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103:
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protestations that he acted under duress, was convicted and hanged in 1778 for assisting
Cornwallis) as a guide, Cornwallis crossed the Schuylkill at Middle Ferry, drawing a round of musket fire from the American picket there before it withdrew. Cornwallis then proceeded up the road toward Matson's Ford. His force consisted of battalions of British light infantry and grenadiers, one brigade of regular infantry, two troops of dragoons, and a detachment of German
803:
137:
125:
90:
527:). The retreat was so chaotic that militiamen literally threw away their muskets and ammunition as they ran (an offense for which they would later be fined or publicly whipped). With the militia in retreat, Cornwallis discontinued pursuit and took up a strong position on the heights overlooking Matson's Ford.
555:
spent
December 11–12 in the hills above Swede's Ford, while Washington sent out scouting parties on December 12 to determine the extent of the British force across the river. However, Cornwallis had already left the area, beginning a roundabout route that brought him back to Philadelphia with a load
547:
constructed a temporary bridge made from wagons that had been lashed together, and began crossing at Matson's Ford. Those divisions had almost completed crossing the river when the
British position on the heights was spotted. Sullivan quickly ordered a retreat back across the river, and destroyed
518:
Soon after, the militia stationed at the Black Horse Inn exchanged fire with the
British troops. Outnumbered and flanked, the militia began to fall back in some confusion, taking casualties along the way. Reports were delivered to Potter, who was with the contingent located at Harriton House,
556:
of provisions. On the evening of
December 12, Washington's army crossed the Schuylkill River at Swede's Ford using makeshift wagon bridges and proceeded down Swedeland Road to Gulph Mills, where they remained from December 13 till December 19. In recognition of the American victory at the
505:
led a sizable
British force out of the city on a foraging expedition early that morning. Cornwallis was also apparently unaware of the Continental Army movement, and had planned to forage in the area just south of Matson's Ford. Employing a local resident named John Roberts (who despite
530:
General Potter estimated his casualties at 5 killed, 20 wounded, and 20 taken prisoner, although he also claimed he was "not able to assurtain" the full extent of his losses. He believed the
British casualties to be higher than his. Jäger Captain
457:(December 5–8), Washington successfully repelled the British attacks, and Howe returned to Philadelphia without engaging Washington in a decisive conflict. After the battle, Washington and his troops remained encamped at White Marsh.
392:. The Americans retreated to the far side, destroying their temporary bridge across the Schuylkill. The British left the area the next day to continue foraging elsewhere; the Continentals crossed the river at Swede's Ford (present-day
212:
759:
465:
On
December 10, George Washington's council determined that the Continental Army would move to winter quarters somewhere west of the Schuylkill River. The army struck camp the morning of December 11, and proceeded to march through
470:, across Ridge Road, and down to the river crossing at Matson's Ford (following the route of present-day Butler Pike). In preparation for the crossing, Washington ordered the Pennsylvania militia, under the command of General
522:
Potter stationed five regiments of militia between the
British forces and Harriton House. However, the militia were quickly overrun and they hastily retreated back through Gulph Mills to Swede's Ford (present-day
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Religion and the
Congress of the Confederation, 1774–89 (Religion and the Founding of the American Republic, Library of Congress Exhibition)
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encountered a British foraging expedition and were overrun. The British pushed ahead to Matson's Ford, where units of the
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479:
446:, and occupied Philadelphia without opposition on September 25 after Washington was forced to retreat west of the city.
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430:. In July 1777 he embarked about 18,000 troops on transports in New York, and sailed to the northern reaches of the
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787:
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Historical sketches: a collection of papers prepared for the Historical Society of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
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568:). On December 19, the army marched 7 miles (11 km) west on Gulph Road to their winter quarters at
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In early December 1777, General Howe led a sizable contingent of troops out of British-occupied
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recorded that the British captured about 160 men in the battle "after a stubborn resistance".
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indicating that the British were "advancing in force" up Gulph Road and towards his location.
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The day after the battle, two Continental Army divisions under the command of General
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in one last attempt to destroy Washington's army before the onset of winter. At the
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west of the river to warn of British troop movements: one at Middle Ferry (where
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674:
For details on the campaign up to Philadelphia, see McGuire, pp. 117 and after
1021:
1008:
611:
The Philadelphia Campaign, Vol. I: Brandywine and the Fall of Philadelphia
396:) to Bridgeport, Pennsylvania, a few miles upriver from Matson's Ford.
482:
now crosses the Schuylkill River), another at Black Horse Inn at
380:). In this series of minor skirmish actions, advance patrols of
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194:
364:
fought on December 11, 1777 in the area surrounding Matson's
434:. Landing his troops there in late August, he defeated the
632:
Campaign to Valley Forge: July 1, 1777 – December 19, 1777
1056:
Battles of the American Revolutionary War in Pennsylvania
985:
964:
933:
867:
831:
810:
775:
629:
636:. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
586:(contains extracted reprints of primary accounts)
510:. The force took with them six 6-pound cannons.
