Hiking Through History: Monmouth Battlefield - Part IV; The Sutfin House

This installment is somewhat different than its predecessors in that it is about a single entity in an historic site. The house was built in 1731 and stands alone amidst the corn and a lone tree. It was owned by Derick Sutfin and at the time of the battle he lived there with his wife, Mary, and four of their eight children. They also owned a number of slaves who are believed to have slept in the upstairs loft of the house. The farm, at one time, covered 265 acres where the family raised livestock and grew grain. He produced wheat, rye, apple cider, beef, pork, poultry, honey and dairy products. There were also other structures on the land but the farmhouse is the only one left standing.

The image at the top of this post is a wide shot of the farm and battlefield. I took this photo while standing at the top of Combs Hill where the Visitor Center now sits. The house is approximately a mile away from where I was standing.

I have hiked this part of the park before and written about the other trails but I had only seen the old farmhouse from a distance. I started the hike on the Washington Trail but when I got to an opening in the fence I turned onto the Farms Trail and Colonel Cilley Trail which took me on to the Sutfin Farm and towards the old farmhouse. It is the Colonel Cilley Trail which ultimately passes by the house. I have always been struck by the weathered appearance of the house and I wanted to take a lot of photos. I took a few shots from different parts of the trail as I approached and then some up-close. As I was walking around the house looking for some interesting features to photograph I started feeling a bit uncomfortable. The house is closed up but many of the upstairs windows are without glass and there are holes in the side of the building so there are many places where you can see inside. I found myself concentrating more on what might be inside the house than I was on photographing the outside. The longer I was there, the more uncomfortable I felt. I just couldn't shake the feeling that I wasn't alone and that I was being watched.

Ridiculous! Right? Absolutely! The reality is the longer I was there, the stronger the feeling got until I couldn't stay any longer. I had to leave the house and I couldn't get away fast enough. So it was back to the Colonel Cilley Trail, heading southeast until I came to a wooden fence identical to the one along the Washington Trail behind me. This is where the Colonel Cilley Trail heads north and the Farms Trail goes south. I took the Farms Trail and followed it back to the parking lot.

I couldn't stop thinking about my experience at the house and so the next day I decided to take my walk through the Sutfin Farm again, this time taking the Colonel Cilley Trail which would, once again, bring me to the Sutfin House. As I was walking along I came across a fellow hiker, a gentleman I had actually seen the day before but he was too far away to stop and chat. This time we were on the same trail heading towards each other and when we were close enough we exchanged "hello’s.” I asked him if he was on the trail yesterday and he said he was. I then asked him if he had ever experienced the sensation of being watched like I had the day before. Much to my delight, he said he had. We talked a little more and then I continued along the trail and soon found myself approaching the house. I was coming from the east whereas the day before I came to it from the west. I took some photos while approaching the house but as I drew closer the strange sensation started coming over me again and so I didn't stop until I was well past the house. I have discovered that the hiker and I are not alone - check out a great post by Patrick Browne called Monmouth Battlefield: Just Me and the Ghosts. You can also check out Chuck's Paranormal Adventures, he has done a number of investigations at Monmouth Battlefield (I participated in one and will write about that at a later date) and has some interesting observations of the Sutfin House. I have since learned that, though no one with the New Jersey Parks System or Friends of Monmouth Battlefield has experienced anything like I had, there have been recent reports of "things" from visitors.

Are there spirits walking the grounds of Monmouth Battlefield or stuck inside the Sutfin House. I don't know. I don't even know if I actually believe the possibility even exists but the bottom line is - I don't think I am going to get close to the house again unless I have others with me.

