The courthouse was the site of a daring raid during the American Revolution by one of the Loyalists' best operatives, Lieutenant
James Moody. In 1780, Moody led several men to free eight Loyalist prisoners held in the Sussex County Courthouse. Moody freed the men and fled with them. Despite a pursuit lasting several days, Revolutionary forces failed to capture them. The court was gutted by fire in 1847 and rebuilt within the original fieldstone walls. ==See also==