Revolutionary War Reenactment To Be Held In Westfield

WESTFIELD, NJ — To commemorate an event that occurred 241 years ago during the Revolutionary War, a march and reenactment will take place in Westfield on Aug. 28.

For the third year in a row, the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route Association New Jersey will hold its Annual March to Yorktown Day in Westfield.

The event kicks off with an 11:30 a.m. gathering and opening ceremony at Mindowaskin Park on Mountain Ave. There, families with children and others will be able to meet General George Washington and French Generals Rochambeau and Chastellux.

Families will learn how the generals and their troops marched from Newport, Rhode Island to Yorktown, VA — an almost 700 mile, nine-state, land and water journey — in the summer of 1781.

This route has been designated as the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail, a unit of the National Park Service.

"Following Washington’s 'Grand Plan' to rapidly move over 7,500 allied troops, oxen-drawn wagons, cattle and artillery through New Jersey, the forces were split in three and ordered to follow separate roads starting from Suffern, NY and converging in Princeton before moving on to Trenton to cross the Delaware River and then proceed on to Yorktown, VA to carry out a siege of that town where British General Cornwallis had established his troops," according to W3R-NJ.

On the eastern-most route, a Continental line was led by General Benjamin Lincoln and it passed through Westfield on Aug. 29, 1781.

Lincoln’s line included among other regiments, the integrated and "fantastically outfitted,"Rhode Island Regiment, which was comprised of both Native Americans and African Americans.

After arriving in Yorktown, Washington and Rochambeau’s armies carried out such a precise siege war plan that after a few weeks of fighting and being surrounded by land and sea by the allied armies and French Navy, General Cornwallis capitulated the British’s hold on
Yorktown and the United States, and liberty for the country was won.

Accepting Cornwallis’ surrender sword was none other than General Benjamin Lincoln who just weeks before marched with his line through Westfield.

Following the parade, the community is invited to join in a march reenactment at 12 p.m. on the "road to victory in Yorktown."

The march will be accompanied by the generals, the New Jersey Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) Color Guard, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the 1st Rhode Island Regiment, the New Jersey Fifes and Drums, the Miller-Cory Museum colonial living history group and others.

The group will march to the Presbyterian Burial Ground on Mountain Ave. and the SAR will place a wreath where many Revolutionary War veterans are buried.

The parade will continue along Broad Street, stopping at the Elm Street intersection to acknowledge the emplaced sign for the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail.

Outdoor diners will be able to view the parade on Broad Street. The public is then invited to parade’s finale at the Pop-up Visitor’s Festival from 12:30 - 1:30pm on Prospect Street.

There they can take photos with the generals and discover the history of the trail presented by historical organizations from Ho-Ho-Kus, Chatham, Union Township, Westfield, Princeton and Trenton at tables set up on the street alongside the table for the Jewish Museum of Monmouth County whose representative will share the role of Jewish patriots in the Revolutionary War.

This is a rain or shine event but will be cancelled for severe weather.

For more information email info@W3R-NJ.org Follow on Facebook @W3RNJ and www.w3r-nj.org.

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