The Philadelphia Campaign, 1777-1778
American fortunes were at a low point in the winter of 1777-78. The British had beaten the Continental Army at Brandywine and Germantown, seized the colonial capital of Philadelphia, and driven Washington's soldiers into barren Valley Forge. But, as Stephen Taaffe reveals, the Philadelphia Campaign marked a turning point in the American Revolution despite these setbacks.
Occurring in the middle of the war in the heart of the colonies, this key but overlooked campaign dwarfed all others in the war in terms of numbers of combatants involved, battles fought, and casualties sustained. For the first time, British and American armies engaged out in the open on relatively equal terms. Although the British won all the major battles, they were unable to crush the rebellion. Taaffe presents a new narrative history of this campaign that took place not only in the hills and woods surrounding Philadelphia, but also in east central New Jersey and along the Delaware River. He uses the campaign to analyze British and American strategies, evaluate Washington's leadership, and assess the role of subordinate officers such as Nathanael Greene and Anthony Wayne. He also offers new insights into eighteenth-century warfare and shows how Washington transcended traditional military thinking to fashion a strategy that accommodated American social, political, and economic realities. During this campaign Washington came into his own as a commander of colonial forces and an astute military strategist, and Taaffe demonstrates that Washington used the fighting around Philadelphia as a proving ground for strategies that he applied later in the war. Taaffe also scrutinizes Washington's relationship with the militia, whose failure to carry out its missions contributed to the general's problems. Still, by enduring their losses and continuing to fight, the Americans exacted a heavy toll on Britain's resources, helped to convince France to enter the war, and put the redcoats on the defensive. As Taaffe shows, far from being inconclusive, the Philadelphia Campaign contributed more to American victory than the colonists recognized at the time. |
Contents
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CHAPTER ONE Introduction
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1 |
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CHAPTER THREE Barbarous Business in a Barbarous Country
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50 |
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Battle of Brandywine
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65 |
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Battle of Germantown
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97 |
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CHAPTER FOUR The Delaware River
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108 |
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Delaware River Forts
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109 |
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Battle of Monmouth
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213 |
| 313 | |
Common terms and phrases
11 September American army American Revolution April army's assault attack August battle Baurmeister Baurmeister's Letters Brandywine brigade British army campaign cannons Carpenter Island chevaux-de-frise Clinton Papers commander in chief Congress Continentals Conway Cornwallis corps December Defences of Philadelphia Delaware River Diary Enemy Views Ewald February flank Ford Fort Mercer Fort Mifflin French Gates Germain Germantown Greene Papers Hazelwood Henry Clinton Henry Laurens Hessian Journal History and Biography Howe's Side ington January Jersey John Laurens Jonathan Trumbull July June Knyphausen Lafayette Laurens to Henry Lee Papers Letters of Delegates loyalists Magazine of History March Mercer Mifflin military militia Monmouth Montresor Muenchhausen Nathanael Greene Naval Documents November officers Peebles Pennsylvania Magazine Philadelphia campaign rebels redcoats Samuel Smith Schuylkill September 1777 soldiers Steuben strategic Sullivan Papers Testimony troops University Press Valley Forge Varnum warships Wash Washington Papers Washington to Hancock Washington to Henry Washington Writings Washington's army Wayne William winter York City