American Revolution
Battles during 1777
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Latest Changes: 07Oct08 - more on Saratoga / 07Dec13 - expand table on Brandywine / 08Jul07 - expand on Hubbardton /
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1777 Jan 03:
Princeton (NJ):
A week after his success of Trenton Washington again led his army
across the Delaware River, evaded a major British force under Gen Cornwallis,
and at Princeton encountered and overwhelmed several regiments of troops coming
to support Cornwallis. The exhausted and depleted U.S. army was not able to take advantage
of the situation and capture Cornwallis' treasury and supplies at New Brunswick,
but the two successful attacks within a week kept the British from attempting
to cross the Delaware River and take Philadelphia during the rest of the winter.
[See 1776 listing for the battle of Trenton.]
1777 spring - The Americans placed sub-surface obstables to navigation in the Delaware River
(several lines of sunken ships and cheveau-de-fris) and built several forts
along this river below Philadelphia so as to deter the British from attacking Philadelphia
with a naval force as they had done to New York City.
1777 Apr 25: Danbury CT: Some 2,000 British soldiers from the New York garrison made a raid on Danbury CT. They were intercepted on the return march and had to fight every yard back, with a loss of 260 men killed or wounded (18%). Source: British and German Deserters, Dischargees, and POW's Who May Have Remained in Canada and the USA, 1774-1783. Part One and Two (Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore MD, 2004) 1777 May: British Gen. John Burgoyne replaced Carleton in Canada and planned
a three-pronged attack aimed at splitting the U.S. supply lines across the Hudson River:
1777 June 13: British Gen. Burgoyne's army started down Lake Champlain. Burgoyne was known as "Gentleman Johnny" for his interest in high living, but the many wagon-loads of luxury items that accompanied him slowed the progress of his army. On July 1, just north of Fort Ticonderoga, the British troops disembarked on the western (NY) shore and the Hessians under General Friedrich Adolph Riedesel disembarked on the eastern (VT) shore -- 8,000 total. 1777 July 05:
Fort Ticonderoga (now NY):
The British under Burgoyne managed to get several cannon
up the steep slopes of Mt. Defiance. This peak was over a mile from Fort Ticonderoga,
but from it a cannon could fire on both the fort and the causeway of boats that allowed
the Americans to supply the fort. Continental Major General Arthur, with only 2,500 men
to hold the position, elected to abandon
1777 July 07:
Hubbardton (now VT):
At daybreak some 750 light infantry and grenadiers
under British Brigadier General Simon Fraser surprised and routed Col. Nathan Hale's
Second New Hampshire Regiment at breakfast.
(This was not the Nathan Hale who in 1776 was hanged in New York City).
Colonel Seth Warner's Green Mountain Boys and Colonel Ebenezer Francis'
Eleventh Massachusetts Regiment took up positions in the woods and returned fire.
When Col. von Riedesel's troops arrived to support Fraser's force
the Americans dispersed into the woods.
American casualties were 41 killed, 96 wounded and 234 captured,
but they delayed the pursuit long enough for St. Clair's main force to escape unharmed.
Burgoyne's further progress south toward Albany NY was severely hampered by American ranger troops felling trees across the trail as the British army crossed the forest land between Lake Champlain and the Hudson River. Gen. Howe's forces advanced north from New York City part-way up the Hudson River, but Howe's activities were never coordinated with Burgoyne's, and he withdrew to the New York City camp, so the effort was wasted. 1777 July 09: Newport RI:
1777 July 23:
British Gen. Howe left New York City by sea with 13,000 troops,
looking for a route to take Philadelphia. Because the Delaware River
was obstructed with sunken ships he sailed around the Delmarva
Peninsula and landed at the Elk River in Maryland on Aug 25
and headed north toward Philadelphia.
