The 4th Annual Reenactment of the Arrest of Derrick Van Veghten by Hessian Jaegers comes to the historic Gen. Frelinghuysen House, home to Raritan Public Library.
As George Washington retreated across New Jersey in the darkest days of the Revolutionary War, Hessian Jaegers came to Somerset County. On St. Nicholas Day, December 6, 1776, they seized Derrick Van Veghten at his home on the Raritan River, taking him captive as their guide for military maneuvers through the Watchung Mountains in pursuit of the Continental Army.
The reenactment is based on the original account of Capt. Johann Ewald who participated in the arrest and features reenactors of Hessian Jaegers and a reflection on the colonial Dutch holiday traditions of St. Nicholas Day.
🎄 Free Refreshments & Season’s Greetings.
Register with Somerset County Library System of New Jersey:
Honor the 250th Birthday of U.S. Armed Forces and consider bringing a gift from the Wish List for the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home at Menlo Park:
https://www.nj.gov/military/veterans/memorial-homes/menlo-park/documents/wish-list.pdf
Wallace House & Old Dutch Parsonage State Historic Sites are supported by the Wallace House and Old Dutch Parsonage Association, Proud Partner of Revolution NJ.
The Raritan Historic and Cultural Committee and Raritan Public Library courteously provide use of the historic Gen. Frelinghuysen House as venue for this program.
Down the Brook: The Revitalization of Wallace House & Old Dutch Parsonage State Historic Sites is underway for Revolution NJ. The historic rehabilitation of Wallace House & Old Dutch Parsonage is supported in part by the Semiquincentennial Grants from the Historic Preservation Fund administered by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
⭐ Revolution NJ is New Jersey’s official observance of the 250th anniversaries of New Jersey’s first Constitution July 2, 2026 and the American Revolution in New Jersey from 2024 – 2033.
