Battle of White Marsh The Battle of White Marsh or Battle of Edge Hill was a battle of the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War fought December 5 – 8 , 1777 , in the area surrounding Whitemarsh Township , Pennsylvania . The battle , which took the form of a series of skirmish actions , was the last major engagement of 1777 between British and American forces . George Washington , commander - in - chief of the American revolutionary forces , spent the weeks after his defeat at the Battle of Germantown encamped with the Continental Army in various locations throughout Montgomery County , just north of British - occupied Philadelphia . In early November , the Americans established an entrenched position approximately north of Philadelphia along the Wissahickon Creek and Sandy Run , primarily situated on several hills between Old York Road and Bethlehem Pike . From here , Washington monitored British troop movements in Philadelphia and evaluated his options . On December 4 , Gen . Sir William Howe , the commander - in - chief of British forces in North America , led a sizable contingent of troops out of Philadelphia in one last attempt to destroy Washington and the Continental Army before the onset of winter . After a series of skirmishes , Howe called off the attack and returned to Philadelphia without engaging Washington in a decisive conflict . With the British back in Philadelphia , Washington was able to march his troops to winter quarters at Valley Forge . Background and movement to battle . After their October 4 , 1777 , defeat at the Battle of Germantown , Washington ' s army retreated along Skippack Pike to Pawling ' s Mill , beyond the Perkiomen Creek , where they remained encamped until October 8 . They then marched east on Skippack Pike , turned left on Forty - Foot Road ( present - day Old Forty - Foot Road ) , and marched to Sumneytown Pike , where they camped on the property of Frederick Wampole near Kulpsville in Towamencin Township . While there , Brig . Gen . Francis Nash died of wounds incurred at Germantown and was buried in the Mennonite Meeting Cemetery . Washington remained at Towamencin for one week , gathering supplies and waiting to see if Howe would move against him . On October 16 , Washington moved his forces to Methacton Hill in Worcester Township . After learning of Howe ' s withdrawal from Germantown to Philadelphia , Washington moved his army to Whitpain , closer to Philadelphia , on October 20 . On October 29 , Washington ' s army numbered 8 , 313 Continentals and 2 , 717 militia , although the terms of enlistment of many soldiers from Maryland and Virginia were due to expire . With his ranks reinforced , Washington dispatched a brigade to assist with the defense of Forts Mifflin and Mercer , on the Delaware River . On November 2 , at the recommendation of his council of war , Washington marched his forces to White Marsh , approximately northwest of Philadelphia . At White Marsh , the army began to build redoubt s and defensive works . After the surrender of British Lt . Gen . John Burgoyne after the Battles of Saratoga , Washington began drawing troops from the north , including the 1 , 200 men of Varnum ' s Rhode Island brigade , and about 1 , 000 more men from various Pennsylvania , Maryland and Virginia units . Maj . Gen . Horatio Gates sent Col . Daniel Morgan ' s rifle corps , and the brigades of Paterson and Glover . With these additional forces , and the pending onset of winter , Washington had to face the problem of supplying his army . A quarter of the troops were barefooted , and there were very few blankets or warm clothing . Washington became so desperate that he even offered a reward of $ 10 to the person who could supply the " best substitute for shoes , made of raw hides " . Morale was so low and desertion so common that Washington offered a pardon on October 24 to all deserters who returned by January 1 . Washington ' s loss of Philadelphia and inactivity brought criticism from Congress , who pressured him to attack the city . He therefore called a council of war on November 24 which voted against an attack 11 to 4 . Nonetheless , Washington rode out the next day to view the British defenses , which turned to be stronger than he had expected . On October 19 , Howe withdrew the British forces from Germantown and focused on the defense of Philadelphia . British military engineer Capt . John Montresor supervised the building of a series of fourteen formidable redoubts that began at Upper Ferry , along the Schuylkill River , and extended eastward to the shores of the Delaware River , just north of Philadelphia . Howe took advantage of his time in Philadelphia to raise additional forces from the loyalist population in the region . Newly - promoted Maj . John Graves Simcoe reinforced his unit , the Queen ' s Rangers , which had lost over a quarter of its men at the Battle of Brandywine . William Allen , Jr . , the son of notable loyalist William Allen , raised the 1st Battalion of Pennsylvania Loyalists , and was made its lieutenant colonel . Loyalist James Chalmers raised the 1st Battalion of Maryland Loyalists , and was given its command . Recruitment also took place among the city ' s Irish Catholic population , with the formation of the Irish Catholic Volunteers , and in the counties immediately surrounding Philadelphia . In mid - November , the fall of Forts Mifflin and Mercer effectively ended American control of the Delaware River , and much - needed supplies began arriving at the city ' s docks , along with 2 , 000 additional British soldiers . The weeks with two major armies sitting within miles of each other were not without conflict , and a " petite guerre " ensued in the no man ' s land between White Marsh and Northern Liberties . Minor skirmishes between light troops increased in intensity throughout November , with almost daily losses being incurred by both the British and the Americans . In retaliation , on November 22 , Howe ordered his troops to set fire to several large country houses in the Germantown area , including Fair Hill , a mansion and country estate that had previously belonged to John Dickinson . Eleven houses in all were burned to the ground , and residents of Philadelphia climbed onto rooftops and church steeples to watch the spectacle . Just one day earlier , crowds had gathered to watch the burning of Commodore John Hazelwood ' s Pennsylvania Navy in the Delaware . On the same morning the mansions were burned , an earthquake struck Philadelphia , and was felt as far away as Lancaster . On November 27 , an aurora borealis lit up the night skies . The two events caused quite a stir among both the residents of Philadelphia and the troops , British and American alike , who took them as an ominous sign of things to come . By early December , Howe decided , despite having written to Colonial Secretary Lord George Germain requesting to be relieved of his command , that he was in a position to make one last attempt to destroy Washington ' s army before the onset of winter , and he began preparations for an attack on the American forces . Washington ' s intelligence network in Philadelphia , led by Maj . John Clark , became aware of British plans to surprise the Americans . According to a historically unsubstantiated story , Howe ' s movements were revealed to the Americans by a Quaker woman named Lydia Darrah , who overheard British officers quartered in her house discussing Howe ' s plan , and crossed the British lines to deliver this information to Col . Elias Boudinot of the Continental Army , who was at the Rising Sun Tavern between Germantown and Northern Liberties , attempting to secure provisions . Boudinot immediately relayed this information to Washington , and the Continental Army was ready when Howe , with a force of approximately 10 , 000 men , marched out of Philadelphia just prior to midnight on December 4 . The advance column , led by Lt . Gen . Lord Cornwallis , headed up Germantown Pike . A second column , led by Lt . Gen . von Knyphausen , marched toward the American left . First day of battle . Just after midnight on December 5 , Cornwallis ' vanguard , which consisted of two British light infantry battalions , skirmished with an American cavalry patrol under the command of Capt . Allen McLane near Three Mile Run on Skippack Road . McLane sent a messenger to Washington , alerting him of the British movements . While the main body of the British troops marched through Germantown , Beggarstown , and Flourtown , American alarm cannons were sounded and positions manned . At 3 : 00 am , the British halted on Chestnut Hill , just south of the American defenses , and waited for daybreak . During the night , Washington ordered his troops to build additional campfires to deceive the British . " . . . [ I ] t looked as if fifty thousand men were encamped there . By day we could see this was merely a trick . . . , " wrote Hessian Maj . Carl von Bauermeister . Expecting a confrontation , Washington took the precaution of striking his tents before sunrise , and sent the heavy baggage north to Trappe . He then dispatched troops to find out the size and intent of the British column . Brig . Gen . James Irvine of the Pennsylvania militia took 600 men and marched them through the Wissahickon Valley toward Chestnut Hill . Brig . Gen . James Potter ' s brigade of about 1 , 000 Pennsylvania militia and Webb ' s 2nd Connecticut Regiment of 200 men moved to screen Irvine ' s right . Around noon , Irvine ' s detachment encountered the British light infantry on the north side of Chestnut Hill . The Pennsylvania militia got off the first volley , but were soon routed by the British . While attempting to rally his fleeing troops , Irvine had three fingers shot off , and was taken prisoner when he fell from his horse . Potter ' s brigade immediately fled , despite orders to advance and skirmish with the British light infantry . The 2nd Connecticut made a brief stand , killing three and wounding eleven , including British Capt . Sir James Murray - Pulteney . British Lt . Col . Robert Abercromby decided to push his advantage after scattering Irvine ' s troops . He pushed north and captured St . Thomas Episcopal Church , located on a hillock . Howe arrived a short while later , and ascended to the top of the church ' s bell tower in an attempt to view the American positions . Deciding the American defenses were too strong to attack with his present force , he opted to shell their defenses with artillery fire ; however , his guns did not have the range to hit Washington ' s defenses . His forces camped on Chestnut Hill that night , and planned a new way of attack for the following day . Second and third days of battle . The two armies spent December 6 watching each other across the Wissahickon Valley . Howe hoped that Washington would leave his positions to attack the British ; Washington did not , preferring instead to let the British do the maneuvering . By day ' s end , Howe decided upon a flanking movement toward the Americans ' left , toward Jenkintown and Cheltenham Township , while Maj . Gen . Charles Grey ' s forces would create a distraction by attacking the American center . Sometime after 1 : 00 am on December 7 , Howe marched the British army back through Germantown , and then to Jenkintown , where they remained until noon . As the British movements were concealed by a ridge on Chestnut Hill , Washington did not become aware of Howe ' s maneuvering until 8 : 00 am . He immediately moved Morgan ' s Rifle Corps . and Col . Mordecai Gist ' s Maryland militia eastward to cover his left flank . About a mile to the right of this detachment , Brig . Gen . James Potter ' s brigade of Pennsylvania militia , and Webb ' s 2nd Connecticut Regiment , under Lieut . Col . Isaac Sherman , proceeded down Lime Kiln road toward Edge Hill . Movement of the British rear guard , including the Jägers and the Queen ' s Rangers , was hindered by the burning of the villages of Cresheim and Beggarstown by troops at the front of the column . Howe ' s right was now situated near the Abington Presbyterian Meeting . His main force moved to situate itself on Edge Hill , a ridge that ran parallel to , and a mile in front of , the American lines . Grey ' s column had broken off from the main column , and proceeded up Whitemarsh Church Road toward the American center . Gen . Grey had been instructed not to attack until he heard the sound of firing from Howe ' s column , but after several hours , he became impatient and decided to proceed on his own . He formed his column into three divisions , with the Queen ' s Rangers were on the left , the Jägers on each side of the road , and the light infantry of the Guards on the right , and headed in the direction of Tyson ' s Tavern on Limekiln Road . As Grey advanced toward the American center , his troops took fire from American militia on Edge Hill . The militia were quickly routed , with between twenty and thirty killed , and fifteen of them taken as prisoners . Gens . John Cadwalader and Joseph Reed , out reconnoitering on horse near Twickenham , the country estate of Thomas Wharton Jr . , attempted to rally the Potter ' s fleeing Pennsylvania militia . Lieut . Col . Sherman , the officer in charge of the 2nd Connecticut Continentals , resented Reed ' s assumption of command , and later complained to Washington that it put " . . . Officers and Men into such confusion that it rendered it impossible to keep that regularity so necessary when going into Action . " The British soon had them surrounded and outnumbered , and the Pennsylvania militia again panicked and fled . The 2nd Connecticut Continentals made a stand , firing between two and five rounds per man ; Sherman only gave the order to retreat when the Jägers were within 15 – 20 yards of his position . At some point , Cadwalader and Reed became separated from the militia , and Reed ' s horse was shot out from under him . A body of Hessians charged at the two officers with bayonets , but Capt . McLane rode up with a few dragoons and ordered a charge that scattered the Hessians . McLane then took the two officers to safety . The Pennsylvania militia fled in panic down Edge Hill , across Sandy Run , and toward the main American camp . Right behind them were men of the 2nd Connecticut , also in disorderly retreat . They were pursued to within yards of their encampment by the Queen ' s Rangers and Jägers , who then fell back and took a position on Edge Hill , between Grey ' s troops and Howe ' s main column . Morgan ' s Rifle Corps . and Gist ' s Maryland militia had taken position on Edge Hill , about a mile to the east of Grey ' s troops , and higher up on the ridge . A small group of Americans moved down to attack Col . Twistleton ' s Light Infantry of the Guards , but were quickly repulsed by the British . William Augustus West , Lord Cantelupe , who was stationed with the light infantry , noted that the 4th and 23rd Regiments engaged the Americans with 9 men killed and 19 wounded . British Maj . John André reported that one American was killed . Meanwhile , the main body of Morgan ' s and Gist ' s troops engaged Howe ' s main column in dense woods , where they fought " Indian style " , from tree to tree . The Maryland militia attacked Abercromby ' s 1st Light Infantry Battalion with unusual vigor : British officers , who were used to encountering militia who would flee at the first sign of battle , would later express admiration at the skill of Morgan ' s and Gist ' s men . Morgan ' s troops were not reinforced , and were forced to retreat back to the main camp after Cornwallis sent in the 33rd Regiment of Foot . British withdrawal . On the morning of December 8 , British generals and engineers once again studied the American positions , looking for any advantage they could exploit in the American defenses . To