422:turned his thoughts to capturing the seat of the
564:and Praise" (the first national holiday for the
590:Ewald, Johann (1979). Tustin, Joseph P. (ed.).
23:
753:
206:
8:
592:Diary of the American War: a Hessian Journal
1071:History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
760:
746:
738:
213:
199:
191:
20:
486:and Old Lancaster Road, and the third at
594:. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
560:, December 18 was celebrated as day of "
16:Battle of the American Revolutionary War
951:British occupation of Philadelphia ends
769:Pennsylvania in the American Revolution
646:
418:, British commander Lieutenant General
708:
706:
696:
694:
684:
682:
680:
652:
650:
613:. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books.
501:Unbeknownst to the Americans, General
7:
1086:Battles of the Philadelphia Campaign
1066:Battles involving the United States
956:Wyoming Valley battle and massacre
839:Pennsylvania Provincial Conference
14:
548:the makeshift bridge behind him.
410:Following the British capture of
388:were making their way across the
801:
147:
135:
123:
101:
88:
53:Matson's Ford, near present-day
1061:Battles involving Great Britain
977:Mutiny of the Pennsylvania Line
895:Liberty Bell moved to Allentown
859:Washington Crosses the Delaware
1:
972:Congress of the Confederation
474:, to establish three advance
849:Declaration of Independence
823:Second Continental Congress
424:Second Continental Congress
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788:First Continental Congress
609:McGuire, Thomas J (2006).
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362:American Revolutionary War
31:American Revolutionary War
1046:1777 in the United States
875:Articles of Confederation
854:Pennsylvania Constitution
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334:Carlisle Peace Commission
234:
172:
159:
115:
81:
36:
28:
1081:Norristown, Pennsylvania
941:Battle of Crooked Billet
920:Battle of Matson's Ford
793:Articles of Association
354:Battle of Matson's Ford
24:Battle of Matson's Ford
1022:40.07128°N 75.309935°W
116:Commanders and leaders
946:Battle of Barren Hill
915:Battle of White Marsh
910:Siege of Fort Mifflin
880:Philadelphia campaign
628:Reed, John F (1965).
498:) on Old Gulph Road.
455:Battle of White Marsh
406:Philadelphia campaign
358:Philadelphia campaign
224:Philadelphia campaign
173:Casualties and losses
1076:1777 in Pennsylvania
1027:40.07128; -75.309935
905:Battle of Germantown
890:Battle of the Clouds
885:Battle of Brandywine
496:Continental Congress
444:Battle of Brandywine
442:at the September 11
420:General William Howe
382:Pennsylvania militia
356:was a battle in the
95:Pennsylvania militia
1018: /
494:, secretary of the
558:Battle of Saratoga
503:Charles Cornwallis
1051:Conflicts in 1777
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818:Independence Hall
620:978-0-8117-0178-5
566:Thirteen Colonies
440:George Washington
374:West Conshohocken
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59:West Conshohocken
44:December 11, 1777
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314:Quinton's Bridge
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490:(the home of
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178:5 or 6 killed
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688:Reed, p. 384
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656:Reed, p. 388
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570:Valley Forge
562:Thanksgiving
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533:Johann Ewald
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472:James Potter
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451:Philadelphia
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428:Philadelphia
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378:Pennsylvania
370:Conshohocken
353:
351:
309:Conway Cabal
304:Valley Forge
298:
284:Fort Mifflin
142:James Potter
121:
82:Belligerents
63:Pennsylvania
55:Conshohocken
29:Part of the
1025: /
993:1783 Mutiny
438:of General
329:Barren Hill
294:White Marsh
244:Short Hills
239:Bound Brook
182:20 captured
1040:Categories
1013:75°18′36″W
1010:40°04′17″N
576:References
525:Norristown
400:Background
394:Norristown
289:Gloucester
274:Germantown
259:Brandywine
180:20 wounded
130:John Lacey
539:Aftermath
484:City Line
228:1777–1778
339:Monmouth
279:Red Bank
160:Strength
49:Location
476:pickets
461:Prelude
360:of the
185:Unknown
165:Unknown
617:
598:
514:Battle
508:jägers
264:Clouds
106:
70:Result
642:Notes
269:Paoli
168:3,500
986:1783
965:1781
934:1778
868:1777
832:1776
811:1775
776:1774
615:ISBN
596:ISBN
551:The
372:and
366:Ford
352:The
57:and
41:Date
414:in
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705:^
693:^
679:^
649:^
572:.
426:,
376:,
61:,
761:e
754:t
747:v
623:.
604:.
214:e
207:t
200:v
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
