Whitall House Museum - National Park, NJ
Posted by: 
ODragon
N 39° 52.173 W 075° 11.457
18S E 483669 N 4413296
An American Revolutionary War Museum
Waymark Code: WM5VRM
Location: New Jersey, United States
Date Posted: 02/17/2009
Views: 5
The Whithall House Museum has artifacts from the battle of Red Bank. These include cannonballs, musket balls, belt buckles and eating utensils. There is an exhibit that explains the battle to control the Delaware as well as one which explain chevaux-de-frise. The cheval-de-frise were large subsurface bokes that had long spiked poles protruding from them. Their spikes were aimed at shipts, either to stop them or puncture their hulls.
Source: A Guide to New Jersey's Revolutionary War Trail for Families and History Buffs By Mark Di Ionno
From an onsite marker:
James Whitall, a wealthy Quaker farmer and merchant, and his wife Ann Cooper built the main brick section in 1748. On April 16, 1777, the Pennsylvania militia commandeered the farm and built Fort Mercer in the northern apple orchard. Son Job Whitall noted in his diary on October 10, 1777 that the Americans “turned us out of our kitchens ye largest room upstairs and ye shop and took our hay to feed the horses.” That day Colonel Christopher Greene had arrived to command the fort and used a portion of the house as military headquarters.
On October 22, 1777 when the attack began on Fort Mercer, family members fled to Woodbury; but Ann Whitall refused to abandon her home. When a cannonball broke through the north wall, according to legend, Ann calmly carried her spinning wheel to the cellar and continued to spin. The house, left intact, was used as a hospital after the battle. Ann remained to tend all the wounded Hessian and American soldiers.
The battle was a key victory and morale builder; however, news of a second siege caused the Americans to destroy the fort and leave the property on November 24, 1777.
Theme:
American Revolutionary War
Street Address:
100 Hessian Avenue
National Park, N.J. 08063
(856) 853-5120
Hours of Operation:
Wed - Fri 9 am to noon, 1 pm to 4 pm
Museum Size: Small
Relevant Web Site: [Web Link]
Food Court: Not Listed
Gift Shop: Not Listed
Cost: Not Listed
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Visit Instructions:
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