Pluckemin Hospital

Pluckemin at the Center of the Revolution

After Serving as America's First Artillery and Officer Training Facility, the Artillery Park Quickly Turns to the Areas Largest Military Hospital.

During the American revolution, the Somerset Hills were a hotbed of military activity. The area fell victim to British raids, saw the capture of American patriots and played host to a part of the Continental Army. Many of its citizens chose sides, fighting and dying for their beliefs.

For Bedminster Township, the most important chapter of the Revolutionary period was the winter of 1778-1779 when, on orders from Washington, Knox established in the village of Pluckemin a cantonment for the Continental Artillery with 1,000 troops under his command. The site chosen for the cantonment was at the foot of the Second Watchung Mountain, secure from British attack and near the Jacobus Vanderveer House.

But what many people don't know is that when General Knox's artillery officers left for the battlefield, even if all activity at the encampment had suddenly ceased at the end of June 1779  when the Middlebrook Encampment was broken up there would be more than a lifetime of study and research needed to do justice to the site," states John Seidel, and archeologist and historian who's worked excavating artifacts from the site.." However. the last company of artillery had not yet marched north out of the encampment before the first wagons from Bound Brook began to arrive."

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Image left: Dr. James Tilton - Continental Army surgeon and hospital supervisor throughout the war, including those at Morristown and Pluckemin in 1779. Dr. Tilton wrote "Economical Observations on Military Hospitals; and the Prevention and Cure of Diseases Incident to an Army." It was based upon his experiences as a physician and surgeon in the Revolutionary Army in campaigns in the field and service in military hospitals from 1776 to 1782.

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To provide some perspective, the 6th Pennsylvania has an extensive collection of reproduction and authentic 18th century medical instruments.  Collectively, they have spent years researching and authenticating period correct medical tools and practices.  The difference between a "surgeon" and "physician", bleeding a patient, how limbs were removed, lack of knowledge of disease, these are just a few things that are demonstrated by our 18th century medical professionals.

All the sick and wounded from as far south as below New Brunswick had been gathered together and transported to the emptying barracks at Pluckemin. At some point during 1779  some of the buildings or portions of them were convened into a field hospital. The medical records presently available indicate that at least through the end of 1780 Pluckemin had more patients than the hospitals at Fishkill,  Albany, Basking Ridge, or even Philadelphia on a monthly basis.

The hospitals in the area were used to support the battles of Paulus Hook, NJ in August 1779, as well as to support the Morristown Encampment of 1780. After 1780, the campaign shifted from the north to the south and concluded with the battle and British surrender at Yorktown.

While military records and personal documents and journals clearly indicate the Pluckemin Cantonment was used as a military hospital, the archaeologists have not yet identified any artifacts specific to the hospital. It is possible that once the hospital was closed and the medical units left, locals began dismantling the hospital. Other rumors suggest that a possible disease outbreak such as small pox, which was prevalent at Morristown, spread, forcing the hospital to be evacuated and later burned.

Prepared by: Brooks Betz
Last updated: April 7, 2010