Buried here are soldiers who died from wounds suffered in the two Battles of Trenton, Dec. 1776-Jan. 1777, and from disease incurred during the harsh winter. After the battles, Washington's troops occupied four hospital buildings in this village, known then as Four Lanes End. Archaeological excavations in 1992 confirmed the fact that a burial ground existed here; written accounts indicated that around 166 soldiers were interred.
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Captain William Shippen, Sr., Surgeon General-American Army on written orders from General George Washington replied that a hospital would be set up in Four Lanes End (now Langhorne, PA) on January 4, 1777. The Middletown Friends Meeting House and School, and Isaac Hicks' House and Tannery were sequestered to treat American soldiers, men from the
First Battle of Trenton - December 25, 1776
Second Battle of Trenton - January 2, 1777
Battle of Princeton - January 3, 1777 died here
Bodies were put four deep in wood boxes and hauled to this burial site at Bellevue and Flowers Avenues. Archeological excavation performed in 1992 revealed that 166 American soldiers only were interred on this swampy site. The hospitals were closed on May 15, 1777.
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Excavation of the burial sites revealed 29 gravesites. Many of the graves were three and four coffins deep. The writings of Joshua Richardson of 1869 helped to locate the exact position of the burial sites, and as to how the bodies were buried. This is one of the largest Revolutionary Burial sites recorded in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
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