What's your favorite Rev War battlefield?

What's your favorite Revolutionary War battlefield?

I haven't been to many, which I freely admit. However, of the ones I have visited, I really like the Yorktown battlefield a lot. It's compact, it's got excellent earthworks, and it's a great place to tour.

I also really like Brandywine, outside of Philadelphia. Unfortunately, the bast majority of the battlefield is in private hands, and much of it has been developed into McMansions. There are lots of neat monuments, and it's still pretty easy to see how the battle played out from the lay of the land. With a good battlefield guide, you can really follow the action.

Eric

 

My favorite is Yorktown. The visitor's center is great. I like the area surrounding Boston very much, too. Lexington and Concord are still very pastoral sites. However, my very favorite place is not actually a battlefield...
I visit Valley Forge a couple of times a month. Besides Gettysburg, it's my favorite travel destination.

Regards,

Pam

 

I don't have a favorite battlefield per se, but my favorite Rev War "engagement places" to visit are Washington Crossing and Valley Forge. Monmouth and Princeton are quite nice and I enjoy visiting them very much.

Princeton Battlefield is small and not far from where I work. It has a wonderful memorial at one end that consists of a collonade from an old building. Behind there is a marker representing unmarked graves of Colonials and British who are buried near there. The Clarke House Museum is good to visit. But most of the battlefield is surrounded by McMansions. 

Monmouth Battlefield is larger and in more pristine condition. There are McMansions nearby also but at least they're not right on top of the battlefield. It's hikeable and with the rolling hills you can get a good feel for what each side was up against. The Visitor's Center is very good. The Old Tennant Church is very close by and has a LOT of Rev War era graves.

Linda

 

The only one I've been to is Brandywine, so I have no choice.  However, it was a large and varied battlefield (for that time) so it will take some beating.

However, my favourite battle was the first one I read about.  Tactically, Guilford Court House has always held greatest interest for me.

Mark

 

I've been to a number of Revolutionary battlefields and sites, including Bunker Hill, Ticonderoga, Saratoga, West Point and the Highlands, NYC (Fraunces Tavern is great but it is real hard to get any feel for the terrain where they fought), Monmouth, Princeton, Trenton, the Crossing site, Brandywine, Germantown (saw a beautiful reenatcment this last October by the Cliveden organization, run by David Young, an old graduate school friend of mine), Valley Forge, Yorktown, Williamsburg, Guilford, and Savannah. Of them all, I think Saratoga was the best battlefield site, but Brandywine has some impressive terrain as well. Yorktown has too many trees for me to get the proper feel of what it must have been like (though I suppose that could be said about Brandywine as well). I was only at Monmouth about an hour, it seemed to me most of the battlefield was in privately owned farms, but maybe I didn't understand what was all there.

 

This is one of my favorite places to visit. http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/western/fortfrederick.html

 

Cowpens is a favorite Rev War site . When you walk the field the topography comes alive as how the battle occurred . On a trip this fall to West Point I visited Fort Montogemery , the weekend it was opened by the State of New York as a State Historical Site . The earth works are still visible and much archaeological work has been completed at the site . I recommend a visit . A couple of years ago spent time in North Carolina for a project and visted many Rev War sites in both North and South Carolina . They are well preserved
Tony

 

Evening all.

I guess the sites I have spent the most time at here in NJ dealing with the Revolution are Morristown, and Jockey Hollow. Both are located about 25 miles west of here, and are a fine place to visit during the warm weather months. Washington's HQ in Morristown is the main feature there, but that town still embraces its Revolutionary War heritage, and they have all sort of events going on there during the summer.

There is a local site in River Edge, The Von Stueben House, but have not gone there in a while as it has been undergoing a much needed renovation. The house is located on the banks of the Hackensack River, which Washington and his army crossed as they retreated through New Jersey after their loss at the Battle of Brooklyn. Here in Oradell, I live on Soldier Hill, which was named for a camp site made by the army as they retreated. The area I live at is near where Lafayette was camped on this hill. Sadly, no one around here knows or seems to care about that part of the history. There is only a small historical marker that denotes what happened here at the campsite.

Regards from the Garden State,

Steve Basic

 

Where exactly is the Morristown headquarters located? Close to Route 287?

Linda

 

I've wanted to visit the Cowpens....next time through the Carolina's I'll have to stop. 8)

 

Linda,

Morristown and Jockey Hollow are both located on Interstate 287. Jockey Hollow is a few miles south of Morristown. Very easy to find, and exits for both places with fine signage. You can't miss them.

Regards from the Garden State,

Steve Basic

 

I haven't been to many Revolutionary battlefields (mostly tramping CW ones), but growing up around Boston I would like to mention Lexington & Concord. While most of the surrounding area is consumed by suburban sprawl, the Park Service has done an outstanding job with what they have.

Lexington Green itself is still owned by the town of Lexington and has a very small, but charming visitor center. This is truly sacred American ground, much like the HWM at Gettysburg or Arlington Cemetery. Up the road towards Concord is the NPS 'Battle Road' visitor center which was completely remodeled about 8 years ago - it has nice displays, a great multimedia program, and of course outstanding staff. While much of the original battle road is paved over by a modern road, there are a couple stretches that have been restored to mimic their 1775 appearance. Along the way are some historic buildings such as the Hartwell Tavern and the Merriam House; the Paul Revere capture site is there too.

Finally, there is Concord and the North Bridge. Another nice little NPS visitor center and the famous Minuteman statue.

If anyone visits Boston, I highly recommend making the trip.

I have also visited Saratoga, and that is also an outstanding visit - very little encroachment, and well laid out.

I now live in Northern VA, and I look forward to seeing Yorktown, Brandywine, and all the rest!!

 

cpthemi,

Where in Northern VA do you live? Do you also do any wargaming on the Rev war?

Zack

 

Greetings from "The Good Guys" AKA King Georges army.
Today I am off to the annual meting of the British Brigade. We will firm up our renactment schedule for 07. When I return I will post the list FYI. YMH & OS, Ben Newton capt Lt RA(1776-1783) fourthbnra@hotmail.com

 

Great! I'm looking forward to seeing your schedule for '07.

Linda

 

I would have to say Cowpens as well though I enjoy Kings Mtn also. Yorktown was good, I always enjoyed Monmouth though I haven't been in 20 or so yrs, loved Brandywine...sad to say I've never made it up to Boston. That's a "must do" future trip. Would love to make it up to Saratoga sometime also. Who knows, Basecat, maybe sometime we can work a swap, I'll be guide for whatever you want to do at G'burg and you can host me at some of the NJ sites.
Regards,
Keith

 

Keith,

Welcome aboard, and if you ever find yourself in NJ, feel frre to contact me, and I will show you some of the sites here.

Hope all is well.

Regards from the Garden State,

Steve

 

My favorites are Lexington & Concord including the Battle Road, and also Saratoga.

 

I'm a bit ashamed to admit that I haven't been to many, but I am very fond of Brandywine, even though little is left of the battlefield, and of Guilford Court House, which is well preserved and very well interpreted. However, I have many, many battlefields left to see.....

Eric

 

Terrible handicap to live so far from any sites. I have been around Boston and also been to Yorktown. I loved both although, for a pure revolutionary battlefield, Yorktown had it going on quite well.