It does sound vaguely familiar. I don’t know if I learned about it in school or not, as I often read historical overviews for fun (though not “in-depth” material like battle strategy dissections of various campaigns or anything like that).
When I read the subject line I had in mind that it was some kind of battle from medieval English history, like maybe a Cromwellian thing. But then your further questions made it clear that it relates to American history.
In which case, I’m guessing it’s the Revolutionary War, and that Monmouth refers to New Jersey, and that I learned about it either in school (educated in NYC) or, more likely, from a plaque at the relevant rest stop on the NJ Turnpike.
I know we got something about Spanish Missions, but a lot of it was handled as background to explain the expansion of the US across the continent. So it was a matter of, ‘before important things for US happened out there, this was going on.’
Very bare bones. Of course, we got weeks on The Great Enlightenment, that I bet you escaped.
Now that I’ve read the rest of the thread: yes, I’m guessing I must remember it from the plaque at the Molly Pitcher rest stop on the NJ Turnpike, plus the fact that I was recently thinking about Monmouth County in NJ due to (a) another SDMB thread discussing how convenient Ft. Monmouth would be to NYC, and (b) visiting my old friend in Middletown, NJ in Monmouth County just this past weekend (which improved the connection with “Monmouth” and “NJ highways” in my unconscious mind).
I do remember reading about Molly Pitcher in a book about the Revolutionary War in elementary school, possibly in one of those 1970’s feminist-inspired “Herstory” passages highlighting the contribution of women to American history sprinkled throughout our reading material. But I don’t think the name of the battle would have stuck with me, even to the slight degree that it has, without having read that plaque at the rest stop any number of times.
Same here on both items. I heard of Molly in school but the battle I heard of after college in my own reading. Still, all I knew was that it was revolutionary and in New Jersey.
Did you learn about it in history class? I don’t really recall learning about it in history class.
Can you please tell me what state or country you were in school in? Long Island, New York
Do you remember any of the details of the Battle? I remember that it was part of the running series of engagements as Washington retreated down New Jersey after losing the battle of Long Island, but escaping with the bulk of his forces across northern Manhattan. I fairly recently read the history 1776 about this period, which is where I remember this from. I have also visited the historic park, but I don’t remember much about the battle there.
Do you know which War it took place in? U.S. War for Independence.
Do you know what State the Battle of Monmouth took place in? New Jersey
Now you mention it, I might have heard about it from that rest stop also. (Others were Walt Whitman and Joyce Kilmer.) Rest stops in the old days had Howard Johnsons where you could get hamburgers with smothered onions. Mmmm - smothered onions.
Going straight to the quick reply, not even stopping in Spoilerville:
I think it was a Revolutionary War battle, don’t know who won, in New Jersey. (I say N.J. because I know there’s a Fort Monmouth, NJ, so I’m making an assumption.)
I’m a 56-year-old native Coloradoan, entirely a product of Colorado public schools.
Now I’m gonna’ go Google the battle.
{prepares to be utterly humiliated by his own ignorance}
I was all ready to shoot my mouth off about the Monmouth Rebellion of 1685 until I saw the final question.
(British, educated in state schools; did not learn about the Battle of Monmouth in school, knew nothing about it before reading this thread. Was probably taught about the Monmouth Rebellion in school, but wasn’t paying attention at the time; learned about it during a visit to Taunton, where James Duke of Monmouth proclaimed himself king in opposition to James II … there’s not much to do in Taunton besides read the occasional historical signpost-y thing, you see.)
Schooled in Seattle (1-2), Potomac (3-4), Atlanta (5-9), Clearwater (10-12)
Guesses would be Monmouth, NJ as location, and War of Independence as the war. These are based on a colleague that I knew from a NJ location whose daughter matriculated at Monmouth State. I’m pretty weak on details for most wars that didn’t occur in the 20th century, not sure that details of battles are, for the most part, pertinent to a good education. Reasons for wars being fought, won and/or lost is probably the most important part. The rest is trivia.
I did my elementary school years at St. Peter’s in Pt. Pleasant, NJ (just on the south side of the Ocean/Monmouth County border). Unfortunately, I have little recollection of anything that I was taught back then – hmm…rephrase – I have little recollection of being specifically taught anything back then. Yeah, that’s probably more accurate.
I’m vaguely aware of the Battle of Monmouth…I know it was during the Revolutionary, but that’s about it. I don’t recall the teachers and nuns at St. Peter’s ever mentioning it, though.
This surprises me, you grew up so close to me and and nearly the same time period. It seems amazing that your history teachers did not cover the one famous battle in our County’s history*. I wonder if it was because it was Catholic school.
As a side note: my wife did not realize that it was the battle associated with “Molly Pitcher” and she actually worked at the park one summer.
Jim
Pt. Pleasant & Brick were part of Monmouth County back then.
Yeah, the Second Battle of Monmouth was far more memorable, what with a mostly-blind Walt Whitman and Joyce Kilmer going at it bare-knuckled for 18 rounds on the beach at Sandy Hook, now that was something.
Anachronistic joking aside – did you realize that Joyce Kilmer was a dude? He’s best known for the poem Trees (“I think that I shall never see, A poem lovely as a tree…”).
