“We’ll change the name from Fort Red Bank to Fort Donop.” Those were the confident words of Colonel Carl von Donop as he prepared to lead his Hessian troops against Fort Mercer here at Red Bank Battlefield. It’s hard to imagine today, as you look out upon this peaceful landscape, but on October 22, 1777, this very ground echoed with the sounds of cannon fire and musketry. The fate of the fledgling United States hung in the balance. You see, the British had captured Philadelphia, then the nation’s capital. Their goal was to seize control of the Delaware River to supply their army. Fort Mercer, named after the fallen hero of the Battle of Princeton, stood in their way. The odds were stacked against the Americans. Outnumbered four to one, the defenders of Fort Mercer, under the command of Colonel Christopher Greene, faced a daunting enemy. Yet they held their ground. The Hessians, convinced of a swift victory, charged towards the fort’s defenses. What they hadn’t anticipated was the ferocity of the American resistance. Cannon fire ripped through their ranks, and musket volleys cut them down. The American gunboats on the Delaware River added to the chaos, unleashing a devastating barrage on the attacking forces. The Hessians faltered, their attack crumbling under the relentless onslaught. Their leader, Colonel von Donop, lay mortally wounded. He died three days later in the Whitall House, a silent witness to the battle’s fury. The American victory at Red Bank was a resounding triumph, a beacon of hope in a dark hour. Though the British would eventually take both Fort Mercer and its sister fort, Fort Mifflin, the delay they encountered here proved crucial. The victory provided a much-needed morale boost to the Continental Army and disrupted the British supply lines. Today, as you stand on this hallowed ground, take a moment to remember the courage and sacrifice of those who fought and died here at Red Bank Battlefield. Their bravery helped secure the freedoms we enjoy today.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to