Following the Battle of Princeton, General Washington made the strategic decision not to pursue the British forces back into New Brunswick. Instead, he chose to head to a defensive position to settle in for the winter. The army marched along the Millstone River and camped at Somerset Courthouse (now Millstone Borough). That night, while Washington stayed as a guest at the John Van Doren house, others, including James Monroe and Charles Willson Peale slept in barns and hayfields. The house today is in the Millstone Historic District which is part of the Millstone Scenic By-way. On January 4, 1777, the 3000 soldiers continued their march north toward the Watchung Mountains and Morristown.