1777 Aug 02-05:
Fort Stanwix and Oriskany (10 miles East of Lake Oneida NY):
Some 800 U.S. Continentals at Fort Stanwix -- led by Col. Peter Gansevoort --
were beseiged by about 350 British regulars and 650 auxiliaries led by Col. Barry St. Leger
and 1,000 Indians (including Butler's Rangers) led by Mohawk War Chief Thayendanegea,
also known as Capt. Joseph Brant. St. Ledger detached about 400 Indians to ambush a relief column
of NY militia -- some 800 of European descent and 80 Oneidas --
led by Gen. Nicholas Herkimer. The ambush was set in a deep ravine
near the Oneida village of Oriskany. Hand-to-hand fighting raged for several hours,
mauled both forces badly before both sides withdrew from the area.
Meanwhile Gansevoort's forces had sallied forth from the fort and raided the under-defended
camps and supplies of the Indians. Declining morale and the approach of a second relief column
of 900 Continentals under Gen. Benedict Arnold convinced St. Leger to withdraw his troops
The vigorous defense of Fort Stanwix significantly weakened Indian support for the British cause.
1777 Aug 16:
Bennington (on the VT-NY border):
Defeat of a Hessian raiding party raised American hopes of
stopping Burgoyne's invasion from Canada.
1777 Aug 25:
The Danbury Raid (CT):
The British sent about 2,000 troops to destroy supplies in Danbury.
Some 1,000 Continentals and militia rushed to drive them off.
1777 Sept 03:
Battle of Cooch's Bridge (near Newark DE):
This was the only military engagement between regular U.S. and British troops
in Delaware. There were more British troops and American troops and American casualties
at Cooch's Bridge than at Yorktown.
1777 Sept 11: Brandywine Crossing (in Chadds Ford PA): General George Washington’s army of 14,000 Americans against 15,000 British and Hessian troops commanded by General William Howe, making this the largest land battle in North America until the Civil War. A flanking attack by the British forced a retreat of the U.S. troops and allowed the British to occupy Philadelphia.
(Casualties: 700 U.S. troops, 540 British)  Battle of the Brandywine
[Independence Hall Association tour] with history and an illustrated auto tour.
For a high-resolution map see the RSAR map page link to the USMA map index. 1777 Sept 19:
Saratoga, Freeman's Farm (NY):
An American army under the Command of General Horatio Gates failed to dislodge
the British army of General John Burgoyne in the Battle of Freeman's Farm,
also called "Saratoga." Two weeks later the British attacked the Americans.
1777 Sept 21: Paoli (outside Philadelphia PA)
--
Washington left behind some troops to make a surprise attack
on the British baggage train, but the plot was discovered
by the British, who sent three times as many troop to make their
own surprise attack and crushed the U.S. force.
1777 Oct-Dec: Fort Mifflin and Fort Mercer (on the Delaware River south of Philadelphia PA) -- and numerous row-galleys supplemented the sub-surface obstables (see 1777 spring above) in preventing British ships from sailing up the Delaware River to Philadelphia. On Oct 23 the 64-gun British flagship Augusta ran aground mid-channel off Fort Mifflin. As the Pennsylvania Navy gunboats and Fort Mifflin poured shot into ship a fire broke out and the Augusta exploded, killing 60 sailors. The 20-gun sloop Merlin was also hit, grounded, and destroyed. Other British ships were also damaged or burned. Continuing bombardment damaged Fort Mifflin so much that it was abandoned on Nov 16, and the Continentals also withdrew from Fort Mercer, burning the buildings and ships as they left. Although the British finally put the forts out of action, it took them six weeks and many casualties to do so. This delay denied British General Howe ready access to supplies and prevented him from focusing attention on Washington's army until winter arrived, when the weather made it impracticable to conduct large-scale military operations. 1777 Oct 4:
Germantown (outside Philadelphia PA):
Washington hoped to envelope and capture most of the British
camp north of Philadelphia. But just as they were on the
verge of routing of the British troops, the American units
became confused in thick fog and smoke, fired on each other,
and the advanced positions were lost.
