BY LINDA DeNICOLA
Staff Writer
A crew from Granada TV was at Monmouth Battlefield State Park, Manalapan, recently to film scenes for a History Channel program about “Battlefield Detectives,” which will be broadcast at 9 p.m. Nov. 26. The Battle of Monmouth will take center stage in a History Channel documentary “Battlefield Detec-tives” to be broadcast at 9 p.m. Nov. 26.
The Revolutionary War battle was fought on June 28, 1778, in the area of present-day Route 522 (dubbed “The Battle of Monmouth Road”) at the border of Freehold Township and Manalapan. The battlefield stretches out toward Route 33.
Filmed on-site at Monmouth Battle-field State Park in Manalapan, the Covenhoven House and the Monmouth County Historical Association in Free-hold Borough and Valley Forge National Park, Pa., the program documents current historical detective work achieved through the archaeological excavations of BRAVO (Battlefield Restoration and Archaeological Volunteer Organization) members as they uncover artifacts from the Battle of Monmouth through use of state-of-the-art technology.
During filming for the show, actual artifacts including a musket ball, button, grapeshot and canister shot were discovered. Segments of the battle were re-enacted, including a Molly Pitcher sequence, which will also be featured in the program.
According to Monmouth Battlefield historian Garry Stone, the documentary was filmed after representatives of Gra-nada TV contacted Dan Sivilich, president of BRAVO. The film was produced by a crew of four, which included a director, assistant director, camera operator and sound man.
Stone explained that research, planning and editing for the program extended over a long period, and noted that filming occurred in locations other than the battlefield. The crew also visited scientists who could give insight into the effects of the weather, etc. There are interviews with historians, archaeologists, a meteorologist and at least one physician, he said, reiterating that the documentary is about how archaeology at the battlefield has discovered, confirmed and/or changed the understanding and interpretation of the Battle of Monmouth.
The battle was one in which British troops making their way from Philadel-phia to New York City engaged the forces of the Continental Army.
According to Sivilich, there were many aspects of the filming, which took about 114 hours of taping for a 50-minute program. The documentary also included filming of the 2004 battle re-enactment and will feature Mott’s Artillery playing the role of Proctor’s Artillery with the “Molly Pitcher” sequence. The 42nd Regi-ment of Foot re-enacting group is also featured.
Sivilich’s son, Eric, plays the role of Joseph Plumb Martin, who wrote his memoirs about the battle and was at Monmouth.
BRAVO is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit volunteer organization dedicated to the preservation of New Jersey’s historic sites.