The Archaeological Society of Delaware invites everyone to join and hear about a presentation by Wade C. Catts. During the summer of 2022, as part of a public archaeology program at Red Bank Battlefield Park in Gloucester County, New Jersey, a mass burial space was discovered. The burial space is thought to contain the remains of Hessian soldiers who lost their lives during the Revolutionary War attack on Fort Mercer, October 22, 1777. Catts will summarize the Park's history and the battle's history, as well as the archaeological fieldwork and forensic research. The multi-disciplinary project team's work is continuing, and highlights from some of the team's analyses, interpretations, and future plans for the remains will be presented.

Wade P. Catts is the President and Principal of South River Heritage Consulting (Newark, Delaware) and an adjunct professor with the history department at Rowan University. He is the co-director of the Red Bank Battlefield Archaeology Project, an award-winning project  The New Jersey Historical Commission recognized the Red Bank Battlefield Archaeology Project for its significant contribution to New Jersey history in 2023. Catts earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in American History from the University of Delaware. A Registered Professional Archaeologist (RPA) Catts has more than 40 years of experience as an historical archaeologist specializing in history, archaeology, and historic preservation. He is a nationally and internationally recognized historian and historical archaeologist with research interests in the history of farmsteads and agricultural landscapes, military history and archaeology, environmental history, African-American studies, and Middle Atlantic regional history and historic preservation.

Archaeology is a scientific discipline that seeks to understand how people lived in the past. It is the only means of learning new information about those who left no written records and provides another avenue of study for those who did leave records. Delaware prehistory dates back of 12,000 years and there is a rich colonial history: all of which can be studied through archaeology.

The Archaeological Society of Delaware is a non-profit organization established to promote the preservation and study of archaeological sites in Delaware. Advocacy is an important aspect of the society as sites succumb to development, coastal erosion, and infrastructure projects. Membership is open to all persons with an interest and there are three chapters (New Castle, Kent, and Sussex).