Martha Washington’s Winter Vacation 1779-1780

Martha Washington is greeted by George Washington upon her arrival at the Ford Mansion.

NPS/Keith Rocco

When you think of a winter vacation spot, Morristown, N.J. during the worst winter in United States history, is probably not high on your list. But that is exactly where Martha Washington wanted to spend her time in 1780.

Her husband General Washington was too busy to return home. In fact, during the 8 years of the American Revolution, General Washington only returned home for a few days before and after the victory at Yorktown in 1781. As a result, every winter of the 8 year war Martha traveled from Virginia to visit her husband.

Martha Washington’s 1779 trip to Morristown wasn’t easy. She started her trip late in the season with snow already on the ground. When she reached Philadelphia on December 21st, the snow was too deep for her horse-drawn coach to proceed to Morristown. General Washington had to send an officer with a horse-drawn sleigh to bring her from Philadelphia to Morristown. She finally arrived at the Ford Mansion on December 31, 1779.

 

George and Martha's home, Mount Vernon, located in Virginia.

NPS Photo

Once she had settled in, Mrs. Washington took up the job of overseeing the work of the servants and cooks of the general’s household. She visited or entertained other women who were visiting their families in camp. One visitor, Elizabeth Schuyler described Mrs. Washington that winter: “She was then almost fifty years old, but was still handsome. She was quite short, a plump little woman with dark brown eyes, her hair a little frosty and very plainly dressed for such a grand lady, as I considered her. She wore a plain brown gown of homespun stuff, a large white neckerchief, a neat cap, and her plain gold wedding ring which she had worn more than twenty years. Her graces and cheerful manner delighted us.” Mrs. Washington’s camp visit also included social functions with her husband including dances, dinners and military reviews for visiting ambassadors and congressmen. When the visiting Spanish Ambassador became ill, Martha became his nurse.

General Washington left the Ford Mansion on June 7, 1780 to deal with a British invasion that had advanced as far as Springfield. But he returned briefly on June 15^th to say farewell to his wife as she began her month-long trip back to Virginia. A very fatigued Martha Washington finally arrived home on July 14^th. She described her Morristown winter vacation: “there was not much pleasure thar the distress of the army and other difficultys th’o I did not know the cause, the pore General was so unhappy that it distressed me exceedingly….” And after all her travel problems she swore: “I suffered so much last winter by going late that I have determined to go early in the fall before the Frost set in.”