The 4th Battalion New Jersey Volunteers

The reconstructed 4th Battalion New Jersey Volunteers (4th NJV), Royal Provincial Corps began its portrayal of the events of the American Revolutionary War in 1977 in Bergen County, New Jersey for the Bicentennial commemoration. Since then, the organization has fluctuated in size over time, with several other companies of the 4th NJV cropping up across the eastern United States. Today, while our unit is still based in New Jersey, the 4th Battalion NJV also has an additional contingent in Washington D.C., founded in 2024. Our unit participates in a number of events throughout the year that can include local commemorative events, parades, public outreach at historic sites, and the large battle reenactments with which the hobby is most associated.

Our organization’s namesake began constituting in secret during the summer of 1776, at the time of the arrival of General William Howe’s army on Staten Island. With British victories at the Battle of Brooklyn, Kip’s Bay, and finally at Ft. Washington and Ft. Lee, the Continental Army was pushed out of the New York area and out of New Jersey, which allowed our unit to formally establish itself and recruit from the city, its environs, and from whatever parts of the country the British army could reach. Companies of the 4th NJV then participated in every major campaign of the war and fought in most of the well-known battles of the war.

Our impression of the original unit is derived from the tireless research of our unit historians. Since photography did not exist at that time, and relatively few artifacts remain from the war, particularly from the 4th NJV, the “material culture” of our unit and the hobby is derived from our best understanding of what the unit likely looked like when documentation or paintings fail to fill in the blanks. Through this process, we are able to provide the general public with as accurate an impression of Loyalists in Revolutionary America as we can.

This organization and this hobby are great ways to escape from the present, step into nature, and get away from the world, one weekend at a time. We value bringing on new people as we continue to build a community of curious, adventurous, and responsible reenactors, both within and beyond the hobby. Additionally, our group provides ample opportunities for developing new skills, learning from esteemed historians, and educating the public — all while visiting the real places where American history was made. We hope that you’ll support our efforts and come see us at an event near you!

God Save the King!