Forage War

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The Forage War was a partisan war consisting of many small skirmishes that took place in New Jersey during the American Revolutionary War in 1777, following the battles of Trenton and Princeton.

The British, after losing two major outposts, realized they could not have their forces split into posts any longer. They held, in the winter of 1777, the town of New Brunswick and a fortified post at Paulus Hook (Now Jersey City). Washington, trying to reform an army reduced by end of the year enlistment periods, determined that the British should be harassed at every opportunity.

Foraging by the British gave them the opportunities. The British had to ship supplies from England by sea, a 5 or 6 week trip each way at best. They needed to forage for supplies, such as fresh meat, flour, hay, wood, and livestock feed.

The New Jersey Militia, supported by a few companies of Continental regulars, began to attack every foraging expedition to leave New Brunswick. Soon Washington was able to report that the British could not leave New Brunswick in formations of fewer than 1500 men.

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