The Van Horne House was built in 1754 by Phillip Van Horne, a man who was known to entertain both American and British guests, which earned his estate the nickname “Convivial Hall.” During the Revolution War period known as the Forage Wars.
The house was the headquarters of the American Generals Benjamin Lincoln and William Alexander (Lord Stirling) until the April 1777 Battle of Bound Brook, during which Benjamin Lincoln only narrowly avoided being taken prisoner. After the battle the house became the headquarters of a British outpost.
The house is now the headquarters for the Heritage Trail Association.
”The Van Horne House"
At the Battle of Bound Brook, on April 13, 1777, Van Horne hosted British General Charles Cornwallis for breakfast and American Generals Benjamin Lincoln and Nathanael Greene for supper. At the Battle of Bound Brook, Lord Cornwallis' troops marched to the house and skirmished with Patriot troops in hopes of capturing Patriot officers staying at the Van Hornes, but without any luck. General Benjamin Lincoln, who had been at the house escaped into the hills, "clad only in his breeches," according to one account.
Major General William Alexander, Lord Stirling used the house as his headquarters during the second Middlebrook encampment (winter of 1778–79). Lord Stirling took over command of the Middlebrook encampment on December 21, 1778, when Washington left to meet with Congress in Philadelphia, until he returned about February 5, 1779. General Henry Lee, Light-Horse Harry, and other officers were also quartered at the house.
On October 26, 1779, British Lt. Col. John Graves Simcoe led a group of the Queen's Rangers to search for and capture New Jersey Governor William Livingston or Colonel Moylan. He raided several houses in Bound Brook before arriving here, but did not find his targets. After taking prisoners at the house, he continued on to Van Veghten's Bridge.
This cache is one of "The American Revolution Geo~Trail" caches throughout New Jersey. These program geocaches are hidden at historic locations which have a connection to important New Jersey's American Revolutionary War history. To participate in the optional Geo-Trail, after you find the geocache, locate the secret code and record it into your passport which you will print from the Geo~Trail website. Information at njpatriots.org
”njpatriots.org"
The Northern New Jersey Cachers, NNJC is about promoting a quality caching experience in New Jersey. For information on The Northern New Jersey Cachers group you can visit: www.nnjc.org.
nnjc.org & metrogathering.org, & njpatriots.org