President’s Day and the celebration of George Washington’s Birthday and Washington’s history in Morristown and New Jersey offer a treat for all history buffs. The Washington Association of New Jersey will welcome the celebrated historian Dr. Andrew Jackson O’Shaughnessy who will deliver the Keynote Address at the 142nd Annual Meeting on Monday, February 15. Dr. O’Shaughnessy will speak on The Men Who Lost America, a new history on the British generals who led the unsuccessful campaign to squelch the American colonists’ rebellion in 1776. Out of their defeat rose our new nation. The public is invited to the Luncheon and Annual Address.
In the frigid winter of 1779-1780, when the Hudson River froze over, the poorly clad soldiers of Washington’s Continental Army struggled to survive here in Morristown and at Jockey Hollow. Devastating shortages of food, warm clothes and blankets which plagued the army were due to supply problems and transportation difficulties from sources and to lack of response from the Continental Congress, which frequently ignored General Washington’s pleas for the needed supplies for the men.
But the hardy and courageous soldiers, their officers and Commander-in-chief Washington, hung in and hunkered down through the adversities and survived till spring when they re-grouped and went on to win the American Revolution, securing freedoms for individual Americans and Independence from Great Britain for the new nation.
On the same weekend, on February 13th, Morristown National Historical Park (MNHP), which preserves the Ford Mansion/Washington’s Headquarters, the Headquarters Museum and Jockey Hollow, site of the army encampment, will be fully opened to the public. Some of MNHP’s facilities have been partially closed to visitors Monday through Friday since January. School visits have continued. The grounds at Jockey Hollow remained open for visitors, including walkers, hikers and cross-country skiers.
WANJ invites you to join them as they celebrate George Washington at the Annual Luncheon to be held at the Madison Hotel, 1 Convent Station, Morristown on Monday, February 15. The event begins at 11:30 a.m. For tickets and further information please contact the Washington Association office at 973-292-1874 or email [email protected].
The Washington Association of New Jersey was founded in 1874 and focuses on the preservation of American history and the story of George Washington and the soldiers of the Continental Army. Their mission is to support the legacy of Washington and to support Washington’s Headquarters and Morristown National Historical Park.
