battle white marsh battle white marsh battle philadelphia campaign american revolutionary war fought december area surrounding pennsylvania battle took form series skirmish actions major engagement british american forces george_washington commander chief american revolutionary forces spent weeks defeat battle continental_army locations north british occupied philadelphia early november americans established entrenched position approximately miles north philadelphia primarily situated hills pike washington monitored british troop movements philadelphia evaluated options december sir commander chief british forces north_america led sizable contingent troops philadelphia attempt destroy washington continental_army onset winter series skirmishes howe called attack returned philadelphia engaging washington decisive conflict british philadelphia washington able march troops winter quarters background movement battle october defeat battle washington army retreated pike mill creek remained october marched east turned left present day old foot road marched camped property near brig died wounds incurred buried meeting cemetery washington remained week gathering supplies waiting howe october washington moved forces learning howe withdrawal philadelphia washington moved army miles closer philadelphia october october washington army numbered militia terms soldiers maryland virginia ranks reinforced washington dispatched brigade assist defense november recommendation council war washington marched forces white marsh approximately miles northwest philadelphia white marsh army began build defensive works surrender british washington began drawing troops north including men rhode_island brigade men pennsylvania maryland virginia units gates sent col rifle corps brigades additional forces pending onset winter washington face problem supplying army quarter troops blankets warm clothing washington desperate offered reward person supply best substitute shoes raw hides morale low common washington offered pardon october returned january washington loss philadelphia inactivity brought criticism congress pressured attack city called council war november voted attack nonetheless washington rode day view british defenses turned stronger expected october howe withdrew british forces focused defense philadelphia british military engineer supervised building series fourteen formidable began upper ferry extended eastward shores north philadelphia howe took advantage time philadelphia raise additional forces loyalist population region newly promoted reinforced unit lost quarter men battle son notable loyalist raised 1st lieutenant colonel loyalist raised 1st given command recruitment took place city irish catholic population formation counties immediately surrounding philadelphia mid november fall effectively ended american control needed supplies began arriving city docks additional british soldiers weeks major armies sitting miles conflict ensued man land white marsh minor skirmishes light troops increased intensity november daily losses incurred british americans retaliation november howe ordered troops set fire large country houses area including mansion country estate previously belonged houses burned ground residents philadelphia climbed church watch spectacle day earlier crowds gathered watch burning commodore delaware morning burned earthquake struck philadelphia felt far away lancaster november aurora lit night skies events caused stir residents philadelphia troops british american alike took ominous sign things come early december howe decided despite having written colonial secretary lord requesting relieved command position attempt destroy washington army onset winter began preparations attack american forces washington intelligence network philadelphia led aware british plans surprise americans according historically story howe movements revealed americans woman named british officers house discussing howe plan crossed british lines deliver information col continental_army rising sun tavern northern liberties located present day intersection avenue attempting secure provisions immediately relayed information washington continental_army ready howe force approximately men marched philadelphia prior midnight december advance column led lord headed second column led marched american left day battle midnight december vanguard consisted british light infantry battalions american cavalry patrol command near mile run road sent messenger washington british movements main body british troops marched american alarm cannons sounded positions manned british halted south american defenses waited night washington ordered troops build additional british looked thousand men day merely trick wrote expecting confrontation washington took precaution striking tents sunrise sent heavy baggage north dispatched troops find size intent british column brig pennsylvania militia took men marched chestnut hill brig brigade pennsylvania militia 2nd connecticut regiment men moved screen right noon detachment encountered british light infantry north pennsylvania militia got volley soon routed british attempting rally fleeing troops fingers shot taken prisoner fell horse potter brigade immediately fled despite orders advance skirmish british light infantry 2nd connecticut brief stand killing wounding including sir british col decided push advantage scattering troops pushed north captured located howe arrived short later ascended church bell tower attempt view american positions deciding american defenses strong attack present force opted shell defenses artillery fire guns range hit washington defenses forces camped night planned new way attack following day second days battle armies spent december watching howe hoped washington leave positions attack british washington preferring instead let british maneuvering day end howe decided flanking movement americans left forces create distraction attacking american center december howe marched british_army remained noon british movements concealed ridge washington aware howe maneuvering immediately moved col maryland militia eastward cover left flank mile right detachment brig brigade pennsylvania militia 2nd col proceeded road edge hill movement british rear guard including hindered burning villages troops column howe right situated near main force moved edge hill ridge ran parallel mile american lines grey column broken main column proceeded american center grey instructed attack heard sound firing howe column hours decided proceed formed column divisions left road light infantry guards right headed direction tavern road grey advanced american center troops took fire american militia edge hill militia quickly routed thirty killed taken prisoners horse near country estate attempted rally potter fleeing pennsylvania militia col officer charge 2nd connecticut resented reed assumption command later complained washington officers men confusion rendered impossible necessary going action british soon surrounded outnumbered pennsylvania militia panicked fled 2nd connecticut stand firing rounds man gave order retreat yards position point reed separated militia reed horse shot body charged officers rode ordered charge scattered took officers safety pennsylvania militia fled panic edge hill main american camp right men 2nd connecticut retreat pursued yards fell took position edge hill grey troops howe main column morgan maryland militia taken position edge hill mile east grey troops higher ridge small group americans moved attack col quickly repulsed british lord stationed light infantry noted 4th 23rd regiments engaged americans men killed wounded british reported american killed main body morgan troops engaged howe main column dense woods fought indian style tree tree maryland militia attacked unusual british officers encountering militia flee sign battle later express admiration skill morgan men morgan troops reinforced forced retreat main camp sent 33rd regiment foot british withdrawal morning december british generals engineers studied american positions looking advantage exploit american defenses british americans howe decided withdraw return philadelphia despite successful major skirmishes previous days maneuvering gotten far american flank hoped troops provisions running low nights getting colder troops left gear philadelphia says howe decided washington defenses strong warrant risk general assault british began withdrawal lighting numerous tactic similar washington days prior conceal movements american reconnaissance party led discovered howe marching philadelphia communicated information washington morgan troops harassed enemy rear particular grey column hindered weight artillery transporting contingent formed oppose morgan troops retreated british arrived philadelphia later day casualties american official casualty return december known exist information sources december says general force took casualties loyalist officer british_army wrote captured men december says americans lost killed wounded captured figure prisoners taken confirmed journal december colonel stated loss morgan killed wounded american wrote morgan killed wounded major morris brave officer reference major 1st figure evidently force morgan command figure confirms seven killed wounded major morris badly wounded lost wounded december says lost killed wounded prisoners sources aggregate american loss december appear killed wounded captured 5th killed wounded captured 6th killed wounded 7th killed wounded captured 8th gives killed wounded captured total loss men lord wrote diary number killed wounded officer killed figure agrees approximately howe official casualty return different skirmishes 4th 8th december gives killed wounded missing gives total british loss including suggest men deserted aftermath washington frustrated able confront howe decisive action wrote report president congress wish attack issue probability disposition troops strong situation camp fortunate happy time add reason principle policy forbade post attack success justified measure expected position december continental_army left took soldiers days mile journey following april howe resigned post returned britain replaced sir following france entry war british evacuated philadelphia overland following spring route new_york_city attacked washington remains american visible near stone chimneys soldier makeshift late battle alluded journal author later views remains nearby camp fort encompasses portion area occupied american forces established early 1920s philadelphia today managed park fort hill marks spot temporary fort stood western end american position armstrong held positions park militia hill nearby washington headquarters november december remains standing despite destructive modernization
Battle of White Marsh