Returning to Walk the Footsteps of our Forefather -

This was not the first time that I attended the Battle of Monmouth's reenactment. (Walking in the Footsteps of our Forefather) And I do not believe it will be my last time to attend, but it was surely a day to remember as I walked in the footsteps of our forefather with my own father.

This year was the 241st anniversary of the Battle on Monmouth, fought on Sunday, June 28, 1778. The battle was fought in and around Freehold, NJ, which was then called Monmouth Court House. (If Freehold sounds familiar to you, it may be because it is the hometown of NJ's own, Bruce Springsteen!) It was here that my 5th great grandfather, Isaac Anglin, and his regiment fought for our freedom in the sweltering heat.

For details about this historic battle, you can visit any of the numerous websites that detail the day's events. I've shared two links below:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Monmouth
https://www.friendsofmonmouth.org/reenactment.html

For me, the time with my dad was what I treasured about this day. We walked around before and after the reenactment and spoke to some of the volunteers. I cannot hold a candle to my dad when it comes to knowledge about the Revolutionary War, but it was a true enjoyment to see his face light up when others he spoke to held equal enthusiasm for this rich history. He spoke with one particular reenactors and they shared stories of their time in the military. They both spent time at Fort Drum, NY and had some overlapping experiences with their military training. There were a number of areas that my dad spoke about that I didn't know about and it got me thinking... It's amazing how real history can become when we have a connection to it, but we should not dwell so much in past history that we miss what is right in front of us. My dad & I are going to get together soon so he can tell me firsthand of his experiences. I can then pass this along so future generations can walk more easily in their forefather's footsteps.

A Bit About The Battle of Monmouth

How and why this battle took place revolved around events that began in the previous days and months before. British forces had captured Philadelphia in 1777. But in May of the following year, British General Clinton was ordered to evacuate Philadelphia and take his troops to the main base in New Jersey. He was also ordered to dispatch units to West Florida, which left him with few troop to occupy Philadelphia. General George Washington saw this evacuation as the perfect opportunity to attack the British and ordered a detachment of around 5,000 men to conduct the attack, which later increased in number as reinforcements arrived.

This battle was the longest battle during the course of the American Revolution. The first shots were fired around 8:00 AM. For the rest of the day, the two armies clashed in the oppressive heat and finally withdrew after 5:00 PM from exhaustion. Temperatures rose to near 100 degrees that day. Washington planned to resume the battle the next day, but General Clinton and his men slipped away shortly after midnight undetected by Washington's army. Neither side emerged a clear winner of the battle, but the American forces had proven themselves as a fighting force.