About the Project
Hello and welcome! My name is Leanne Manna. This project was conceived and completed as my capstone project for my MA Public History at St. John's University over the summer of 2020. My goal in creating this was to provide people with an in depth exploration of a little know Revolutionary War battle. Growing up, the Battle of the Short Hills was everywhere, my high school was located on a battle site, there were local legends, historic trails, and many sites in the area boasted their own involvement in the battle. Despite all that I really did not know what happened or what the outcome of the battle was. I hope this project can help people engage more with the history that is in their own backyard. On this site you will find several different resources that can be used together or separately to aid in your understanding of the Battle of the Short Hills. First is an interactive map that shows sites associated with the battle as well as troop movements and battle grounds. To help you better get out and explore this area two different tours have been developed. The Patriot Tour brings you along of the route of Continental army as they fought to protect the passages of the Watchung Mountains. The second is the Redcoat Tour which will bring you along the route of the British as they came up from New Brunswick and tried to fake a retreat to Staten Island. Both these tours have their sites listed on their page as well as having a downloadable booklet for you to take on your journey. Although they have several site in common each on brings you on a different journey. The final component is an audio tour that will provide you with audio descriptions of the scenery and sites as you drive. Whichever option you choose I hope you enjoy your journey through time! Special thanks to the Historical Society of Plainfield for their help in locating information. |