New Jersey in the American Revolution As the location of many major battles , New Jersey was pivotal in the American Revolution and the ultimate victory of the American colonists . The important role New Jersey played earned it the titles of " Crossroads of the Revolution " and the " Military Capital of the Revolution " . Not all of the population of New Jersey advocated independence ; Governor William Franklin , the illegitimate son of Benjamin Franklin , was a loyalist who supported the Stamp Act . Many of the colonists had emigrated from England and felt a sense of loyalty to the King of England and the English government . On January 8 , 1776 , Governor Franklin was arrested for opposing the Revolution . Others such as slaves joined sides with the British in return for promises of freedom . For example , Colonel Tye was a slave who escaped and joined the British army , leading constant raids against the people of New Jersey . Throughout the Revolutionary War , there were many clashes between the Americans and British within the colony of New Jersey . In total , there were 296 engagements that occurred within New Jersey , more clashes than occurred in any other colony in the Revolutionary War . Prewar tensions . Following the French and Indian War , tensions erupted between the Americans and the British , in part , over who should pay for the war that resulted in the immense territorial gains for the British with their conquest of Quebec and French Canada . After Parliament issued the Sugar Act , the Stamp Act , and the Tea Act , furious protests and outbreaks occurred . One such outbreak occurred in Greenwich Township , New Jersey in Cumberland County . On December 22 , 1774 , a group of 40 colonists entered the cellar of loyalist Dan Bowen and quickly stole and burned chests of tea . Declaration of Independence . New Jersey representatives Richard Stockton , John Witherspoon , Francis Hopkinson , John Hart , and Abraham Clark were among the men who signed the United States Declaration of Independence . These men , just like all the others , took tremendous risks in order to fight for independence and all went on to serve their newly founded country for the rest of their lives . Distinguished lawyer Richard Stockton , New Jersey - born and College of New Jersey graduate , sacrificed his royal judicial title and his considerable international economic interest in order to be an elected delegate for New Jersey at the General Congress . John Witherspoon was a Scottish immigrant . He came to New Jersey to serve as the sixth president of the College of New Jersey . He was a world renowned Presbyterian minister and became a leading member of the Continental Congress . Witherspoon went on to become one of the leaders of the new national Presbyterian church . Francis Hopkinson was somewhat of a renaissance man for his time . He was articulate in several fields of the arts and a very impressive scientist . Perhaps the capstone of his career was his appointment by President George Washington to the federal bench . John Hart was a prominent landowner and judge of the Hunterdon County court . Like Stockton , he sacrificed his high standing with the royal court and dedicated his life to the New Jersey Assembly . After signing the Declaration of Independence , he went on to become the speaker of the New Jersey Assembly . The last of the men , Abraham Clark , was native to Elizabethtown . He was slightly different from his fellow New Jersey representatives as he jumped from job to job working as a farmer , surveyor , transporter , legal adviser , and finally politician . He was well liked in all these fields and had become a prominent member of society , but he found his home in government . He held numerous political positions at all the various levels of government . Battles . Besides being the location of several important battles , New Jersey was also helpful in disrupting British supply units . Forts on the Delaware River could attack British supply troops as they sailed to Philadelphia . Men in whaleboats crossed the Hudson and raided New York City and Long Island , and captured shipping in the Sandy Hook staging area outside New York Harbor . Ships based in south Jersey ports raided British shipping at sea . New Jersey also had several ironworks that provide iron and iron products , such as cannon , for the war effort , besides its food production . The Ford family in Morristown ran a black powder mill that supplied needed powder for the early war effort . The Continental army encamped three years in New Jersey , in the winters of 1777 at Morristown , 1778 - 79 at Middlebrook ( near Bound Brook ) , and in 1780 again at Morristown . Large parts of the Continental forces wintered in other years in NJ . Raids from British held New York City across the Hudson into New Jersey happened very frequently . The British sent men into New Jersey looking for supplies , firewood , cattle , horses , sheep and pigs , and looking to capture leading patriots . 