---

All photos are copyright Joseph S. Valencia All Rights Reserved They may not be used in any way without express written permission of the photographer. If you wish to use any of the photos you may contact the photographer at valencia32photo@gmail.com

---

Hiking Through History: Monmouth Battlefield - Part III; Molly Pitcher

Molly Hays trailhead

Welcome to the 3^rd "Hiking Through History" post covering Monmouth Battlefield. The Molly Hays Trail (1.07 miles) retraces the steps of Molly Hays during the Battle of Monmouth. The following is the description from the brochure:

Molly Hays Trail: The Molly Hays Trail begins at the Perrine-Conover House parking lot, joins the Washington trail, and then swings west to overlook the spring that provided water to Washington’s army. The first segment of this trail can be used to link the Conover-Perrine House parking lot to the other marked trails.

A panoramic view of the battlefield from where Molly fought

Molly Hays (aka: Molly Pitcher) was born Mary Ludwig; born in 1754, near Trenton, New Jersey. According to legend, at the Battle of Monmouth, Mary, wife of artilleryman William Hays, carried water to cool both the cannon and the soldiers in her husband’s battery—hence the nickname “Molly Pitcher.” Molly was a common nickname for Mary during this time. Legend also asserts that when William Hays collapsed or was wounded, she took her husband’s place in the gun crew for the rest of the battle. There are other accounts that claim it was not her husband who collapsed but another soldier and that she fought side-by-side with her husband. An eyewitness account of Molly's fighting is on record in the National Archives:

"While in the act of reaching a cartridge ... a cannon shot from the enemy passed directly between her legs without doing any other damage than carrying away all the lower part of her petticoat. ... She observed that it was lucky it did not pass a little higher... and continued her occupation."

The entrance to the woods where Molly retrieved the water

The trail cuts across a large field heading towards a wooded area where the Perrine Hill Spring runs; this is where Molly retrieved the water to bring to the men on the battlefield. There are two information stations on the wooden platform overlooking the spring which is somewhere at the bottom of a tall, steep hill. One of the placards states that the temperature on the battlefield was 100°F that day. I cannot image what it was like hauling water in that heat, it was only about 62°F when I was there and the sun made it feel quite a bit warmer when I was in the middle of the field.

Panoramic view of the woods - Perrine Hill Spring is below.

Molly stayed with the Continental Army and her husband through the end of the war. In 1783 she and William moved back to Carlisle where they had both met and were married. After William's death she married John M^cCauley, working in Carlisle for the State House. In 1822 the Pennsylvania Legislature honored Molly for her services during the war presenting her with a $40 award; continuing to award her $40 each year until she died in January 1832. There is a monument commemorating her heroic performance on the battlefield. Pitcher remained with the Continental Army until the war ended, then moved back to Carlisle with Hays in April 1783. Following her husband's death, she married a war veteran named John McCauley and worked in the State House in Carlisle. She was honored by the Pennsylvania Legislature in 1822 for her wartime services, receiving an award of $40 and an annual commission of the same amount for the rest of her life. She died on January 22, 1832, in Carlisle, where a monument commemorates her heroic acts in battle.

For more information about Monmouth Battlefield State Park, check out the links below:

• New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry - Monmouth Battlefield State Park
• Park brochure and map (downloadable PDF)
• Friends of Monmouth Battlefield

---

All photos are copyright Joseph S. Valencia All Rights Reserved They may not be used in any way without express written permission of the photographer. If you wish to use any of the photos you may contact the photographer at valencia32photo@gmail.com

---

Hiking Through History: Monmouth Battlefield - Part II; George Washington

This is the second installment of Hiking Through History and I am still at Monmouth Battlefield. The first post was about the Visitor Center and Combs Hill, today I will take you to the battlefield and the .86 mile Washington Trail. The following trail description is taken from the park brochure:

"Washington Trail: This trail leads to the main Continental Army position. Back-and-forth along this hill, Washington rode, encouraging his men and organizing a counter-attack as the British began withdrawing."

