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Health & Fitness

General Washington's Encampment at The Moland House Reenactment

Revolutionary War era reenactors and artisans gathered at the Moland House Historical Park in Warwick Township on August 18th, 2012 for the annual George Washington Nashamini Encampment presentation.

The words "George Washington slept here" was an 18th century real estate sales cliche' as well as a 1940's movie, yet The Moland House in Warwick Township, PA can unofficially lay claim to this statement based upon 13 days in August of 1777.

General George Washington and 11,000 patriots and soldiers of the Continental Army camped here and on the nearby sides of the Neshamany Creek from August 10th - 23rd, 1777 waiting for word of the location fo the British fleet that was staging to attack Philadelphia.  General Washington chose the stone farm house as his headquarters and although there is no offical record the future first President actually slept in one of the rooms, he is quoted as saying that it was the "best finished house in the neighborood." 

From the Moland House Historical Park website:

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The Encampment – On July 31st, 1777, the Continental Army was marching on its way from New Jersey to Philadelphia.  General Greene decided that the area around the Moland House was a good place to camp for the night.  The Army was off to Philadelphia the next day.  While camping at the “Falls of the Schuylkill” the decision was made to march to New York.  On Sunday, the 10th of August, word was received that a large British fleet had been sited off of Delaware Bay.  Again, the Continental Army was near the Moland House and decided to camp in the area.  Moland House became Washington’s Headquarters.  Waiting for more word of the fleet, the Army stayed at Moland until 3:00 am on Saturday, August 23rd.  During that stay, the Marquis de Lafayette came to join Washington’s army. Count Casimir Pulaski also joined and the U.S. Cavalry was then borne at Moland.  A Council of War was conducted on August 21st that included thirteen men of note from the history of our nation.  Every year, during the time of the Neshaminy encampment, the Warwick Township Historical Society conducts a reenactment that includes the Pennsylvania 5th and many artisans demonstrating life in Colonial times, to the attending public.

Local legend also has it that it was here where the American flag designed by Betsy Ross was presented to General Washington and was first flown in Warwick Township.

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The 2012 Geoge Washington Neshamini Encampment at the Moland House yesterday (August 18th) was a gathering of local Revolutionary War era reenactors as well as various artisans and presenters demonstrating life in the American Colonies in the late 18th century. 

The annual reeactment is presented by the Warwick Township Historical Society and tours of the Moland House Historical Park are available.  (See The Moland House website for hours)

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