Red Bank Battlefield, Whitall House, and Fort Mercer
Red Bank Battlefield is Gloucester County’s historic park. Located on the waterfront of the Delaware River, Red Bank Battlefield played a crucial role in the Revolutionary War when Hessians attacked Fort Mercer on October 22, 1777.
The park is home to the James and Ann Whitall house. Built in 1748, the Whitall House was the center of a 400-acre plantation at Red Bank along the Delaware River. This bustling plantation included fruit orchards, a lumberyard, a shad fishery, livestock and a ferry.
During the battle, Colonel Christopher Green’s Rhode Island Regiment inflicted heavy losses on Hessian soldiers and the Whitall’s home served as a field hospital. Hundreds of Hessian soldiers lost their lives in the battle and were buried just north of the house. The Whitall’s never forgave the American forces for the devastation they inflicted on their beloved property.
100 Hessian Ave, National Park, NJ 08063
