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Findings in the Journals of the Continental Congress

Unfortunately, the Oxford Furnace was not called upon to produce munitions for the Revolution, at least it was not mentioned in the Journals. From what we were able to surmise, there were only a handful of furnaces (just not Oxford) that were tasked with munitions production that includes the Cornwall Iron Furnace cast cannons and shot. The Hopewell, Warwick, and Durham Furnaces (PA) produced war-time materials. In NJ, Batsto and Pompton Furnces were vital for producing thousands of cannonballs and grapeshot for the Continental Army. while Union Iron Works (High Bridge) manufactured cannonballs. In Maryland, the Catoctin Iron Furnace provided iron for cannonballs and Northampton Furnace manufactured shot and weapons.

Is it possible that Oxford cast cannonballs and shot? Maybe, but we're not sure until we find the documents to substantiate it.

In the meantime, let's talk about our first national debt. Production of war munitions was not cheap, but also add into the cost the payment of both soldiers & sailors of the Continental Army, militias, etc., uniforms (which militiamen didn't wear yet), food, other supplies, etc. War is a costly endeavor.

From 1777 to 1789, our government was under the Articles of Confederation (AoC), a precursor to our Constitution. It was approved by all thirteen states (Second Continental Congress) and it adopted on 15 Nov 1777.

1. Create the name "The United States of America" (combination of all 13 states)
2. State governments had their own powers not listed in the AoC.
3. Combined states were responsible for protecting each other from attacks
4. People can travel freely from state to state; criminals who left the state where they committed a crime would be sent back for trial
5. Created the Congress of the Confederation (each state = 1 vote in Congress; each state sent 2-7 delegates)
6. New gov't responsible for working with other countries (trade agreements, declaring war); states required to have trained soldiers (militia) ready to fight
7. States could choose their own military leaders
8. States had to raise money to give to the new central gov't
9. Central gov't had power to declare war and make peace with foreign countries (not states); assigned Ambassadors to represent the U.S. in other countries (ambassadors)
10. Create "Committee of States" that could act for the Congress when it wasn't in session
11. Canada could join if they wanted
12. Central Gov't to pay earlier war debts (consolidate)
13. AoC was permanent, but could only be changes by the Congress and agreement of all states

As you can see, there isn't a provision for taxation (which is a major issue leading to the Revolution).

The new Country had to rely upon loans from Spain, France and even the Netherlands in terms of cash, weapons, uniforms, other supplies, and manpower.

FRANCE.

The French government began to secretly send war materials to the American revolutionaries in late 1775. They created dummy corporations to receie French funds and military supplies.
One of the American Commissioners to France, Silas Deane, was accused of fraud by another commissioner Arthur Lee. Later, the early French aid resurfaced and led to the XYZ Affair in 1797. This led to a Quasi-War with France ("US Debts & Foreign Loans").

Total loan:
1.3 billion livres (financial and material support)

SPAIN.

The Spanish government provided direct and indirect financial support to the Americans, most of it disguised through private trading companies to avoid being pulled into the war. Some of the money was acquired through taxing of the Spanish people, but also a Royal Order from King Carlos III in 1780 asked Spanish and indigenous males in the Americas to donate $2, and also $1 in equivalent goods. Alta California sent $4,216.00 ("Spain's Involvement").

Total loan:
2 million livres (financial and material support)
Additional loans:
$74,087 to Oliver Pollock and Thomas William (Patriots)
$174,011 to John Jay (US Emissary to Spain)

NETHERLANDS (Dutch).
Dutch banking houses in Amsterdam (Jan de Neufville & Son) lent large sums of money to the Continental Congress, secured by future trade agreements. Funding used for purchasing supplies and sustaining the war effort. Although there's no definitive amount, it was crucial to the American cause. John Adams once referred to the Dutch as the "Treasury of Europe" ("Reluctant Ally").

Loans:
De la Lande & Finjne (Dutch Bankers): 5 million guilders (due to John Adams)
Eleven Dutch loans (1784, 1787, 1788): 29 guilders, or $22 billion USD in 2026
Dutch to Henry Laurens of SC: $10 million (26 Oct 1779)
Dutch muskets, cannons and other armaments

The government (Congress and AoC) struggled to pay off the loans and, at times, the US defaulted on some French interest payments (1785, 1787). The major foreign loan from France was extinguished on 9 July 1795. Financier James Swan paid off $2,024,899 US national debt accrued during the Revolution and resold the debts at a profit on domestic US markets. Swan was a proponent of the Revolution, participated in the Boston Tea Party, and was wounded twice at Bunker Hill. Due to the fluctuating market, he spent 22 years in debtors prison (Paris) where he died in 1830.

Meanwhile, the American furnaces and ironworks were paid for the munitions they produced, during and after the Revolution.

#Warren250 #NJ250 #CrossroadsNJ #America250 #WarrenCoNJ #ShippenManor

RESOURCES

"Articles of Confederation, 1777." Milestone Documents. National Archives. www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/articles-of-confederation.

Casteels, Isabel. "Dutch Money for an American Revolution." Low Countries. 29 June 2026. www.the-low-countries.com/article/dutch-money-for-an-american-revolution/.

"Hopewell Furnace in the American Revolution." National Park Service. 16 Feb 2025. www.nps.gov/hofu/learn/historyculture/hopewellintheamericanrevolution.htm.

Marsella, Nicholas R. "Reluctant Ally: The Dutch Republic and the American Revolution." Journal of the American Revolution. allthingsliberty.com/2026/02/reluctant-ally-the-dutch-republic-and-the-american-revolution/.

Murry, Mildred and Chuck Lampman. "Spain's Involvement in the American Revolution." Amerian Revolution. www.americanrevolution.org/spains-role-in-the-american-revolution/.

"Ratification of the Fourth Dutch Loans, 4 July 1788." Founders Online. National Archives. founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/06-19-02-0230.

Shaw, Travis. "France in the American Revolution." American Battlefield Trust. 6 Jan 2021, updated 9 Dec 2024. www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/france-american-revolution.

"The Netherlands and the American Revolution." Revolutino Around the World. Museum of the American Revolution. www.amrevmuseum.org/the-netherlands-and-the-american-revolution.

"US Debt and Foreign Loans, 1775-1795." Archive. US Department of State. 2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/ho/time/nr/91860.htm.

"Who paid off the Revolutionary War's $2,024,899 US national debt?" David Bruce Smith's Grateful American's Foundation. gratefulamericanfoundation.org/who-paid-off-the-2024899-u-s-national-debt-today/. ... See MoreSee Less