1776 - 1777 . Battle of Fort Lee . The war did not start well for the Continental Army . After difficult losses in the Battle of Brooklyn , General George Washington led his troops towards Manhattan with the British in pursuit . On November 16 , 1776 , Fort Washington , at the northern tip of Manhattan Island , fell to the British . On November 19 , 1776 , British soldiers under Charles Cornwallis captured Fort Lee after a hasty retreat by the American soldiers stationed there under the command of General Nathanael Greene . After gaining control of the Manhattan area , the British ferried up the Hudson River in barges . Washington had dashed off to warn the Americans about the advancing British , and the fort was evacuated . Much equipment and supplies were captured by the British . On November 20 , 1776 , Washington led his 2 , 000 troops from Fort Lee in a retreat through present - day Englewood and Teaneck across the Hackensack River at New Bridge Landing . Washington continued his retreat through early December , passing through Princeton on the way to the Delaware River . Ten crucial days . The Ten Crucial Days were ten days at the end of December 1776 and the first week of January 1777 , where several decisive battles were fought between the Continental Army under George Washington and the British army , mostly under Charles Cornwallis . Washington badly needed a victory to prove his army ' s hope of winning and thus boost morale . On the night of December 25 – 26 , 1776 , the Continental Army under the command of General George Washington made their famous crossing of the Delaware River . They took the Hessians stationed in Trenton by surprise ; the Hessians were not prepared for an attack during a bad storm . In the ensuing Battle of Trenton , the Continental Army crushed the Hessians . The Americans attacked in groups , one down the two main streets from the North east , the other along the river road . The American cannons denied the Hessians the ability to form up in the streets . The Hessians unsuccessfully attempted to retreat and were completely surrounded by the Continental Army . As a result of the battle , the Americans captured nearly 900 Hessian soldiers within 90 minutes . In addition , they took the supplies that had been placed in Trenton for use by the British army . George Washington then had the soldiers recross safely back into Pennsylvania . George Washington ' s crossing of the Delaware River was immortalized in Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze ' s painting " Washington Crossing the Delaware " . It is also displayed on the New Jersey State Quarter . The battle helped to increase the waning confidence of the Continental Congress . On January 3 , 1777 , the Continental Army defeated the British army under General Charles Cornwallis at the Battle of Princeton . Cornwallis had hoped to engage Washington ' s army at Trenton after George Washington recrossed the Delaware River , resulting in the Second Battle of Trenton . Cornwallis ' s initial results were failures . After recapturing Trenton , he ordered charges on defenses fortified by Washington at Assunpink Creek . The Americans , from their defenses , fired volleys at the advancing troops , striking heavy casualties in the British army . Later that night , General Washington moved the majority of his army on a surprise attack upon British troops stationed at Princeton . At the same time , he left a few troops to stall Cornwallis by creating false signals ( campfires , loud noises , fortification repair ) to give the impression that the Continental Army was still stationed in Trenton . The initial contact at Princeton was between General Hugh Mercer ' s advance corp moving toward the Stoney Brook along Quaker Bridge road , against British Col . Mawhood , who was leading most of the 55th regiment and other additional troops toward Trenton . As Mawhood crossed the Stoney Brook , both sides spotted the other . Both sides moved to a nearby hill above the Princeton Road ( now 206 ) . Mawhood opened fire as the Americans came over the ridge , and followed with a bayonet charge . Mercer ' s men , armed mostly with rifles , were driven off , and Mercer was wounded by bayonets ( he died several days later ) . More American militia moved up to engage Mercer , while another column led by General Sullivan moved on the town from the south . The advancing Militia were also repelled by Mawhood ' s regiment , although Mawhood was outnumbered 3 or 4 to one , but he and his men stood steadfast . Washington himself lead up more Continentals and encouraged the militia to return to the fight . After a few volleys Mawhood was forced to retreat across the Stoney Brook . After driving in a detachment of the 55th regiment , Sullivan marched into Princeton . Most of the remaining British forces retreated toward New Brunswick , but some took up a defensive position in the stone university building , Nassau Hall . The Americans set up cannons facing Nassau Hall of Princeton University , and two cannonballs made contact with the walls of the hall . The British soldiers at Princeton were soon forced to surrender to the Americans , and Nassau Hall was recaptured . Cornwallis immediately moved to bring his army to engage Washington . This attempt failed due to a delaying force which damaged the Stoney Point Bridge and delayed the British . These two victories , and the resulting resurgence of the militias from New Jersey , Pennsylvania , Delaware , New York and Connecticut , forced the British out of most of New Jersey , boosting the morale of the Americans . The British were soon forced into an enclave around New Brunswick , giving up the rest of New Jersey . " The attempt of the British to show the Americans they could not fight the British army had failed . The British now realized it would be a long war . Battle of Millstone . Also known as the battle of Van Nest ' s Mills , the Battle of Millstone occurred on January 20 , 1777 . Following the battle of Princeton , Washington ' s soldiers traveled north following the Millstone River to Somerset Court House ( now Millstone , New Jersey ) , then proceeded to Morristown . From New Brunswick , a