Battle of Monmouth will rage again in Manalapan
The British are coming (again) to Monmouth Battlefield State Park and George Washington and the Continental Army are not far behind. On June 21-22 the park will be alive with more than 1,000 re-enactors portraying the militia, ContinentalArmy and British Army. Guests may visit their tent cities, see demonstrations of artillery and infantry and enjoy exciting battle re-enactments.

Witness the largest field artillery battle of theAmerican Revolution, with re-enactors traveling from as far away as Maine and South Carolina to appear in a variety of roles: British regulars, grenadiers, light infantry, and light dragoons; red and green-coated Loyalists; blue-coated Hessians, and green-jacketed German riflemen. Fighting for the then young United States will be volunteers portraying infantry regiments from New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and South Carolina; militia from five states, and several companies of frontier rifle men.

The battle re-enactment takes place at 3 p.m. June 21 and 1:30 p.m. June 22, and the re-enactor camps will open to the public at 10 a.m. on both days.

The re-enactment armies will be more mobile than normal with about 30 riding and draft animals on the field. Each side will have light dragoons (sabre-wielding mounted light infantry) in the battle, and donations from patriotic organizations and individuals have leased horses so that each side's "generals" will be mounted. In addition, Monmouth County's Longstreet Farm is sending a teamster with a mule team and wagon, and Mercer County's Howell farm is providing an artillery horse.

Appearing with the Continental Army will be His Excellency, GeorgeWashington (attended by his servant,Will Lee),Major- Generals Charles Lee and the Baron von Steuben, Brigadier-General Anthony Wayne, and Colonel Joseph Cilley. Among their loyal opposition will be Commanderin Chief Sir Henry Clinton, Major-General Charles, Lord Cornwallis, and Lt.-Col. the Honorable Henry Monckton.

Prior to the afternoon battle re-enactments visitors will find plenty to see and do. On the morning of June 21, Sir Henry Clinton and Lord Cornwallis will drill the British Army, while on the morning of June 22 generals Washington and Von Steuben will observe as Mad Anthony Wayne maneuvers the Continental Army.

There will be guided camp tours, children's wooden musket drills, artillery demonstrations, and presentations on women's lives in the Continental Army by "Mary Hays" ("Molly Pitcher").

It is recommended that guests arrive at the park at least two hours prior to the battle re-enactment. The viewing area for the re-enactments and many of the demonstrations is the natural amphitheater north of the visitor center. Seating is tiered in thirds: ground or blanket seating just behind the safety lines, lawn chairs in the middle zone and standing at the top of the hill.

Visitors can also buy their wares from 26 sutlers (peddlers) whose tents will form a "merchants' row" near the visitor center. They will be offering for sale everything from Revolutionary War uniforms and accoutrements to children's wooden muskets, DVDs and CDs.

Limited food service will be available. Visitors may bring picnic lunches, but should be prepared to carry their trash home.

Parking is available in the grass fields on the Visitor Center grounds. The park entrance is on Business Route 33, Manalapan, 1.6 miles west of Route 9.

The Friends of Monmouth Battlefield request a donation of $8 per car to help defray the costs of the re-enactment and for park preservation and improvement projects.

T

he weekend is made possible by the

re-enactor members of the Continental Line, the British Brigade, and the Brigade of the American Revolution. The local sponsors are the Friends of Monmouth Battlefield and the Division of Parks and Forestry, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

For more information visit www.monmouthbattlefield. com or call 732-462-9616.