When Americans think about the Revolutionary War, they think about Valley Forge, Lexington, Concord, and the Delaware crossing. They don't typically think about South Jersey. That's a mistake.
As the nation marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, South Jersey's contribution to American independence is finally getting its long-overdue moment. The region that today we know as Burlington, Gloucester, Salem, and Cape May counties played a strategic, logistical, and sometimes brutal role in the fight for independence that most residents have never been taught.
South Jersey was not a quiet backwater during the Revolution. It was a contested supply zone, a Loyalist stronghold in some areas, and a critical corridor between Philadelphia and the Continental Army's various encampments. The Delaware River — South Jersey's western edge — was among the most militarily significant waterways in the war.
The skirmishes that played out across Salem County and along the Delaware were not Gettysburgs. They were ambushes, farm raids, loyalist raids on patriot supplies, and the grinding low-level warfare that sustained the larger conflict. The Hancock House Massacre in Salem County in 1778 — in which British and Loyalist forces killed sleeping soldiers and civilians in the middle of the night — is one of the lesser-known atrocities of the war, and it happened right here.
The iron furnaces of South Jersey — particularly in Burlington and Camden counties — were essential to the Continental war effort, producing cannon, shot, and ironwork for the Continental Army. Batsto Village in Burlington County, now a state historic site, was one of the most important military iron producers in the colonies.
The 250th anniversary national commemorations run through 2026. South Jersey has more to contribute to that story than most people realize — and more to be proud of.
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