New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site (the last Continental Army encampment of the Revolutionary War)

 This is the third blog post in a series on the Newburgh/New Windsor, New York area historic sites from the Revolutionary War. 

The New Windsor Cantonment was the last Continental Army encampment of the Revolutionary War.  During the winter of 1782- 1783 over 7,000 soldiers and 500 civilians were encamped here at New Windsor, New York.  On 19 April 1783 (8 years to the day after the Battles of Lexington and Concord) General George Washington issued the cease-fire orders here that ended the War of Independence for the Continental Army.  

In the summer months this historic site has costumed re-enactors demonstrating musket drills, camp life, blacksmithing and other 18th century skills. It is located next door to The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor.  This museum explains the history of the Purple Heart, which originated with Washington's Badge of Military Merit, which was awarded to three men at the cantonment in 1783. 

My ancestor Abner Poland was a member of the 8th Massachusetts Regiment, and stationed here at the New Windsor Cantonment.  He had served in the Continental Army for over seven years, and saw action at Trenton, Saratoga and Yorktown. He was awarded the Badge of Merit by General George Washington in August 1783 (see below).   The regiment was furloughed 12 June 1783 at West Point, and disbanded on 3 November 1783.  

This historic military site is just a few miles from Washington's Headquarters in Newburgh, New York.  General Washington was stationed there for over 16 months, the longest time at any of his headquarters during the Revolutionary War.  Abner Poland's Badge of Merit certificate was awarded at the headquarters in Newburgh. 

This historic area has a reconstruction of the log buildings built by the Continental Army at the cantonment, including the "Temple of Virtue" and barracks.

A small graveyard near the Temple of Virtue

It is a short walk to the Temple of Virtue

A transcription:

The name Temple of Virtue may have been derived from a 1757 sermon by David Fordyce called The Temple of Virtue: A Dream.  "A pilgrim traveled to an eminence crowned by a "sacred mansion" of quadrangular form" whose whole fabric was simple and solemn..."  

In part to keep the soldiers gainfully occupied during the long winter months, Army Chaplain Israel Evans proposed the construction of a meeting hall in December 1782.  Unlike the soldier's huts, the building was handsomely finished with a vaulted ceiling and large, glazed windows.  The building was used primarily for church services as well as military functions and occasional musical performances.  Two rooms on one end were offices and a store for the quartermaster and commissary, and two on the other side were used for officer meetings and issuing general orders. 

This reenactor spent a long time with me inside the Temple of Virtue, and we discussed the Badge of Merit, the Badge of Military Merit, and the Massachusetts 8th Regiment.  

The certificate for the Badge of Merit awarded to Abner Poland

at Newburgh, NY by General George Washington

(click to enlarge)

For the truly curious:

A children's book The Medal With a Heart, by Karen Kulinski, 2018, M.T. Publishing Company, Evansville, Indiana (I bought my copy of this book at the Independence Museum in Exeter, NH). 

The New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site webpage:   https://parks.ny.gov/historic-sites/newwindsor/maps.aspx  

Wikipedia article on the New Windsor Cantonment:   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Windsor_Cantonment_State_Historic_Site  

My blog post (part 1) on Washington's Headquarters at Newburgh, New York:   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/03/george-washingtons-headquarters-at.html  

My blog post on (part 2) The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor:   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-national-purple-heart-hall-of-honor.html

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site (the last Continental Army encampment of the Revolutionary War)", Nutfield Genealogy, posted April 1, 2025, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/04/new-windsor-cantonment-state-historic.html: accessed [access date]). 

The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, New Windsor, New York

 This is part two of three blog posts on a visit to the Newburgh/New Windsor, New York historic sites from the American Revolutionary War.  

Entrance to the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, New Windsor, New York

Last fall we visited Newburgh, New York to see George Washington's last Revolutionary War headquarters, and the museum staff recommended that we go down the road to see the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor in New Windsor.  I was at Newburgh to see where George Washington had awarded by ancestor, Abner Poland (1761 - 1835) of Essex, Massachusetts a Badge of Merit. General Washington had devised two awards at his headquarters, the first was to signify loyal military service, he ordered a chevron to be worn on the left sleeve of the uniform coat for the rank and file that had completed three years of duty "with bravery, fidelity, and good conduct", two chevrons signified six years of service.  Abner Poland had served more than seven years, through to the Battle of Yorktown.  

The second badge General Washington awarded was for "any singularly meritorious Action"  "The figure of a Heart in Purple Cloth or Silk edged with narrow Lace or Binding".  This Badge of Military Merit was sewn on the left breast of the uniform coat.  Due to the war ending, and many other distractions, Washington only awarded three of these purple badges.  The Purple Heart was reinstated after World War I for soldiers who suffered injuries or death.  

It was at this museum, The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, where I learned about the two awards established by General Washington.  I have a copy of Abner Poland's certificate signed by George Washington, and it is stored at the National Archives in Washington, DC.  Abner's widow, Sarah Burnham Poland (about 1759 - 1846) used this certificate to apply for a Revolutionary War widow's pension. 

This museum is located right next door to the New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site.  The Hall and the Cantonment share a parking lot.  Both are worthy of a visit. These sites are only a few miles from General George Washington's Headquarters in Newburgh.  

When you press the button, you can see an actual Badge of Military Merit,

originally awarded to Sergeant Elijah Churchill in 1782.

Badge of Military Merit

General Washington wished to honor 

his enlisted soldier's merit, but Congress

limited his power to do so.  In a general

order dated 7 August 1782, issued in 

Newburgh, New York, Washington

established the Badge of Military Merit.

