Forgotten Victory Trail Association LLC

The Forgotten Victory Trail Association, LLC, was formed in 2021 when a group of local historians recognized that the two Revolutionary War battles that took place in Elizabethtown, Connecticut Farms (Union), and Springfield in 1780 are hardly known and commemorated. The purpose of the invasions was to capture General George Washington and destroy the Continental Army encamped in Morristown. The Battle of Connecticut Farms occurred on June 7, 1780, and seventeen days later, the Battle of Springfield was fought.

The name “Forgotten Victory” comes from the first full-length book written about the battles by historian Thomas Fleming in 1973. Our goals are to ensure that these battles are no longer forgotten, and the men and women who fought and suffered during this time are remembered. We plan to accomplish this awareness in the following ways:

Information will be provided on the battles and the impacts they had on the population to our membership and create an environment that provides for contact of other interested, historically-minded individuals.
A grade school education program has been established to inform and engage young people about their local history. There are plans to increase this educational program to many more New Jersey students.
An FVT website will be established in the near future. In the meantime, the Washington Association of New Jersey in Morristown will host an FVT page on their website.
Local historical societies have been, and will continue to be, notified about the Forgotten Victory Association and local historical events.
Currently, professors at Kean University and Monmouth University are conducting an in-depth study of the aforementioned battles. They will more accurately define the actual routes all troops followed, better identify the fields of battle and participants, and conduct detailed archeological analyses of the actual battlegrounds.
A database will ultimately be established for the input of information concerning participants of these battles in the form of biographies, pictures of family artifacts, and photos of spent munitions recovered from the battlefields.
We plan to interface with the Governing Bodies of various municipalities along the Trail and to further engage the citizens of these towns.

We would like to invite you to become a member of the Forgotten Victory Trail Association. Please email Steve Clark at steveclark1952@verizon.net with any questions you may have. Membership is valid through 2024.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, we thank you.

Steve Clark
Membership Chairman

Membership

Information on membership in the Forgotten Victory Trail Association and to procure a membership application can be obtained by contacting:

Steve Clark
Membership Chairman

steveclark1952@verizon.net

Membership is $30.00, which is valid through the end of 2024.

This is a brief pictorial of the British invasion of New Jersey June 7, to June 23, 1780

“The following information is provided as a courtesy and in support for the Forgotten Victory Trail story by the Washington Association of New Jersey. The material and images contained herein have been provided by the Forgotten Victory Trail Association LLC, John Kieser, President and Rosemary Hilbert, Vice President.”

Elizabeth Waterfront
British Landing Site

This is the landing site at the Elizabeth Waterfront Memorial Park. The British and Hessian troops landed here at midnight, on June 7, 1780. They then marched to Connecticut Farms (Union Township).

Downtown Elizabethtown

This is a Minute Man Statue located on New Point Road in Elizabeth. It was at this site at about 1:00 a.m. that a small unit of Patriots was ordered to give one volley at the advancing enemy and return back to the center of Elizabeth. The British Brigadier General Thomas Sterling was shot in the thigh which then brought the invasion to a temporary halt until dawn.

Fighting at Connecticut Farms (Union)

Illustrated by a Union Township High School student, the painting shows the major fighting around the Connecticut Farms Presbyterian Church on the morning of June 7, 1780. The British and Hessians were delayed for a time, but eventually pushed through toward the Rahway River separating Union from Springfield. Realizing they would not be able to cross the river due to heavy resistance by the Americans, the invading army returned to Elizabethtown. Most returned to Staten Island, but a small number remained encamped on the outskirts of Elizabeth.

Murder of Hannah Caldwell

During the Battle of Connecticut Farms, the British approached the Connecticut Farms Church’s parsonage where the wife of the Pastor, Rev. James Caldwell, remained with two of her children. Seeing movement through the one window in the room, a British soldier fired his weapon and instantly killed Mrs. Caldwell. The Village of Connecticut Farms was burned including the Presbyterian Church. The image of the murder is depicted on the County of Union seal.

Fighting at First Bridge between Connecticut Farms and Springfield

On June 23, 1780, seventeen days after the Battle of Connecticut Farms, the British and Hessian army made a second attempt to reach General Washington and the Continental Army at Morristown. For a time, heavy fight occurred at this bridge until the British and Hessians pushed through into Springfield.

Springfield Presbyterian Church

This illustration portrays the fighting in front of the Springfield Presbyterian Church in downtown Springfield. There was extensive fighting here and other nearby locations. The American Militia and Continental troops finally prevailed and sent the British troops back to Staten Island. Prior to retreating from Springfield, the British completely burned the town of Springfield with the exception of homes owned by British Loyalists.

Give ‘em Watts Boys

During the heavy fighting at First Bridge, the Americans began to run short of wadding for their muskets. Reverend Caldwell took the Isaac Watts hymnals from the church and distributed the pages to the Americans telling them to “Give ‘em Watts, Boys; Put Watts into them.” The original of this painting is in Fraunces Tavern in New York City.

The Forgotten Victory Trail

Contact Info

Forgotten Victory Trail Organization LLC

John Kieser
President

44 Harvey Drive Summit, NJ07901
johnfkieser@gmail.com

Rosemary Hilbert
Vice President

rosemary.hilbert@comcast.com

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The Washington Association of New Jersey (WANJ), founded in 1874, is one of the oldest historic preservation organizations in the nation. WANJ's mission is to preserve and maintain the Jacob Ford Mansion, known as Washington's Headquarters, in Morristown, New Jersey. General George Washington and the Continental Army wintered in Morristown in the bitter cold of 1779-80.
In partnership since 1933 with Morristown National Historical Park.
Most photos courtesy of Dan Beards