Battle of Crooked Billet
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The Battle of Crooked Billet, was fought on May 1, 1778, near Crooked Billet, Pennsylvania (present-day Hatboro), as part of the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War. In the skirmish action, the British launched a surprise attack against Brigadier General John Lacey and the Pennsylvania Militia, who were literally caught sleeping. The British inflicted significant damage, and the militia was forced to retreat into neighboring Bucks Country. As a result of this embarassing defeat, and the recent actions of the Pennsylvania Militia at the Battle of Matson's Ford, Lacey was relieved of his command by George Washington on May 11, 1778.
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[edit] Battle
The battle occurred in Hatboro and Warminster, and it was fought after Washington's defeat at the Battle of Brandywine and after the British had occupied Philadelphia. On January 1, 1778, John Lacey was appointed Brigadier General and given command of a large body of militia with the aim of interrupting British supply lines, especially those reaching Philadelphia. Crooked Billet, now Hatboro, was the headquarters of Lacey and became the target of the British commander in Philadelphia, General William Howe. The British dispatched a joint force of British troops and Hessians on April 30, surprising the American forces in an attempt to cut them off with a "pincer" type movement. The Americans were soon routed and forced to retreat into Warwick, losing their supplies and equipment at their bivouac site.
An account of the battle, published on May 5 in Philadelphia's Royal Pennsylvania Gazette, reads as follows:
- "On Thursday night last, a small party of the British infantry, dragoons, and Queen's rangers, with a few of Capt. HOVEDEN's Pennsylvania, and Capt. JAMES's Chester dragoons, left the city about eleven o'clock, and proceeded up the Old York road. About a mile beyond the Billet they fell in with Lacey's brigade of militia, consisting of about 500 men, and immediately attacked them: Lacey, at first, made some appearance of opposition, but, in a few seconds, was thrown into confusion, obliged to retreat with precipitation, and were pursued about 4 miles. They left between 80-100 dead on the field; and on Friday, between 50-60 prisoners, besides waggoners, with 10 of their waggons loaded with baggage, flour, salt, whiskey, &c. were brought in by the troops on their return: What number of rebels were wounded, we have not been able to learn. Besides the above waggons, 3 were burnt after taking out the horses; also all the huts and what baggage could not be brought off. The royal party did not lose a single man on this occasion, and have only 7 men wounded, and 2 horses killed."
[edit] Opposing forces
[edit] Loyalist/Royalist
- Queen's American Rangers were the primary British force, who also were accused by the Americans of battlefield atrocities by murdering nine prisoners of war by burning them alive.
- 17th Light Dragoons
- 1st Battalion New Jersey Volunteers, Light Company
- 42nd Regiment of Foot—the Black Watch
- His Majesty's Marines
- Fusilier Regiment von Knyphausen, a Hessian unit.
- Hanau Jaeger Corps, a Hesse-Hanau unit.
- Von Prueschenck's Company, Feld Jaeger Korps, another Hessian unit.
[edit] American forces
- 2nd Continental Light Dragoons, Sheldon's Horse
- Bucks County Regiment of Pennsylvania Militia under Captain Pugh
- Cumberland County Regiments of Pennsylvania Militia under Colonels Watts and Smith
[edit] Aftermath
As a result of this engagement, the American forces lost ten wagons full of much-needed supplies, and Lacey had almost 20% of his force killed, wounded or taken prisoner.
In his report to Thomas Wharton, president of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania, Lacey claimed his troops were surprised because "my scouts had neglected the proceeding Night to Patrole [sic] the Roads as they were ordered, but lay in Camp till near day, tho [sic] their orders were to leave it by 2 o'Clock in the morning" and that once British forces were discovered, the lieutenant leading the patrol "never gave us the alarm, he makes his excuse that he was so near them before he espyed [sic] them, that he thought himself in danger of being cut to peices [sic] by their Horse should he fire." [1]
Almost immediately, reports surfaced that British troops had committed atrocities, including the murder of prisoners-of-war and setting fire to the American wounded. On May 7, Washington ordered Brigadier General William Maxwell to conduct an inquiry into these allegations so that a report could be made to British commander General William Howe. [2] Andrew Long, a justice of the peace in Bucks County, took the depositions of Colonel Watts and four residents who witnessed the battle: Samuel Henry, William Stayner, Thomas Craven and Samuel Erwin. Watts reported "we found the bodies of the dead usid [sic] in a most inhuman & barbarous manner" and that "the most cruel Barbarity that had ever been exercised by any civilised Nation; nay, Savage barbarity in its utmost exertion of cruelty could but equal it." [3]
Lacey's report to Major General John Armstrong further documented the atrocities: "Some of the unfortunate, who fell into the merciless hands of the British, were more cruelly and inhumanely butchered. Some were set on fire with buckwheat straw, and others had their clothes burned on their backs. Some of the surviving sufferers say they saw the enemy set fire to wounded while yet alive, who struggled to put it out but were too weak and expired under the torture. I saw those lying in the buckwheat straw—they made a most melancholy appearance. Others I saw, who, after being wounded with a ball, had received near a dozen wounds with cutlasses and bayonets. I can find as many witnesses to the proof of the cruelties as there were people on the spot, and that was no small number who came as spectators." [4]
On May 11, General Lacey was relieved of command of the Pennsylvania Militia by Washington, and he was replaced by General James Potter.
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Brigadier General John Lacey, Jr., to Thomas Wharton, President, Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania, dated May 4, 1778.
- ^ General George Washington to Brigadier General William Maxwell, dated May 7, 1778.
- ^ Deposition of Col. Frederick Watts & Sam'l Henry by Andrew Long, dated May 14, 1778.
- ^ Brigadier General John Lacey, Jr., to General Armstrong, dated May 11, 1778.
[edit] Further reading
- Lieutenant Colonel John G. Simcoe Journal of the Operations of the Queen's Rangers Pages 56-60 (Reprint 1968) New Yorks Times
[edit] External links
- 225th Anniversary Celebration Reenactment of the Battle of Crooked Billet
- MyRevolutionaryWar.com: The Battle of Crooked Billet
- The Battle at Crooked Billet Tavern