Now, I think it is important to say that I am not a history buff and that history was always one of my worst subjects when I was in school. That is what makes this hike even more special than just some time in the great outdoors. As I was walking along the trail taking in the beauty of the autumn day I couldn’t help but think back to June 1778 and imagine what was happening in the exact place where I was walking. The wooden fence shown here couldn’t possibly be a relic from the battle but I could almost see men kneeling behind it and taking aim. I often found myself stopping and looking towards the east trying to envision the British soldiers in the field and what it must have felt like to be there during the battle. I stood in the very spot that Molly Hays, aka Molly Pitcher, stood and fired upon the British when one of the soldiers fell – watch for a post about that trail coming soon.

The black & white image above was taken while kneeling behind the battlefield fence, looking towards the Sutfin House. This is a view that the soldiers would have had during the battle. The house is very interesting in on it's own and I will write about it at a later date.

It took longer than usual for me to hike this trail because I stopped at each of the information stations along the way and took pictures from that perspective. I have been to a number of places that claim “George Washington Slept Here” but I was on the ground where he commanded troops and that was somehow magical. If you stand still and are real quiet you can almost hear the roar of the cannons; or maybe it is the roar of the cars speeding by, I can’t be too sure.

When I was approaching the end of the trail I looked ahead and saw a couple of people walking dogs. I looked to my left to take a photo and when I turned back they were gone. The trail had a slight curve to it between where I was and where I had seen them and the grass was high so I thought I would meet up with them as I walked. I didn’t! I got to where the trail turned to go back to the parking lot (this is the spot that I saw the other walkers) and they were nowhere to be seen. The first thought I had was that they were soldiers who never left the battlefield and I was a little spooked. I then noticed that there was a trail to my right (this is the Lafayette Trail, watch for an upcoming post) and they were about 40 yards up that trail. They saw me and we exchanged waves. I actually stopped about 20 feet away and turned, just to make sure they were still there. I felt a bit foolish when I got back to the parking lot; their new, full-size pickup truck was parked next to my car….

Hiking Through History: Monmouth Battlefield - Part I

I begin this multi-part series about Monmouth Battlefield where most people would begin their visit - the Visitor Center and Combs Hill.

Monmouth Battlefield State Park is located in Monmouth County, New Jersey. It is the site of the Battle of Monmouth on 28 June 1778 and is considered one of the pivotal battles in the American Revolution. This series of posts will take you through the battlefield as I retrace the steps of General George Washington, Marquis de Lafayette, General Charles Lee and Mary "Molly" Ludwig Hays, aka Molly Pitcher. I will explore Old Tennent Church and Old Tennent Cemetery, the church having been used as a make-shift hospital during the battle and the cemetery containing graves and tributes to those who fought there.

The image above is a view of the battlefield shot from atop Combs Hill. The lone structure in the distance is the Sutfin House; it stands in the middle of the battlefield with General Washington to the west (left) and Major General Charles Cornwallis to the east (right). The Sutfin House stands about 1 mile from where this photo was shot.

This image was shot a few days prior to the annual battle re-enactment. These fences can be found throughout the battlefield but the ones shown here do not stay up year-round, they are only in place for the re-enactment and then removed.

This is one of two footbridges that span the ravine at the bottom of Combs Hill.

The Visitor Center has a lot of exhibits and information about the battle and there is always someone available to help with any questions you may have. I would suggest you start your exploration by picking up a map of the park and then set out to explore. There are tables for picnics and a playground for the kids. Some of the trails are paved while others may just be dirt or very short grass in the case of the fields. You can enter the woods where you will find several trails. I usually will start by traversing down Combs Hill and entering the woods to the left of this footbridge, that way I don't have to hike up on the way back. The wooded trails are my favorite in this section of the park; if you look carefully and walk quietly you may come across some deer along the way.

Well, that wraps up this initial installment of Hiking Through History: Monmouth Battlefield. The upcoming weeks will bring more installments from Monmouth Battlefield before moving on to another site.

Hiking Through History: Historic Allaire Village

In the coming weeks and months I will be writing a series called "Hiking Through History". I will be visiting sites of historic significance around New Jersey and beyond, taking photographs and presenting them here along with a narrative. The first stop on the tour is Historic Village at Allaire in Wall Township, New Jersey. The village dates back to the early 19th Century when James P. Allaire established Howell Iron Works, a bog iron furnace and a self-sufficient village around it. The village operates today as a "living history museum" demonstrating how life was when the village and iron works were operational.

