Comb's Hill Cannonade - Manalapan, NJ - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

The Battle of Monmouth on June 28, 1778, was a triumph for General Washington and the Continental Army, forcing the British to retreat. The British army suffered two to three times the casualties as the Continental Army.

Monmouth Battlefield State Park offers two historical self-guided walking tours that offer points of interest along the route through the battlefield. The first stop on the first walking tour is the cannonade on top of Comb's Hill.

There were ten Continental Army cannons bombarding the British's ten cannons along the hedgerow (where a majority of the fighting happened). This put the two sides at a virtual artillery stalemate, until Major General Greene appeared with an additional four cannons. The British were forced to pull back, due to the heavy fire from the hill.

An orientation table sits on the hill, overlooking the stream and hedgerow where the Continental Army bombarded. The text reads:
"Combs Hill Cannonade
Can-non-ade (pron) n I. A continued discharge of cannon esp. during an attack
During the early afternoon, the Continental and British Armies were stalemated as they cannonaded each other across the Spotswood Middle Brook. Major General Greene then appeared on this hill with four artillery pieces and began bombarding the British. Caught in a crossfire from the Continental guns, the British were forced to pull back.

The British artillery withdrew, then the British infantry withdrew as quickly as their troops could be collected. General WAshinton sent men foward to harass the retreating enemy. When the British counterattacked, the Continental Army drove them back a final time, giving the Continental Army a major psychological and political victory."

There's an informative map on the table that shows the placement of troops during this part of the battle. Underneath the map, more text reads:
"Though firing at long range, the Combs Hill cannons were still able to rake ("enfilade") the British positions along the hedgerow. Shot that fell short ricocheted into the British, shots fired too high hit the far end of the line."

Group that erected the marker: Department of Environmental Protection - Division of Parks and Forestry URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link] Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: Monmouth Battlefield State Park 16 Business Route 33 Manalapan, NJ USA 07726

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