Today it was off to Washington Crossing-where Washington famously went across the Delaware from Pennsylvania back into New Jersey to battle those Brits in a Noreaster no less! The turning point in the war. Then we headed to Monmoth battlefield. The heat index was somewhere around 101- just like the actual battle day- and a group of us decided it would be fun to traipse around the battlefield at Monmouth- The turning point in the war. I have a lot of respect for those soldiers who were having to endure the heat, the battle, while lugging around themselves and their supplies.
Stopping along the way back to the visitor center
-Monmouth, New Jersey.
I am reading a book I picked up at the Franklin Institute yesterday-Franklin’s autobiography. I highly recommend it! It is very readable and fun hearing his Huckleberry Finn type adventures as he has just run away from home and caught a boat south out of Boston and arrived in Philadelphia on Market Street with a Dutch dollar and a schilling in copper to his name. Franklin is fascinating! He describes how he educated himself, what authors he read-Socrates and Locke, and how he practiced the art of writing. He writes about how he saved money by eating vegetarian so that he could buy books! I love it!
Fresh flowers inside the Taylor home-Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania
I was excited to see information today about the Lenni Lenape tribe when we were at Monmouth Battlefield. I am a descendant of the tribe-1/32nd or something like that!! My great grandfather could not attend school in New Jersey because he was 1/4 Lenni Lenape. Ironically, my other great… grand father x however many greats back, was a Hessian who stayed in this country.
I loved seeing the replica Durham boats that crossed the river secretly in the night, through the icy Delaware. It does make for great storytelling.
That is amazing that it is personally connected to you! I know that would intrest the kids as well! I think it shows how history touchs all of us if we just look for the links.
Yes, we will find the same thing at Civil War sites- each one claiming that it was THE critical climax, or THE point at which the South’s cause was over. You could even make an argument that the war was one by the North the minute Beauregard opened fire on Fort Sumter- THE turning point of the Civil War! (Yes, that is Michael.)
Paul
Nice post Sloan!! Who’s that good looking guy standing behind you in the group photo? Where did you get the Franklin book? I think I would like to read it too.