British foraging party of a few hundred men also went to Somerset Court House , reaching Van Nest ’ s Mill ( present day Manville , New Jersey ) . After seizing flour and livestock , the British unit set up defenses on the Millstone River , including 3 cannons . The militia posted in the area managed to surprise the British party by crossing the cold , waist deep , river and capture many men and to seize back the supplies . General Dickinson Raritan , New Jersey , January 23 : " " I have the pleasure to inform you that on Monday last with about 450 men chiefly our militia I attacked a foraging party near V . Nest Mills consisting of 500 men with 2 field pieces , which we routed after an engagement of 20 minutes and brought off 107 horses , 49 wagons , 115 cattle , 70 sheep , 40 barrels of flour - 106 bags and many other things , 49 prisoners . " " Battle of Bound Brook . The Battle of Bound Brook resulted in a shallow defeat of the Americans stationed at Bound Brook , New Jersey on April 13 , 1777 . A four - prong attack by 4 , 000 British upon Bound Brook ensued , and the Americans , who put up a fierce resistance at first , retreated . Around 60 casualties occurred on the American side , while only a single British soldier was killed . On the same day , Nathanael Greene recaptured Bound Brook , but George Washington realized the difficulty of defending the place . Battle of Short Hills . After advancing to Millstone , New Jersey , in June 1777 , General Howe found that Washington would not move his army out of the strong position on the Watchung Mountains north of Middlebrook . Planning to attack Philadelphia , but unable to go safely through New Jersey with its militia nipping away at his men , he had to move his men back to New Brunswick to board shipping . As the British forces moved back , Washington had some generals move forward , looking for an opportunity to attack a weakened foe . When General Lord Stirling had moved his men to the Short Hills area , suddenly the hunter became the hunted when Howe sent a larger force to attack them . The Americans , though hard pressed , managed to avoid being mangled or destroyed and fought a delaying battle while most of the American force escaped the trap . Washington , who had finally moved out of the Watchung Mountains , moved back and ordered his commands around New Brunswick to do the same . With the Americans moved away from his boarding troops , Howe was able to put his men aboard ships and abandon New Jersey in relative security . The British left New Brunswick and Staten Island to later attack Philadelphia . 1778 . Battle of Monmouth . In 1777 , the British retreated to New York City to protect it from an expected French attack . Washington quickly ordered his soldiers to march towards the British and met them at the Battle of Monmouth . On June 28 , 1778 , the Continental Army under George Washington met a British column under Sir Henry Clinton . George Washington hoped to surprise the rear of the British army and overwhelm them . General Charles Lee led the American attack on the British rear but retreated quickly when the British attempted to flank the Americans . The retreat nearly led to massive disorder , but Washington managed to personally rally the troops to withstand the British counterattacks . The British attempted two attacks to defeat the Americans ; both failed . As exceedingly high temperatures continued to increase over , many soldiers fell to sunstroke . After the battle , Charles Lee was court martialed for his poor army command . Over 1 , 000 British casualties were incurred ; the Americans lost about 452 men . This battle inspired the legend of Molly Pitcher . Baylor Massacre . The Baylor Massacre was an attack on September 27 , 1778 upon the 3rd Regiment of Continental Light Dragoons under the command of Colonel George Baylor during the American Revolutionary War . It occurred in the present day town of River Vale , New Jersey . During the night , they were betrayed by loyalists , who informed the British of their location . Using bayonets , the British killed , injured , or took as prisoners 67 of the dragoons . 1779 . Battle of Paulus Hook . Paulus Hook was a peninsula at what is now Jersey City , and a major landing point for anyone going from New York City into New Jersey . Since it was on the Hudson River , the British fleet was able to protect it . The British used it to send raiders into Bergen County . Militia tried to stand guard to prevent or harass these raiders . The Battle of Paulus Hook was fought on August 19 , 1779 , between Colonial and British forces . The patriots were led by Light Horse Harry Lee , and launched a night attack on the British - controlled fort . They surprised the British , taking several prisoners , but had to withdraw before daylight when the British navy could react . The fort continued to be used as a base of operations against Bergen County patriots . 