Of land hereabouts is traditional i"'@o ''".
roads have felt the footsteps OF ie@o
| ContIncntals These now fertile hclus "V'V O"o'
the camping ground of Hessian Bri''S" anu 49,
! lean soldiers but the inhabitants OF inns Nd.'S'
nsa,oa,,ar.s =, sturdv Dutch and Scotch settlers,
were almost every one true and loyal 70 the cause
OF liberty and repubcanism -
"In tho fall Of IT'S General Washington con-
,inucd this patriotic daughter OF Ne"-Je'''''
cldcd to camp his army In this ValeF i0 ~ w.,
for and wrote 10 the President OF congress 'ii''
.,ro 1or,o, priyado will be at Ellzabethtown. the
otbors will he at Middlcbrook. and my own quar-
tore Will be N the neighborhood OF M'uu' n''
Middlebrook was small branch OF inc IA,
little distance from the town or bou''"
which was at that time an old ana "eli-P'P"
village The army was scattered through ''e WHO
valley. soma at Middlebrook and others AT Eliza
BEETHOVEN to watch the movements OF the BRUSH
while still another portion guarded the approach 10
the mountains near by tn" camp spr""u J" every
direction: General Knox with the artillery was AT
Pluckamin: Baron Steubcn at the Staats mouse III
Bound Brook: Lord Stirling and Light Horse
Harry Leo were at the Van Horne house. Wayne
on the Milestone Greene NJ Van Ncchter's while
General Washington occupied the wallace mousse
fin what IS now the town OF SomerviHe, ara "hch
was the finest and most commodious mansion In
ll,fA hnc
was not quite finished when the army settled down
for the winter and that tho Father of His Coun-
try drove some OF the nails himself to hasten the
work Of completion 1t belonged 10 wealthy tea
| merchant OF Philadelphia nnmed william wallace
who being good republican, gladly put IL ri the
service of the General.
The women came 20 camp often, Mrs. Washing
ton having one or more always as her guests. and
the long winter evenings were spent most pleas
antly by the officers and their wives. Many gay
dances were held that season. and all sorts or
amusenents resorted make camp life inter-
esting to the Generals wife and her guests. Be
sides the dinner parties OF tho Chief.
gatherings were held at the other generals head
quarters while at the Van Horne house. whose
owner was called Genial PAIL and the house stu
ated on 2 prominent hill In the vicinity named
Cornwall Hall there must have been exception
ally lively times. II names count for anything. On
February 49, 177s magnificent fete. with grand
display of fireworks. given by General Knox
at Pluckamin and to this ball came all the officers
and their wives and guests including General and
Mrs Washington and the display OF gold lace and
elegant brocades worthy of the occasion. In
this same neigh borhood. the banks of the
Raritan stands the old Colonial house known the
county over as the Stats house and Baron
Steuben's headquarters. and 1t was under these
stately old trees. still standing. that his famous
lawn party given after the grand review and
dress parade OF the troops held short distance
1,,,
finest entertainment given during these camping
winters. From early afternoon until well in the
night the lawn gay with richly dressed officers
prancing horses dashing here and there with
messages and commands. threading their way
through the maze OF carriages. for all the resident
families for miles around drove for this fete
The days Of fine brocade and elegant laces. pow
dered hair and gay attire had not yet departed,
and the bright and many colorei gowns of the
women mingled pleasngly with the gold lace and
blue and buff OF the Continental soldiers, making
a scene far more brilliant than any costume ball
OF the present time During this winter Washing
ton gave many dinner parties well. and in a
diary kept by one Of the officers of the camp
read that the anniversary OF our alliance with
France celebrated In proper style few days
since near headquarters at Pluckamin.
'Tt was while Washington was living In the Wal
lace house that he wrote the famous letter for
the spy to he sent out by General Maxwell. IN
Wlicn
between eight thousand and ten thousand and
stated that the Generals headquarters ut
Wallis house. four miles from BardbrOOk.' A
little distance away from the main street this
historic house stands In quiet stateness amid the
old trees under which the great General walked
while ponderlng weshty questions OF war.
Under these trees he stood looking around the
whole valley and from here he wrote his messages
TO the other camps These old trees were favorltes
of Mrs Washington we'll. and she often sat
ouietv resting with her book necdlewOrk IN her
lap under their friendly shade 1t Is a two-stcry
frame structure, with the wide hallway in the CEN
tire running through the house; tho right. one
enters the oil double door with It's ancient Dutch
knocker. will be seen the receptlon-room which
Washington used office Back Of this and
taking w the OF that side Of the ground floor
IS q SQUARE room with sunny windows and its old
fashioned open fireplace bordered with quaint old
blue Dutch tiles. portraying the Bible stories 70
the watcher OF the blazing logs. This Wash
iEgtons bedroom. TO the left Of the hall Is the
c!i.ng- room, taking in the WHOLE width OF the
house on that side. and which often held parties
OF thirty more. Back Of this room and down
two short steps is the kitchen, with its blackenei
oak timhers and wide old fireplace with iron
hooks Above the kitchen. reached by steep
winding stairway the old slaves quarters. and
some idea OF the magnitude OF the household OF