Only three Badges of Military Merit are

verified to have been awarded.

A close up of the original felt, embroidered 

Badge of Military Merit. 

This Purple Heart medal belonged to

World War I veteran Howard R. Bouton.

As the accompanying letter (facsimile)

describes, Mr. Bouton received this 

medal in 1944 for wounds he had

sustained during World War I. 

A display about the New Windsor, New York Cantonment

at the end of the Revolutionary War

Why Here on 

These Grounds?

At the end of the Revolutionary War, army officers met

here to select the first know recipients of the Badge of

Military Merit.  Three months after the modern Purple

Heart was created in 1932, 136 local World War I

veterans were awarded their Purple Hearts in a 

ceremony held on these very grounds.               

The Hall of Honor continues this tradition of honoring

service and sacrifice.  Purple Heart recipients are those

service members who were killed or wounded by enemy

action.  Our mission is to collect, preserve and share the

stories of all Purple Heart recipients.                           

Badge of Merit certificate for Abner Poland signed by George Washington

For the truly curious:

Last week's blog post on Washington's Last Headquarters in Newburgh, NY:   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/03/george-washingtons-headquarters-at.html  

The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor:   https://www.thepurpleheart.com/   

The New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site:    https://parks.ny.gov/historic-sites/newwindsor/maps.aspx   

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, New Windsor, New York", Nutfield Genealogy, posted March 25, 2025, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-national-purple-heart-hall-of-honor.html: accessed [access date]). 

George Washington's Headquarters at Newburgh, New York

This is part one of three blog posts about the historic sites at Newburgh/New Windsor, New York where my ancestor recieved the Badge of Merit from General George Washington. 

Washington's Headquarters at Newburgh, New York

Last fall we visited Washington's Headquarters, a New York state park located on the banks of the Hudson River in Newburgh.  Washington was stationed here for more than 16 months at the end of the Revolutionary War.  Although it was not as famous as his winter headquarters at Valley Forge, it was his longest stay at any headquarters during the war. 

This stone house was built around 1725 and then owned by the Hasbrouck family.  The Continental Army was encamped nearby during the war at the New Windsor Cantonment.  Washington moved into the house on 1 April 1782 and left on 19 August 1783.  While he was in Newburgh he established the Badge of Military Merit, which was to be awarded to enlisted men for long and faithful service.  It was awarded to three men at Newburgh, all stationed nearby in New Windsor. The ceremony took place on the front lawn of the headquarters at Newburgh.  Then, with the war coming to a close, no more Badges of Military Merit were awarded by Washington. The program was abandoned until World War 1.  

It was during Washington's time at Newburgh, New York that the Newburgh Conspiracy occured.  In March some of the New Windsor Cantonment officers wrote an anonymous letter to take action against Congress.  They were angry about lack of pay, and threatened to disband the army. General Washington gave a speech known as the "Newburgh Address" to persude the officers to remain loyal to Congress and to him.   

The house was returned to the Hasbrouck family after Washington left.  The property remained in the family until 1848 when the owners defaulted on a mortgage payment and were forced to leave.  The house became the property of the state of New York, and later became a public historic site.  In 1910 a two story brick museum was added to the property, and the Hasbrouck house was decorated to reproduce how it looked during the Revolutionary War.   A monument "Tower of Victory" was built in 1887.  It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1961. 

Several years ago I was researching my ancestor, Abner Poland (1761 - 1835), who served in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War.  His service with the 8th Massachusetts Regiment included the battles at Hubbardston, Stillwater, Monmouth, and Yorktown - a total of seven years and six months.  Abner Poland received the Badge of Merit on 13 June 1783 from George Washington at Newburgh.  The certificate granted to Abner Poland read:  "The above Corporal Poland has been honored with the Badge of Merit for seven years and six months faithful service.  M. Jackson Colonel". You can find the link below for my interesting blog post on this unique certificate, signed by George Washington. 

Years later, Sarah Burnham Poland, his widow, applied for a widow's pension on 1 February 1837, and received $88 per year, which began on 4 September 1837. Sarah lived until 1846.  Sarah and Abner are buried at the Oakgrove Cemetery behind the Community Church in Enfield, New Hampshire. 

The Tower of Victory by the Hudson River

Items on display at the Newburgh museum

The Badge of Merit certificate awarded to Abner Poland

at Newburgh, New York and signed by General George Washington

(click to enlarge)

For the truly curious:

Washington's Headquarters at Wikipedia:   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington%27s_Headquarters_State_Historic_Site   

Washington's Headquarters, NY state park website:   https://parks.ny.gov/historic-sites/17/details.aspx  

For more information on Abner Poland, my 5th great grandfather, in blog posts:

Surname Saturday - POLAND of Essex County, Massachusetts:   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/04/surname-saturday-poland-of-essex-county.html   

George Washington Signed Here? A Mystery Document:   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2010/10/amanuensis-monday-george-washington.html   

Tombstone Tuesday - Abner Poland, Enfield, New Hampshire:   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2017/10/tombstone-tuesday-my-5th-great.html    

The National Archives - Good News/Bad News (my trip to NARA to see Washington's signature on Abner Poland's discharge):   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2011/04/national-archives-good-news-bad-news.html  

The National Archives - They read my blog!?     https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2011/04/national-archives-they-read-my-blog.html   

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "George Washington's Headquarters at Newburgh, New York", Nutfield Genealogy, posted March 18, 2025, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/03/george-washingtons-headquarters-at.html: accessed [access date]).