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68. Camp à Sommerset Court-house, le 30 Aoust, 13 miles de Bullion's Tavern, undated

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Collection Creator:
Berthier, Louis-Alexandre, 1753-1815
Dates:
undated
Located In:
Box IX Oversize portfolio, Packet 21-23
Languages:
English
Scope and Contents

Twenty-third Camp at Somerset Courthouse [Millstone]. 30-31 August 1781. Thirteen miles from the preceding camp at Bullion's Tavern. Somerset Courthouse is now called Millstone. The stream, which flows north into the Raritan, is the Millstone River. The courthouse, near the second of the three bridges shown here, had been burned in October 1779 by British raiders under Lieutenant Colonel Simcoe. The road through the village taken by the army is essentially present State Route 533, which has been straightened to eliminate the bow leading down to the bridge. The two infantry regiments and artillery camped near the Dutch Reformed Church (present edifice [1827] and adjacent cemetery on same site) at the junction of present State Routes 533 and 514. Beyond the encampment, at a bend in the road, is the Van Doren house, still standing on this site.

The separate unit, on right of the map, represents Lauzun's Legion. Rumors of a British sortie from New York reached the army here at Somerset Courthouse. Fearing an attack, the Baron de Viomenil (who was then in command, Rochambeau having ridden ahead) ordered patrols to the eastward. Lauzun ([2], p. 293) relates that he himself with 50 of his husars rode 10 miles out along the New Brunswick road: "I met two or three sizeable patrols of light troops, who retired after exchanging a few shots with my hussars. I satisfied myself that the English army was not on the march, and then returned to reassure the Baron."

The army camped again at Millstone on its return march in 1782; see No. 138.

Existence and Location of Copies

This collection is also available in microfilm.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Credit this material:

68. Camp à Sommerset Court-house, le 30 Aoust, 13 miles de Bullion's Tavern; Louis-Alexandre Berthier Collection, C0022, Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Storage Note:
  • Firestone Library (hsvm): Box IX
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

Processing Information

This collection was word-processed by Anna Bialek in July and August of 2005. Finding aid written by Howard Rice in 1957.

During 2022, restrictions for this collection were lifted as part of a restrictions review project.

Collection Overview

Collection Description & Creator Information

Scope and Contents

Twenty-third Camp at Somerset Courthouse [Millstone]. 30-31 August 1781. Thirteen miles from the preceding camp at Bullion's Tavern. Somerset Courthouse is now called Millstone. The stream, which flows north into the Raritan, is the Millstone River. The courthouse, near the second of the three bridges shown here, had been burned in October 1779 by British raiders under Lieutenant Colonel Simcoe. The road through the village taken by the army is essentially present State Route 533, which has been straightened to eliminate the bow leading down to the bridge. The two infantry regiments and artillery camped near the Dutch Reformed Church (present edifice [1827] and adjacent cemetery on same site) at the junction of present State Routes 533 and 514. Beyond the encampment, at a bend in the road, is the Van Doren house, still standing on this site.

The separate unit, on right of the map, represents Lauzun's Legion. Rumors of a British sortie from New York reached the army here at Somerset Courthouse. Fearing an attack, the Baron de Viomenil (who was then in command, Rochambeau having ridden ahead) ordered patrols to the eastward. Lauzun ([2], p. 293) relates that he himself with 50 of his husars rode 10 miles out along the New Brunswick road: "I met two or three sizeable patrols of light troops, who retired after exchanging a few shots with my hussars. I satisfied myself that the English army was not on the march, and then returned to reassure the Baron."

The army camped again at Millstone on its return march in 1782; see No. 138.

Arrangement

The documents and maps are arranged chronologically by packet/item number that continue (for the most part) the numbering begun in the previous series.

General

These papers are housed in the original red portfolio cases (and order) in which they were presented to the Library in 1939.

Collection History

Appraisal

No appraisal information is available.

Processing Information

This collection was word-processed by Anna Bialek in July and August of 2005. Finding aid written by Howard Rice in 1957.

During 2022, restrictions for this collection were lifted as part of a restrictions review project.

Access & Use

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

Credit this material:

68. Camp à Sommerset Court-house, le 30 Aoust, 13 miles de Bullion's Tavern; Louis-Alexandre Berthier Collection, C0022, Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Location:
Firestone Library
One Washington Road
Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
(609) 258-3184
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Storage Note:
  • Firestone Library (hsvm): Box IX

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Existence and Location of Copies

This collection is also available in microfilm.

Separated Materials

Relation de l'Escadre Française, aux ordres du Cher. Destouches, & de l'affaire qui a eue lieu le 16 Mars 1781, entre cette Escadre & celle des Anglais, commandée par l'Amiral Arbuthnot was transferred to rare books (1081.755 EX).

Bibliography

MS, No. 21-23. Rochambeau's copy is in the Library of Paul Mellon, Upperville, Virginia. [Rice/Brown, p. 149] Photographs of the Van Doren house and of the site of the courthouse are in Elizabeth G.C. Menzies, Millstone Valley (New Brunswick, 1969), pp. 146, 236, 244, 262.

Names:
France. Armée
Rochambeau, Jean-Baptiste-Donatien de Vimeur,‏ comte de,‏ 1725-1807‏