Battle of Connecticut Farms

Battle of Connecticut Farms
Part of the American Revolutionary War
Date June 7, 1780 Location Connecticut Farms (now Union Township), New Jersey Result Tactical British victory Strategic American victory
Belligerents
United States	Great Britain
Commanders and leaders
William Maxwell	Wilhelm von Knyphausen
Strength
	6,000
Casualties and losses
35 killed, 139 wounded, 10 captured and 22 missing (entire campaign)	25 killed, 234 wounded and 48 missing (entire campaign)

The Battle of Connecticut Farms, fought June 7, 1780, was one of the last major battles between British and American forces in the northern colonies during the American Revolutionary War. Hessian General Wilhelm von Knyphausen, in command of the British garrison at New York City, made an attempt to reach the principal Continental Army encampment at Morristown, New Jersey. Knyphausen's advance was strongly met by companies of the New Jersey militia at Connecticut Farms (present-day Union Township). After stiff resistance, the militia were forced to withdraw, but the battle and skirmishing that preceded it sufficiently delayed Knyphausen's advance that he remained there for the night. After realizing that further advance on Morristown would probably be met by even more resistance, Knyphausen withdrew back toward New York.

Lieutenant General Wilhelm von Knyphausen received word from spies that General George Washington's main army at Morristown, New Jersey, had been reduced by desertion and disease to only 3,500 men and was plagued by mutinies and low morale. Seeing an opportunity to inflict a mortal blow on the Revolutionary cause, Knyphausen decided to move against Washington. Knyphausen had also been led to believe that the war-weary people of New Jersey would give little resistance to his invasion.

Knyphausen's plan called for his troops to advance from Elizabethtown, to advance seven miles to the northwest and seize the town of Springfield and Hobart Gap by sunrise on June 7. Washington’s army was protected from attack by the Watchung Mountains, and Hobart Gap was the pass that led through them; possession of which would allow an eleven-mile advance across flat ground to hit Washington's main encampment.

Knyphausen's corps comprised some 6,000 men. The 1st Division, commanded by Brigadier General Thomas Stirling, consisted of the British 37th and 38th Regiments of Foot; the Hessian Prince's Own Leib-Regiment, the Hessian Regiment von Donop and the Hessian Corps of Jägers. The 2nd Division, under Major General Edward Mathew, comprised the British 22nd and 57th Regiments of Foot and the 1st and 4th New Jersey Volunteers. The 3rd Division, under Knyphausen's personal command, comprised the British Guards Battalion (a composite unit comprising detachments from the 1st Guards, Coldstream Guards and Scots Guards) and the 43rd Regiment of Foot.

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