Fort Mercer
Fort Mercer was an earthen fort on the eastern shores of the Delaware River in New Jersey that was constructed by the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. The fort was built in 1777 by Polish engineer Thaddeus Kosciuszko under the command of George Washington. Along with Fort Mifflin on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River to its west, Fort Mercer was designed to block the British advance on the revolutionary capital of Philadelphia during the Philadelphia campaign.
| Fort Mercer | |
|---|---|
| National Park, New Jersey | |
Monument in Fort Mercer, dedicated 1906 | |
Fort Mercer Fort Mercer Fort Mercer | |
| Type | Earthwork |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1777 |
| Built by |
|
| In use | 1777–1781 |
| Materials | earth, logs |
Red Bank Battlefield | |
U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
U.S. National Historic Landmark | |
New Jersey Register of Historic Places
| |
| Location | 100 Hessian Ave., National Park, NJ 08063 |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000796 |
| NJRHP No. | 1405 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | October 31, 1972 |
| Designated NHL | November 28, 1972 |
| Designated NJRHP | August 16, 1979 |
| Battles/wars | American Revolutionary War |
| Garrison information | |
| Past commanders | Christopher Greene |
Fort Mercer was located in an area called Red Bank in what is now the borough of National Park in Gloucester County, New Jersey. The fort was named in honor of Brigadier General Hugh Mercer who died earlier that year in fighting at the Battle of Princeton.
The fort's site is now part of Red Bank Battlefield Historical Park, which includes a monument and museum. Several cannons attributed to British warships lost supporting the attack on the fort, and others found buried at the fort itself, are in the park.