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The Investigation of Monmouth Battlefield with Jane DohertyOn February 7, 1999, paranormal investigator Jane Doherty once again used her incredible gift to help archaeologists put history together. The request was made by Dan Sivilich, an expert in the Battle of Monmouth. Sivilich, along with a group of archaeologists and metal detectors, has been excavating the enormous battle site in Freehold, NJ for approximately 20 years. He and his group are responsible for unearthing thousands of artifacts from the battle, donating many items to museums, and helping to preserve an important piece of American history. Jane was given directions to a nature center in Freehold. Outside of that, she had absolutely no information about the area she was in or what it had been used for. Upon meeting at the nature center, Sivilich drove Jane, along with three other interested parties, to a secluded open field. Jane stood in the open area and immediately her stomach began to extend, indicating the presence of spirit activity. The first image she came up with was that of a building, followed by images of Indians and teepees in the area. The name "John Buckwald" also came to her. As she walked around a small patch of land, she at first felt there was a grave site in the immediate area. Then she amended her statement and said there were a lot of bodies, and that a mass burial was located beneath us. A distinct image of an Indian woman came to her, and she felt there was the possibility of a marriage between the woman and either an American or British soldier, wearing a large high hat possibly with some metal on it. She felt there was some kind of skirmish having to do with the woman, in that either she was given to the soldier as part of a deal, or that she was in some way connected to the soldier as part of a deal, but either way, the woman didn't want the marriage and there was a struggle going on over this. Then the name "Breckenridge" came to her. At that point Sivilich handed her grape shot, an item with which Jane was not familiar. As she held the grape shot, she got the image of a cannon, and felt she was standing in the middle of a battle with cannons and rifles firing. The image of rifles with bayonets also came to her. She then saw an American flag being raised in victory. At this point, Jane felt a strong pull to walk down a slope into an area north of the first site. Upon arriving at the location, she said it was a significant area for bodies and a battle. She also saw campfires in that area and urged Sivilich to excavate there. Sivilich then brought her to a third area in a southerly direction, where Jane felt the presence of a farm cart or wagon. She also felt there was a piece of a weapon, neither American nor British in origin, and possibly from a different time period. The phrase "spoils of the war" also came to her. In a fourth area to the west, Jane saw heavy fighting with bayonets. She saw soldiers charging with the bayonets rather than firing guns, and said that at some point during an excavation sounds of screams while charging and/or cannons firing will be heard. Jane mentioned that in the last portion of her drive to the nature center, as she drove along the road, her stomach suddenly extended, and she felt as if a large group was crossing the roadway. Sivilich drove Jane to the area, where Jane again felt heavy troop movement crossing the road. This was in the Belleterre section. Sivilich then drove everyone to the Parsonage. Jane's first impression was that of a small walking bridge crossing a watery area. She then saw what she described as an outdoor fire with a kettle over it and people huddled together. After a few moments she felt there was an "element of surprise" linked to the area, "as though the British were taken by surprise." She felt they were "reposed and scrambling to jump up as if people were asleep" when a sudden attack came. She also felt there were cannons in the area, and that there was a significant area to the southwest of the field where she stood. She saw soldiers wearing uniforms with "Tails" and there was definite troop movement. To the northeast she felt there is a buried building foundation, with another structure having been to the left of it and the possibility of bodies buried in the general area. Moving next to the Hedgerow area, Jane felt there were supplies kept in the vicinity, as if it were a place where supplies were being replenished. She also felt there had been a structure in the area. Jane then sensed troop movement in the open field area heading west, and she said there are artifacts to be uncovered in the field area and orchard there. She felt heavy fighting due west. It was not until Jane Doherty had completed her investigation in each area that Sivilich revealed what he knew from the historical evidence that has been recovered thus far. As to the first area in the open field well behind the nature center, Sivilich said he had good reason to believe there was a mass burial in the vicinity, due to the fact that a particularly brutal skirmish had taken place there. Not only did Jane pick up on the skirmish and the mass burial, but she pinpointed the spot where she believes the bodies are buried. An excavation of that site is planned for the near future. In addition, he stated that there was an Indian camp where Jane said she saw images of Indians and teepees, but that only three people in the state of New Jersey know about that site. In addition, the large high hat Jane saw a soldier wearing was a type that was known to belong to British soldiers. The cannons that Jane detected were indeed used in that battle, but Sivilich was particularly shocked by her impression that rifles and bayonets were used, because most people assume muskets were the weapon of choice, and most did not know about bayonets The Americans did win that battle, which corroborated her vision of the American flag being raised in victory. The second area to the north is now also marked for excavation upon Jane's recommendation, and Sivilich confirmed that the area could very possibly have been used for campsites. In the third area due south, Jane had detected a piece of a weapon that was neither American nor British. Sivilich said Germans did move through that area, so there is the possibility of that weapon being retrieved. The fourth area due west was the site of an intense battle using bayonets and cannons, and Sivilich confirmed the fact that troops would let out bloodcurdling screams when charging, as Jane had heard. In the Belleterre area where Jane detected heavy troop movement while driving in her car and again later, Sivilich confirmed that that was exactly what had taken place in that spot. He stated that Jane was right on the money ... "to the inch." In the field where the Parsonage once stood, Sivilich said there was a good possibility that a small walking bridge did exist at one time, because the area was swampy and impassable without a bridge. He was once again struck by the fact that she had a vision of an outdoor fire with a kettle over it, because he had already found the kettle buried on that site. He also said that the "element of surprise" upon British troops that Jane felt was very recently confirmed by artifacts found in the area. Recent findings indicate that American troops had been able to sneak their way through the area and launch a surprise attack on the British. Sivilich also said he had excavated a cannonball exactly in the area where Jane said there had been cannons. To the southwest where Jane said she saw images of soldiers with "tails," Sivilich said uniforms with tail coats were typically worn by the British troops there. The area in the distance that she pinpointed as "significant" was the site of Camp Vredenberg, an extremely significant site to the Battle of Monmouth. The final site, in the Hedgerow where Jane felt a supply building may have been located, has not yet been fully excavated. However, the few items that were found seem to be metal pieces from a door, therefore the possibility of a supply shed will be further investigated. The area to the west of the open field and orchard where Jane felt there had been heavy fighting was also confirmed by Sivilich, as it was a spot where American troops had drawn the British out into the open, and a heavy battle ensued. That area is now also slated for further excavation. Mr. Sivilich was truly awestruck by Jane's abilities and revelations. Once again, she refused to accept any monetary compensation for her hours of work on this project. Jane will be kept apprised as to the findings made pursuant to her investigation, and Mr. Sivilich is interested in having her revisit the area for further help in other sections of the battlefield. - Anita Stratos Copyright©2005 Jane Doherty. All rights reserved.
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