“When They See Us, They Remember Them” — Reenacting the Battle of Princeton

Will Krakower is no stranger to telling the story of the Battle of Princeton. The Resource Interpretive Specialist at Princeton Battlefield State Park brings the battle to life for thousands of people each year, conjuring vivid images of the battle in the minds of everyone from elementary school students to active-duty military. But January 4 was not an average day.  

As Krakower recounted the battle to his largest audience of the year, those gathered did not need to try so hard to imagine the action, and not just because the battlefield is in the middle of a major effort to restore it to its 1777 appearance. Along with his role at the park, Krakower is the narrator of Experience the Battle of Princeton, an annual living history event hosted by the Princeton Battlefield Society.  

Below freezing temperatures and blustery winds could not stop the 4,000 people who made the trek to mark the 249th anniversary of the battle. With complimentary coffee in hand, they lined the battlefield, watching as around 200 reenactors from across the country, complete with artillery, horses and fife and drum, met on the land that saw one of the defining engagements of the American Revolution.  

For an hour, Krakower shared with the audience the heroics of General George Washington’s amateur army, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat and saving the Revolutionary cause. When asked about the significance of an event like the reenactment, Krakower offered a sentiment shared by another reenactor: “When they see us, they remember them.” 

The Ten Crucial Days between George Washington’s Christmas crossing of the Delaware River and the January 3, 1777, Battle of Princeton changed the course of the Revolutionary War. The reenactment at Princeton is one of the rare battlefields where reenactors act out the battle on the ground where it happened, giving audiences a deeper appreciation of the strategy and bravery of the soldiers two-and-a-half centuries ago 

In recent decades, Princeton Battlefield State Park has been an overlooked historic treasure. With the 250th anniversary on the horizon, the American Battlefield Trust, Princeton Battlefield Society and New Jersey State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites launched the ambitious “Reimagining Princeton” project, a multi-year effort that aims to transform Princeton Battlefield State Park by restoring its historic landscape and enriching its educational and interpretive offerings. The organizations are urging the public to voice their support for the project, which includes a state-of-the-art visitor and education center, helping locals and visitors better understand the sacrifices that saved the Revolution. 

Though he could not share specifics, Krakower promised an even more impressive event for the upcoming 250th anniversary and teased collaboration with other sites of the Ten Crucial Days, including Washington’s Crossing and Trenton. For now, he reflected on the 249th anniversary event with immense pride. “These are hands-down the best people to work with, and I’m just so proud of what we did together.”