1780 . The Battle of Connecticut Farms . On June 6 , 1780 , British troops boarded boats on Staten Island bound for Elizabeth , New Jersey . At midnight , 5 , 000 troops started to land . They expected the Continental Army to give little resistance , believing that they were tired of the war and were poorly fed and paid . They also expected the citizens of New Jersey to welcome them . They were wrong on both counts . Once they began to march into Elizabeth , they were attacked by Lt . Ogden , who was stationed to give an alarm outside of town with a small group of men . Ogden had orders to fire one volley and retreat . That volley wounded British General Stirling in the thigh , and delayed the advance several hours . The New Jersey Brigade of the Continental Army , in and around Elizabeth , moved back toward Connecticut Farms , now Union Township , New Jersey , sending word to Morristown to the main army under Washington . The New Jersey brigade was heavily outnumbered . The warnings to the militia also went out , and they began to form up and march toward the British from as far away as Hopewell , New Jersey . When the British did advance , they were attacked by the militia on the flanks . This drew off significant portions of their forces to protect their supply line and route of travel . General Maxwell , commanding the New Jersey Brigade , set up a defense at defile s on the road to Connecticut Farms . After a day of hot fighting , the British realized they could not easily breakthrough toward the Hobart Gap leading to Morristown , and , after burning the town , retired back to Elizabeth point . Battle of Springfield . The last major battle to take place in New Jersey and the rest of the Northern states during the Revolutionary War was the Battle of Springfield . Baron von Knyphausen , the Hessian general , hoped to invade New Jersey and expected support from the colonists of New Jersey who were tired of the war . His goal was to secure Hobart Gap , from which he could attack the American headquarters situated in Morristown . On June 23 , 1780 , the British attacked soldiers and militia under the command of Nathanael Greene . General Greene successfully stopped a two - pronged attack from positions held across the Rahway River . The victory prevented a British attack on Morristown and its military stores . Support and encouragement generated by newspaper . The " New Jersey Journal " became the second newspaper published in the state . It was edited and printed by Shepard Kollock , who established his press in Chatham during 1779 . This paper became a catalyst in the revolution . News of events regarding the war came directly to the editor from Washington ' s headquarters in nearby Morristown to boost the morale of the troops and their families , and as editor , he conducted lively debates about the efforts for independence with those who opposed and supported the cause he championed . Kollock later relocated the paper twice , first to New Brunswick when the military action shifted there , and later in 1785 , when he established his last publication location in Elizabeth under the same name . The Journal ceased publication in 1992 . Original New Jersey State Constitution . In 1776 , the first New Jersey State Constitution was drafted . It was written during the period of the Revolutionary War , and was designed to create a basic framework for the state government . The constitution recognized the right of suffrage for women and black men who met certain property requirements . The New Jersey Constitution of 1776 gives the vote to " all inhabitants of this Colony , of full age , who are worth fifty pounds proclamation money . " This included blacks , spinsters , and widows . ( Married women could not own property under the common law . ) It had been held that this was an accident of hasty drafting : the British were at Staten Island when the constitution was proclaimed . The Constitution declares itself temporary , and it was to be void if there was reconciliation with Great Britain . Both sides in elections mocked the other for relying on " petticoat electors " and each accused the other of letting unqualified women ( including married women ) vote . A Federalist legislature passed a voting rights act which applied only to those counties where the Federalists were strong . A Democratic legislature extended it to the entire state . In 1807 , as a side - effect of a reconciliation within the Democratic Party , the legislature reinterpreted the constitution ( which had been an ordinary act of the Provincial Congress ) to mean universal " white male " suffrage , with no property requirement . However , they disenfranchised pauper s , to suppress the Irish vote . After the war . In the summer of 1783 , the Continental Congress met in Nassau Hall of Princeton University . It had originally convened in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , but mutinous troops prevented the meeting from taking place there . Princeton became the temporary capital for the newly independent nation through these four months . During the brief stay in Princeton , the Continental Congress was informed of the end of the war by the signing of the Treaty of Paris on September 3 , 1783 . The chief dignitary of the meeting was George Washington , and a portrait was made of Washington during the meeting . On December 18 , 1787 , New Jersey became the third state to ratify the Constitution . On November 20 , 1789 , New Jersey became the first state in the nation to ratify the Bill of Rights . New Jersey played a principal role in creating the structure of the new United States Government . When Virginia delegates came up with the Virginia Plan , which called for representation in government proportional to the population of each state , the smaller states refused , fearing that with such a plan they would no longer have a say in government affairs . William Paterson , a New Jersey statesman , introduced the New Jersey Plan by which one vote would be given to each state , providing equal representation within the legislative body . Under the Great Compromise , both plans were placed into use with two separate bodies in the Congress , with the Senate being modeled after the structure in the New Jersey Plan .