I decided to try to re-create the era with a black & white image of the Chapel. If you are looking for a special place to hold your wedding ceremony, check out the Chapel at Allaire Village.

The long building above housed the Carpenter Shop.

We move on the the Bakery, shown in the image above. There are large brick ovens where they still bake. I was fortunate to be at the village one day when they were doing demonstrations and watched the bakers - it gets quite hot in the bakery.

The last two images are the Blast Furnace. This is quite an impressive structure and the only non-operational part of the village.

This is just a taste of what is waiting for you at Allaire Village and I encourage you to explore it for yourself. For more information, check out The History Village at Allaire where you can learn more about the village and get a list of upcoming events. You can also visit the Allaire State Park website for information about the entire park, including the trails and Pine Creek Railroad.

You can follow Allaire Village on Twitter - @AllaireVillage. The account is owned by The Historic Village at Allaire and is separate from the other websites.

---

All photos are copyright Joseph S. Valencia All Rights Reserved They may not be used in any way without express written permission of the photographer. If you wish to use any of the photos you may contact the photographer at valencia32photo@gmail.com

---

Hiking Through History: Fort Hancock, Sandy Hook

I love Gateway National Recreation Area, better known as Sandy Hook, in New Jersey. At the end of The Hook is Fort Hancock and that is the subject of this installment of Hiking Through History. Most of the buildings are long deserted and many areas are closed to the public due to hazardous conditions but there is plenty to see. (Note: The images used to illustrate this post may not necessarily be from the same hike.)

The first image was shot at Horseshoe Cove. This is on the bay side of Sandy Hook and is just before you start to see the sign welcoming you to Fort Hancock and the buildings. This is a popular spot for fisherman and hikers alike. This shot was actually taken on the first day of Spring in 2011. The day before had been absolutely gorgeous but I like to shoot on the first day of each season and had already planned to be at The Hook to shoot spring. I am actually glad for the foggy day, I think it gave the image a mysterious look and it has become one of my favorites.

The Sandy Hook lighthouse is the oldest functional lighthouse in the United States being designed and built in 1764. You can read about the history of the light at the New Jersey Lighthouse Society. I love lighthouses, particularly this one. This was taken from the south side of the lighthouse and I decided to try to do a bit of "playing around" in Photoshop to give it an "old-time" look. If you go during the week you can take a tour of the light but, unfortunately, I have never been there when it was open. If I ever do, I will certainly do a lot of shooting and write about the experience.

If you walk south of the lighthouse you will come to the entrance of Batteries M^cCook and Reynolds. Built in 1898, Battery Reynolds was an Endicott Period 12 inch coastal mortar battery built constructed of reinforced concrete. I was named after Colonel John F. Reynolds who was killed in 1863 at the Battle of Gettysburg. In 1906, half of the mortar battery was named for U.S. Army Major General Alexander M^cCook who served during the U.S. Civil War and died in 1903. The battery cost $138,371.50 to build and was deactivated in 1920.

The image shown here is looking into Fort Hancock Battery M^cCook B Pit Entrance.

I found this little flower growing out of the rock wall that surrounds the Mortar Battery.

Finally, I leave you with a shot of the Visitor Center as taken from the beach. If you will learn anything about me through my images, you will learn that I love clouds in my landscapes; the more dramatic the better.

---

I had some help in writing this blog post - I would like to thank Andrea Mehlhorn-Marshall and Brian Barker for their assistance. I was having trouble finding information about the batteries and they stepped up and provided information and guidance. Thank you!

---

---

All photos are copyright Joseph S. Valencia All Rights Reserved They may not be used in any way without express written permission of the photographer. If you wish to use any of the photos you may contact the photographer at valencia32photo@gmail.com

---