This program highlights significant Revolutionary War sites in Hopewell which were essential to General Washington’s successful recapture of New Jersey from the British. His campaign began with Washington’s Landing in the Park and led through Hopewell at the Hillside encampment, and on to victory at the Battle of Monmouth.

David Price: Analyzing the Ten Crucial Days, A Thematic Interpretation

The “Ten Crucial Days” winter campaign of 1776-77 is one of the most storied in the annals of military history. Author David Price examines this pivotal moment in the War of Independence through an interpretive framework that focuses on five key factors: leadership, geography, weather, artillery, and contingency. His focus differs from earlier works on this subject that are largely a chronological account. The confluence of these overlapping factors seemingly conspired to frustrate British designs at a critical moment in their effort to overpower the American rebellion. Although each was important in its own right, their aggregate influence on the course of events reflected the mutually reinforcing nature of these elements. They enabled Washington’s army to win the “Ten Crucial Days” and propel the revolutionary cause into a lengthy war of attrition that eventuated in American independence.

Dr. Richard Veit: General Washington’s Victory at the Battle of Monmouth Led Through Hopewell

From June 23-25, 1778, over 10,000 Continental troops encamped in Hopewell, NJ preceding the Battle of Monmouth. After receiving a gift of Hillside Farm, the former Betty Wold Johnson estate adjacent to the John Hart house in Hopewell, D&R Greenway Land Trust engaged Dr. Richard Veit, Archeologist, to review maps and research on the encampment area. Supported with a Mercer County 250th Special Planning grant, this research will enable D&R Greenway to share the story of the significant history that happened on this site with the public. For the first time since completing his research, Dr. Veit will paint a picture of the days leading up to and during the encampment and share his conclusions.

Our Speakers

Richard Veit, Ph.D., Registered Professional Archaeologist & Professor of Anthropology

Richard Veit is Associate Dean of the Wayne D. McMurray School of Humanities and Social Sciences and Professor of Anthropology at Monmouth University. He has particular experience in the archaeology of the American Revolution and New Jersey history. He has published widely on military sites archaeology, grave markers and commemoration, and Native Americans in the Northeast.

Veit has conducted fieldwork at several significant historic sites including Morristown National Historical Park and Joseph Bonparte’s Point Breeze. He has also participated in fieldwork in Puerto Rico, India Ireland and Jamaica. He is the author of numerous peer-reviewed articles and reviews and seven scholarly books. Two of his books, Digging New Jersey’s Past and New Jersey: A History of the Garden State, are listed on the New Jersey State library’s 101 Great New Jersey books list.

Veit is President Elect of the Society for Historical Archaeology, Chair of the Council for Northeast Historical Archeology, and serves as a gubernatorial appointee to the New Jersey Historical Commission. His research has been featured in PBS documentaries, on NPR’s academic minute, and in Archaeology Magazine, and he has been a TED speaker. monmouth.academia.edu/RichardVeit.

David Price

David Price has authored four books, including a pair about the “Ten Crucial Days” of the American Revolution—The Road to Assunpink Creek and Rescuing the Revolution—as well as John Haslet’s World and most recently The Battle of Harlem Heights, 1776. The latter is part of the Westholme Small Battle series and was accepted into the permanent collection of the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History. His next book, Winning the Ten Crucial Days: The Keys to Victory in George Washington’s Legendary Winter Campaign, is under contract with Brookline Books, an imprint of Casemate Publishers, for release in early 2025.

David has been awarded the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution Bronze Good Citizenship Medal and Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of his work as an author, speaker, and historical interpreter at Washington Crossing Historic Park and Princeton Battlefield State Park. Since 2021, David has authored nine scholarly articles for the prestigious, peer-reviewed Journal of the American Revolution, three of which have been selected by the editorial board for inclusion in its annual hardcover volume. More information about the speaker and his work can be found at dpauthor.com.

Our Hosts

Linda J. Mead, President and CEO, D&R Greenway Land Trust

Linda Mead’s all-time achievements can be summed up in three words: Preservation, Stewardship, and Inspiration. The 22,000+ acres of land she has worked to preserve and protect are a gift to all of us who live and work in our region.

Mead’s enthusiasm for connecting D&R Greenway’s mission with people’s hearts and minds has resulted in substantial private/public partnerships, including creation of D&R Greenway’s Johnson Education Center in Princeton, NJ and the St. Michaels Farm Preserve. Lands preserved through her leadership are known throughout New Jersey – from Farm View Fields in Princeton to Point Breeze, the former estate of the exiled King of Spain Joseph Napoleon Bonaparte. Her current challenge is guiding the strategic vision for a new preserve in honor of Betty Wold Johnson, a renown philanthropist whose sons donated her nearly 800-acre farm to D&R Greenway in 2021.

Nationally, Mead contributed to two studies that resulted in National Heritage Areas including the Crossroads of the American Revolution in NJ and the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor in PA. She serves on the National Leadership Council for the Land Trust Alliance, the professional organization for more than 1,000 land trusts in the US.  She has served on many Boards locally including Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve and the State of New Jersey Historic Easement Advisory Board.

Recognition with the 2022 Innovator of the Year Award by The Princeton-Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce marked the 25th anniversary of Linda Mead’s leadership of D&R Greenway Land Trust.

Timothy T. West, WCPA Trustee & Past President, History Committee Chair

With more than 35 years of executive and legal experience with multinational energy companies, Tim is well-versed in international energy transactional matters, and has worked in more than 40 countries. He held various positions including President and General Manager in Quito, Ecuador and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Tim was part-time lecturer in energy law at Rutgers University Law School.

Tim is Second Vice President, Board of Directors, Sons of the American Revolution, Naples Chapter, FLSSAR and a member of its Bernardo de Galvez Color Guard. He is a dual member of the Princeton-Cranberry Chapter, NJSSAR. Other memberships include Swan Historical Foundation, Friends of Washington Crossing Historic Park, Princeton Battlefield Society, Old Barracks Association, and Descendants of Founders of NJ. 

Tim volunteers as a Historical Interpreter in Washington Crossing State Park of NJ. He has served as tour guide at Washington Crossing Historic Park and as an oarsman in the annual reenactment of Washington Crossing.           

He graduated from the University of Virginia (B.A.), Rutgers University Law School (Newark, J.D.), and Columbia University (M.B.A.). Tim served as Captain, U.S. Marine Corps.