1780 was the 5th year of the Revolution and four years after the Declaration was signed, yet fighting still raged

1780 was the 5th year of the Revolution and four years after the Declaration was signed, yet fighting still raged. History books tell us that after Saratoga and 1777, the British completely turned their strategy to the southern theater…those of you that follow this page and others know that it is not true. So here is our humble submission for 1780 with a local twist.

Weather – The winter of 1779-1780 is remembered as one of the worst winters in the recorded history for the East Coast. How cold was it? The #Hudson River froze solid so that cannons and horses could cross from #Manhattan to Staten Island. Let that sink in the next time you take a bridge or tunnel across the river. There was said to be between 3-5 foot snow drifts on the roads and while Washington and his men were encamped at #Morristown, a kidnapping attempt of Washington by the British was thwarted by the high snow, causing the British to abandon their plan. Fast forward to October of 1780 and the Great Hurricane of 1780. The storm is on record as the deadliest Hurricane on record, potentially killing 22,000 individuals in the Caribbean, dumping large amounts of rain and potentially 200+ mph winds. To make matters worse, the storm is credited with sinking countless British Frigates and other Royal Navy Ships, resulting in loss of both men and reducing powers of the sea (think about what happens the following year and why sea power will be key during the war). One of the ships sunk was the HMS Phoenix. If you are familiar with the Battles for New York, you may know that the Phoenix is one of the first ships to arrive in early July 1776 and foreshadow what will be coming soon to the colonists. People standing on the Palisades would most certainly have seen her masts just a few weeks after the Declaration was signed.

Large Encampments in the area -During 1780, Washington would be encamped at Morristown, the Dey Mansion at Preakness and Steenrapie / New Bridge during the Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. Imagine what having 10,000 + additional soldiers and their followers of other men, women and children must have looked like? What pressures must that have put on local food sources and the local militia to maintain order? All the while, the British are still maintaining a sizable garrison in New York.

War – With Washington at Morristown and a large force still in NY, this puts Bergen County in the crosshairs of conflict. At least 3 military operations occur in the Spring of 1780. The March 23, 1780 Raid saw the burning of the County Courthouse in Hackensack, the attempted capture of County Sherriff, Adam Boyd, an attack on the Paramus Church in Ridgewood and a two hour fire fight at New Bridge Landing. A more pinpoint operation would occur in April at modern day Ho-Ho-Kus, and a smaller operation in May around New Bridge again. By the time we get to June, operations shift a little further south to Essex County and we see the larger Battles of Connecticut Farms and Springfield. For four months, the citizens of this part of New Jersey would have seen soldiers frAmerican Revolutionom all over the world marching by and fighting occurring on an almost regular basis.

Plague – Small pox is still an ongoing threat as well as the large presence of troops in and around Bergen County led to camp fever, which ultimately killed Brigadier General Enoch Poor. What might have been if Poor continued throughout the war?

We study the past so we can make true changes today. This is one of the many reasons that historic sites matter. They allow us to make physical connections to moments in time of our collective pasts. We hope you enjoyed this short look back at 1780 with a local slant. We also understand that 2020 has been difficult but we thank you for following and supporting our page and our efforts since this all stated in March. Few would have predicted what was to come, but from very early on, we at the Bergen County Historical Society, looked at ways to continue to provide YOU with new content, new materials, and eventually new events as the year progressed, as a way to also stay positive and focused throughout the year. We want to thank all of our contributors both big and small. From the Webpage, Facebook posters, Event organizers and volunteers at the site, who continued to make it look amazing for socially distanced visitors. While past years may not have been great, lets leave the negativity behind in 2020 and we hope everyone has an amazing 2021. Lets make an amazing year together.

(War of Outposts Painting by historic artist, Jeff Trexler, was commissioned by the Bergen County Historical Society to help raise awareness of the forgotten battlefield of New Bridge during 1780 and more importantly encourage the viewer to think more about not only the 1780 campaign and its impact on Bergen County, but also the complexities that often define war in general. Bergen County would be a constant theater of war from 1776 on, with citizens on both sides paying a heavy price).