 On February 19, with the Continental Army in desperate need of provisions, Brigadier General Anthony Wayne led a force across the Delaware River south of Philadelphia on a foraging expedition through southern New Jersey.General Howe responded by sending a force of about 4,000 men to harass Wayne.However, Wayne moved rapidly northward, gathering provisions, forcing residents to move supplies he could not take away from easy British reach, and occasionally skirmishing with the chasing British.