This is the second in a series.

The war at the shore began even before the Declaration of Independence was created; fittingly, it was over a lighthouse.

When the British abandoned Boston in March 1775, most believed they would return by striking at New York City, which would split the colonies in two. In early April, British forces took control of the Sandy Hook lighthouse after a failed attempt by the patriots to destroy it.

While both sides focused on the lighthouse, there was another reason Sandy Hook was important: It had a freshwater…