1777–1780: NJ became a battleground over food, livestock, and supplies; Franklin sat inside the contested corridor.

Overview

From 1777 to 1780, much of New Jersey became a battleground over food, livestock, and supplies. Armies and raiders targeted farms, wagons, mills, and storehouses. Franklin Township sat inside this contested “food corridor,” making civilians and agriculture central to the war effort.

Poster Bullets

• The war in NJ was often a war for food: cattle, grain, hay, and wagons.
• Raids and requisitions hit civilians, not just soldiers.
• Shortages and fear shaped daily life in the Raritan Valley.

   

  Why It Matters

  Understanding the Forage War helps visitors grasp why Franklin and Somerset County mattered. Armies could not move or fight without supplies, and the region’s farms and roads became strategic targets.

  QR – Adult Read More

  “Forage War” describes the struggle for resources, not a single battle. In NJ, both sides tried to control food and transport routes while denying them to the other.

  Civilians often experienced the war as repeated incursions: requisitioning, theft, retaliation, and destruction. Farms could be stripped of livestock; mills could be seized or burned; wagons could be taken for military use.

  For Franklin 250, this page explains why local sites matter even when no famous battlefield sits in town. The war came through crops, cattle, and kitchens.

  This context also helps interpret Black history: enslaved labor underpinned agricultural wealth, and wartime instability created both danger and opportunities for flight or negotiation.

  QR – Kids

  During the Revolution, armies needed food. In New Jersey, people fought over farms, animals, and supplies, and families sometimes went hungry.

  Something You May Not Know

• A single army could consume enormous amounts of food each day.
• Supply routes were as important as battle lines.
• Civilians often faced repeated raids and requisitions.

Common Misconceptions

Misconception: The Revolution was mostly fought in big battles. Reality: In NJ, many people experienced the war as ongoing raids and shortages.

Connection to Franklin / Somerset / NJ

Franklin Township’s farms and roads placed it inside the contested supply corridor of the Raritan Valley.

Forage War | Supply & Logistics | Civilian War Zone | Franklin Food Corridor | Raritan Valley | Revolutionary NJ

Primary Artifacts & Proof

Revolutionary War New Jersey – Franklin Township overview (context): https://revolutionarywarnewjersey.com/new_jersey_revolutionary_war_sites/towns/franklin_township_nj_revolutionary_war_sites.htm

National Park Service – The American Revolution (context): https://www.nps.gov/subjects/americanrevolution/index.htm