1777 Oct 06: The Highlands (in NY) is the rugged area where the Hudson River cuts through the Appalachian mountains from Dunderberg Mountain to Mount Beacon. To hinder the passage of British ships the Americans had placed a chain across the Hudson River from the mouth of Popolopen Creek to Anthony's Nose. Protecting this chain were Fort Montgomery and Fort Clinton (named after the American governor of NY). In early September British Gen. Henry Clinton had too small a force in New York City (about 4,000 regulars and 3,000 Loyalist militia) to fight his way to Albany to aid Burgoyne's army, but after being reinforced by 2,900 fresh troops he was prepared to move. British Gen. Clinton led 3,000 troops north. He split his forces into three parts,
one to deceive U.S. Gen. Putnam into thinking the British were attacking on the east side of the Hudson River,
one to make a difficult journey over the mountain pass to attack Fort Montgomery,
and one to attack Fort Clinton. The British overwhelmed the outnumbered fort defenders,
captured about 70 cannon, and cut the chain there.
Clinton also sent a force to Fort Constitution (below as-yet unfortified) West Point, broke through the boom,
and captured that without a fight on Oct 7. Next see Oct 07 below.
1777 Oct 07:
Bemis Heights
was the location of Gen. Gates camp during the battles near Saratoga.
On Oct 7 the British made a reconnaissance in force to explore its defenses.
This was repulsed with heavy losses to the British.
General Gates was given credit for the victory, but he had provided little leadership.
The heroes of the battle were General Benjamin Lincoln, Colonel Daniel Morgan
(whose riflemen had decimated the British officer corps), and General Benedict Arnold
(who had rallied the troops to take several large British redoubts).
After the battle Continental Army troops and militiamen continued to arrive,
and the British withdrew their forward positions to consolidate near the Hudson River
while waiting for a British Gen. Clinton's column from New York City to relieve them.
Next see Oct 16.
Saratoga [click to get larger image] from "Soldiers of the American Revolution", by H. Charles McBarron [U.S. Army Center for Military History]
1777 Oct 16: Esopus NY (now called Kingston) was the state capitol. British Gen. Clinton sent Gen. John Vaughn up-river with 1,700 men, and they burned the city of Esopus. However, some 6,500 American troops remained on guard around Esopus to prevent any British travel overland. On the next day day Burgoyne surrendered his army at Saratoga [Ref. Boatner] Next see Oct 17. 1777 Oct 17: Sword's Farm was the final defensive position of Burgoyne's army. His approximately 5,500 men were now surrounded by an American force of 15,200, mostly fresh and well supplied with food and ammunition, and Burgoyne had no hope of relief. So "Gentleman Johnny" surrendered his army, with all its stores, arms and equipment. Burgoyne secured favorable surrender terms because both Gates and Burgoyne knew that this British army was only 45 miles from Albany, Burgoyne and Gates agreed on and signed the terms of surrender (a "convention") that specified that the captured soldiers were to be allowed to return to England on the condition that they not fight again in America. However, that agreement was rejected by the Continental Congress. Read more about the Convention Army's six-year imprisonment. Clinton's expedition had been a tactical success, but it came too late to save Burgoyne, and Clinton withdrew his troops to New York City on Oct 22. Burgoyne's defeat convinced the French that an alliance with the U.S. could be productive, and they would soon send a military expeditionary force as large and experienced as Burgoyne's to aid the U.S. cause. 1777-78 winter:
Valley Forge -- In the 1700s, large armies did not fight
during the winter months, and in December 1777, General Washington
led the Continental Army into winter quarters at Valley Forge,
near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. From here the Americans could
harrass the supply lines for the British troops in Philadelphia.
The hardships at Valley Forge are well known, but one of the principal
compensating factors was the drill instruction and organizational skill
of the German patriot, Baron von Steuben,
who occupied the soldiers' time in military exercises, close order drill
formations and musket and bayonet drill. By instillling military discipline
he brought about a change in the troops from raw, unskilled, incompetent farmers
to dependable, steadfast, self-confident soldiers who were a match
for the professionals of Britain and their Hessian mercenaries.
[from A. Mims Wilkinson, Jr., Atlanta Chapter, Georgia Society SAR]
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22 photos
Map of routes taken by the U.S. forces
Winter at Valley Forge 1777-78 -- Washington and Lafayette
Copy of engraving by H. B. Hall after Alonzo Chappel [U.S. National Archives]
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