American Revolution Battle Sites in the Middle States

During the Summer of 2014, I had the pleasure of attending the Freedoms Foundation Seminar on the American Revolution Battle Sites courtesy of the Sons of the American Revolution as their National Teacher of the Year.  Humbling to say the least because I have several ancestor Patriots who served in this Battles.  Unfortunately, all that is left of most of these sites is an empty field, so, you are therefore looking at empty fields.  Unlike the Civil War battlefields that are decorated with monuments and statues, these important battle grounds are no less hallowed.  

Battle of Princeton

 The House where General Mercer died still stands.  

 Battle of Monmouth

I have visited this site previously for another patriot.  Please feel free to look at blog for the site.  It has a nice little museum and really good video on the battle.  

 Fort Washington which is only a small field

 St. Peters Church

This is where Gen Lafayette engaged battle. 

 Battle of the Clouds

Which today is a college campus.  

 Battle of Brandywine

The river where action occurred. I know  a blank picture of the river, it's very exciting. :)

 Followed by an empty battlefield

Valley Forge

Now, Historian Paul Sanborn absolutely disputes the interpretation on this site.  He states that recent archaeological evidence states that these huts are not the correct versions.  He states that Washington gave orders to follow these hut dimensions but the men threw together whatever they wanted and did not follow orders.  These huts are interpretations of those from another winter encampment years later.  Sanborn states that the entire historical interpretation of Valley Forge is incorrect.  He provided evidence yet I am unable in this short forum to supply that.  

 Selfie

Birmingham (PA) Meeting House

The Birmingham Quaker Meeting house was built in 1763.  During the Battle of Brandywine it was used as a hospital but also the walls of the cemetery provided covered for the soldiers.  There are two cemeteries that surround the property:  a Quaker cemetery that possibly has some of the dead soldiers but also a larger public cemetery that is open to all denominations.  

Cliveden and the Battle of Germantown

The Battle of Germantown occurred October 4, 1777 and centered around this house - Cliveden.  I have several Pennsylvania German Patriots who fought in this battle and lived nearby.  The house belongs to Chief Justice Chew and still bears bullet holes and cannon pockmarks.  In one of the upstairs bedrooms one of they dying soldiers drew on the wall a silhouette of his fiance.  I couldn't see it the faint outline but others in my group did.