Alexander Hamilton’s Garden State Legacy

Ford Mansion in Morristown. Photo courtesy of Flicker Creative Commons: Shinya Suzuki.

Ford Mansion, Morristown
When the Continental Army returned to Morristown for the 1778-1779 winter,  George Washington and his staff – including Alexander Hamilton – stayed at the Ford Mansion.  Theodosia Ford allowed Washington to use her home as his headquarters. While Ford and her four children lived in two rooms of the house, General Washington, his wife Martha, five aides-de-camp, eighteen servants, visiting dignitaries and guards took over the rest of the mansion.

Photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons: Boston Public Library.

Perth Amboy
Hamilton and fellow commissioner Robert Hanson Harrison negotiated prisoner exchanges with the British in “Amboy,”  which they declared neutral ground. When negotiations ended in December, 1778, Hamilton reported to Washington, who was at Wallace House.

Wallace House in Somerville. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Wallace House, Somerville
Hamilton stayed at the Wallace House while the house served as Washington’s official headquarters from December 1778, to June 1779.  The Wallace family rented four rooms to Washington, his wife Martha, and their large group of military and personal assistants. From the Wallace House, Hamilton wrote to John Jay, the President of Congress. He asked Congress to recommend to South Carolina that it support a plan to raise battalions of slaves who would fight in the war in return for their freedom. Hamilton wrote, “the dictates of humanity and true policy equally interest me in favour of this unfortunate class of men.”

A reenactment of the Battle of Monmouth at Monmouth Battlefield State Park. Photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons: zhengxu.

Monmouth County
During the Battle of Monmouth (June 28, 1778), the  Continental Army attacked the British as they left Monmouth Court House (now Freehold).  Though his horse was shot out from under him during the battle, Hamilton rallied the American troops. After seeing him in action, Washington promoted Hamilton to lieutenant colonel and transferred him to his staff permanently as aide-de-camp.