Philadelphia campaign

The Philadelphia campaign (1777–1778) was a British military effort during the American Revolutionary War. Its goal was to capture Philadelphia, an important city where leaders had formed the Continental Army and later wrote the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

British General William Howe tried to fight George Washington and his army in North Jersey, but Washington avoided a big battle. Instead, Howe moved his troops to land at the northern end of the Chesapeake Bay and started moving toward Philadelphia. Washington set up defenses at Brandywine Creek, but was defeated in the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777. After some more fighting, Howe took control of Philadelphia.

Later, Washington tried to attack one of Howe’s forces at Germantown, but this also failed. He then led his troops to Valley Forge for the winter, where they faced very cold weather and lacked enough food and clothes. Howe’s slow actions during the campaign caused problems, as he did not help another British general, John Burgoyne, whose campaign ended badly in the Battles of Saratoga. This brought France into the war on the side of the Americans. Howe eventually resigned and was replaced by General Sir Henry Clinton.

In 1778, Clinton was ordered to leave Philadelphia and move his troops to New York City. Many loyalists to Britain also left the city, fearing trouble. Washington’s army followed the British as they withdrew, and the two sides fought in the Battle of Monmouth, one of the largest battles of the war. By the end of the Philadelphia campaign in 1778, both armies were back in positions very similar to where they started before the campaign began.

History

British plan to capture Philadelphia

Main article: New York and New Jersey campaign

In 1777, British General William Howe wanted to capture Philadelphia, where important leaders met during the American Revolutionary War. After taking New York City, Howe decided to move his army by sea instead of land to avoid tough battles. He planned to land at the northern end of the Chesapeake Bay and march north toward Philadelphia.

George Washington, leading the American forces, tried to stop Howe. Washington’s army was smaller, and Howe managed to move around them. On September 11, 1777, the two armies fought the Battle of Brandywine. The American forces were pushed back, and soon after, Howe entered Philadelphia. Even though the British captured the city, the war continued for many more years because the American fighters used different strategies.

Valley Forge and Battle of Monmouth

Main articles: Valley Forge and Battle of Monmouth

See Monmouth order of battle for the organizations and lists of regiments from both armies.

In December 1777, General Washington and his army set up camp at Valley Forge, about 20 miles from Philadelphia. They stayed there for six months. Many soldiers faced tough conditions, but they learned new tactics thanks to training led by Baron von Steuben.

The British leader, General Howe, stepped down, and Sir Henry Clinton took over. Because France joined the war, the British needed to protect New York City instead of staying in Philadelphia. As the British prepared to leave, Washington sent Lafayette to gather information. Lafayette almost got caught by the British but managed to escape.

The British left Philadelphia on June 18 after almost nine months there. Washington’s army followed them and met in a battle at Monmouth Courthouse on June 28. This was the last big battle in the northern part of the war. Later, both armies returned to positions they had held two years before.

Aftermath

After the British arrived in New York City, a French fleet appeared near the city. The French and Americans tried to attack the British soldiers at Newport, Rhode Island, but this plan did not work well.

The British leader, Clinton, sent some soldiers to the West Indies and started raids along the coast from Chesapeake Bay to Massachusetts. Both the British and American armies stayed close and had small fights, including two bigger battles in 1779 at the Battle of Stony Point and in 1780 at the Battle of Connecticut Farms. Clinton thought about attacking Philadelphia again, but these attacks did not happen.

The British also started conflicts with help from local allies and fought against French forces in places like the West Indies and India. In 1780, the British tried a new plan to control the colonies by focusing on the south, starting with the capture of Charleston, South Carolina, but this effort did not succeed and ended at Yorktown.

During the Philadelphia Campaign, the British made several maps of the Delaware River, Forts Mifflin and Mercer, and the Philadelphia area.