the astonishment of both the British and the Americans , Howe decided to withdraw and return to Philadelphia . Despite being successful in two major skirmishes over the previous days , his maneuvering had not gotten as far around the American flank as he had hoped and his troops ' provisions were running low . Also , the nights were getting colder and the troops had left their tentage and gear in Philadelphia . Mark Boatner says that Howe " decided that Washington ' s defenses were too strong to warrant the risk of a general assault . At 2 : 00 pm , the British began their withdrawal , lighting numerous campfires — in a tactic similar to one used by Washington three days prior — to conceal their movements . An American reconnaissance party , led by Capt . McLane , discovered that Howe was marching back down Old York Road into Philadelphia and communicated this information back to Washington . Morgan ' s troops harassed the enemy ' s rear , in particular Grey ' s column , which was hindered by the weight of the artillery that it was transporting . A contingent of Hessians formed to oppose them with their fieldpieces and Morgan ' s troops retreated . The British arrived in Philadelphia later that day . Casualties . No American official casualty return from December 5 to 8 is known to exist . Some information , however , can be pieced together from various sources . For December 5 , David Martin says that General Irvine ' s force took about 40 casualties , while a Loyalist officer with the British Army wrote that Irvine was captured along with 23 of his men . For December 6 , Howard Peckham says that the Americans lost 30 killed , 40 wounded and 15 captured . The figure of 15 prisoners taken was confirmed by John André in his journal . For December 7 , Colonel John Laurens stated that “ the loss of Morgan ' s riflemen was 27 killed and wounded ” , while John Donaldson , an American cavalryman wrote that “ Morgan had 44 killed & wounded & among them was Major Morris a brave & gallant officer ” This reference was to Major Joseph Morris of the 1st New Jersey Regiment , so Donaldson ' s figure was evidently for the whole force under Morgan ' s command , while Laurens ' figure was for the Corps of Riflemen only . Benson Lossing confirms that “ twenty - seven were killed and wounded in Morgan ' s Corps ” , while Major Morris was badly wounded and the Maryland Militia lost “ 16 or 17 ” wounded . For December 8 , David Martin says that the Maryland Militia lost 20 killed or wounded and 15 prisoners . From these sources , the aggregate American loss from December 5 – 8 would appear to have been 16 killed or wounded and 24 captured on the 5th ; 70 killed or wounded and 15 captured on the 6th ; 44 killed or wounded on the 7th and 20 killed or wounded and 15 captured on the 8th . This gives 150 killed or wounded and 54 captured , for a total loss of 204 men . Lord Cantelupe wrote in his diary that " the number of killed & wounded on our side amount to one hundred & twenty , one officer killed . Cantelupe ' s figure agrees approximately with Howe ' s official casualty return for “ the different skirmishes from 4th to 8th December ” , which gives 19 killed , 60 wounded and 33 missing . David Martin gives the total British loss , including deserters , as 350 , which would suggest that 238 men deserted . Aftermath . Washington , frustrated at not being able to confront Howe in a more decisive action , wrote in his report to Henry Laurens , president of Congress , " I sincerely wish , that they had made an Attack ; the Issue in all probability , from the disposition of our Troops and the strong situation of our Camp , would have been fortunate and happy . At the same time I must add that reason , prudence , and every principle of policy , forbade us quitting our post to attack them . Nothing but Success would have justified the measure , and this could not be expected from their position . " On December 11 , the Continental Army left White Marsh for Valley Forge . It took the soldiers eight days to make the journey . The following April , Howe resigned his post and returned to Britain , and was replaced by Gen . Sir Henry Clinton . Following France ' s entry into the war , the British evacuated Philadelphia overland the following spring , and while en route to New York City , they were attacked by Washington at the Battle of Monmouth . Remains of the American redoubts were visible near Farmar Mill , as were vestiges of stone chimneys from the soldier ' s makeshift huts , as late as 1860 . The battle is alluded to in " Sally Wister ' s Journal " , and the author later views the remains of the nearby camp . Fort Washington State Park , which encompasses a portion of the area occupied by the American forces , was established in the early 1920s by Philadelphia ' s Fairmount Park Commission and is today managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources . The park ' s Fort Hill marks the spot where a temporary fort once stood at the western end of the American position . The Pennsylvania Militia ( under Gens . Armstrong , Cadwalader and Irvine ) held positions on the park ' s Militia Hill . Nearby , Emlen House , Washington ' s headquarters between November 2 and December 11 , remains standing despite destructive modernization in 1854 .