Minuteman Minute | The 1st New Jersey at the Battle of Monmouth

The Battle of Monmouth was the first test of a better-trained and more disciplined Continental Army against the British.

Hi, I’m Will Roulett, director of the National Guard Memorial Museum in D.C., and this is your Minuteman Minute! Today, I’m at Monmouth Battlefield State Park in Manalapan, New Jersey. In June of 1778, British forces under Gen. Henry Clinton left Philadelphia for New York City. George Washington and the Continental Army left their winter encampment at Valley Forge, pursuing the British across New Jersey. The encampment had been grueling, but a valuable training ground for the new nation’s new army. The Continental Army’s New Jersey Brigade, including the 1st New Jersey Regiment, joined with the New Jersey Militia to harass the British and slow them down. The 1st New Jersey Regiment, also known as the New Jersey Blues, was one of the first organized militia regiments in New Jersey, with roots in Piscataway. By the summer of 1778, they had been part of the Continental Army for over a year and were with the American vanguard led by Gen. Charles Lee. The Americans were eager for a fight and caught up with the British near Monmouth Courthouse on the morning of June 28, 1778. Lee attacked the British rearguard, but a strong counterattack sent him into an unorganized retreat. When Washington arrived, he was furious and publicly reprimanded Lee before reorganizing the American forces. The battle continued all day in extreme heat. The 1st New Jersey took up positions near here, on the right of the American line, and helped stop British grenadiers from crossing the Spotswood-Middlebrook Creek. The exhausted British finally withdrew at the end of the war’s longest day of fighting. Monmouth was not a clear victory for either side, but standing up to British regulars and controlling the ground at the end of the day boosted American morale. Today, the lineage of the 1st New Jersey is carried by the New Jersey Army National Guard’s 113th Infantry Regiment. Come learn about this – and a whole lot more – at Monmouth Battlefield State Park. I’m Will Roulett, and that’s been your Minuteman Minute, brought to you by the National Guard Educational Foundation.