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The way Jerry Hurwitz sees it, it doesn’t take an Einstein to understand the significance of the hallowed ground on which a pivotal Revolutionary War Battle of Princeton was fought 230 years ago.
Part of the battle on Jan. 3, 1777, was waged on 22 acres of gently sloping farmland now owned by the Institute for Advanced Study. The institute — an independent, private research institution that counted physicist Albert Einstein among its faculty — is adjacent to the 85-acre Princeton Battlefield State Park.
But that section of the battlefield was never incorporated into the state park, and the institute is now reviving a plan to build housing for 15 families on eight of the 22 acres. That has Hurwitz, president of the Princeton Battlefield Society, and the society’s activists ready for battle.
‘‘We are not against the institute building housing; we are just saying, ‘Don’t build on the field,’ ’’ said Hurwitz, a Princeton attorney. ‘‘Honor the sacrifice of the soldiers and New Jersey’s historical heritage. New Jersey wants to be known as the Crossroads of the Revolution. What are people going to see, housing?’’
The institute wants to erect seven single-family houses and two four-unit townhouse blocks for faculty. Asked when it would move on the proposal, institute spokeswoman Margaret Sullivan said, ‘‘This will not happen until detailed plans and specifications are completed, a process that will take several more months.’’
The 77-year-old institute, situated to the east of the battlefield, is a world-renowned center where about 200 scholars work on long-range research. Ein- stein was one of the institute’s first faculty members, serving from 1933 until his death in 1955, and played a significant role in its early development. The institute has produced numerous Nobel laureates.
The institute initially proposed the housing in 2003 when it presented a concept plan to the Princeton Regional Planning Board. The proposal quickly drew opposition from the Battlefield Society and other history community activists and was turned away as flawed.
The institute sold 34 acres to the state when the Princeton Battlefield State Park was being assembled, and it sold development rights to nearly 600 acres of ecologically valuable land that is now permanently preserved as woodlands, fields, streams and paths.
‘‘DEP has had discussions with the institute expressing interest in the purchase of the remaining property,’’ said Elaine Makatura, spokeswoman for the Department of Environmental Protection.
Preservationists would like to see the state buy the land but doubt the Corzine administration has the money. There is no money set aside for land purchases.
Hurwitz said the institute’s ownership of the land was never an issue until it revealed plans to build housing there. The acreage had been used for farming for generations.
Christine Ferrara, an institute spokeswoman, said the institute wants to specifically use the eight acres to provide faculty housing within walking distance of the campus as part of ‘‘the most favorable environment to sustain what is literally a community of scholars.’’
‘‘The institute is limiting the proposed housing to eight acres and plans to relinquish development rights to land adjacent to the housing, when built, increasing by at least 10 acres the land around the battlefield to be conserved in perpetuity,’’ she said.
Institute officials say the housing would be built 200 feet from the state park border and hidden by a buffer of new evergreens and the existing row of greenery.
Historian Alfred A. Woodhull in 1913 described the battlefield as ‘‘the narrow arena on which was decided the fate of a nation.’’
The 85-acre state-run battlefield has its own problems. The battlefield was dedicated in 1946 and named a national historic site in 1961, but there are no map stands or markers on the field to provide visitors with an explanation of the battle.
The main map stand placed by the battlefield flagpole in 1964 fell apart piece by piece in recent years and only its crumbling bricks remain. The DEP foresees a need to spend $400,000 for improvements to the William Clarke House museum and the grounds.
John Mills, the battlefield park’s historian, is staying out of any housing controversy, but said there is ‘‘no question’’ there was actual fighting on the land at issue.
Mills said the American right flank approaching from the southeast confronted the British left flank holding the high ground on the institute land. Pennsylvania riflemen, New England regulars and a Philadelphia artillery unit joined there and took part in the lastditch push that led to the British retreat and surrender.
‘‘It is amazing all the maneuvering that went on here. This was a critical juncture in the American Revolution,’’ Mills said of the battlefield. ‘‘The battles of Princeton and Trenton (a week earlier) kept the American army in the field and Washington in command. There was some question before that. The Battle of Princeton was Washington’s first victory over British troops and the first major land action for the U.S. Marine Corps.’’
In the opening minutes, the battle was turning into a British rout when Gen. George Washington appeared on a white charger with reinforcements who had arrived on the dead run.
‘‘Parade with us, my brave fellows,’’ Washington shouted at the retreating troops. ‘‘There is but a handful of the enemy and we shall have them directly.’’
Washington led his troops to within 30 yards of the British line and gave the order to fire. John Fitzgerald, one of his staff officers, said he could not bear to watch Washington place himself in danger. When the British returned the volley, Fitzgerald said he pulled his hat over his eyes so he would not see Washington fall. When the smoke cleared, the officer said he saw Washington still mounted and leading his troops forward.
The battle lasted 45 minutes. The Americans put about 2,000 troops on the field and suffered 40 killed or wounded. The British sent in 500 to 750 soldiers and had 28 killed, 58 wounded, 187 missing and 300 captured.
Washington called on his men to follow him as he galloped after the retreating British.
‘‘It’s a fine fox chase, my boys!’’ he shouted.
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