Battle of Chestnut Neck The Battle of Chestnut Neck was fought on October 6 , 1778 in southern New Jersey during the American Revolutionary War , at Chestnut Neck , a settlement on the Little Egg Harbor River ( now known as the Mullica River ) near the present - day town of Port Republic , New Jersey , which was used as a base by privateers . The British retrieved some supplies and destroyed others , as well as destroying some residences and other buildings . Learning that Count Kazimierz Pułaski was on the way , the British quickly left by ship the following day . They had an encounter with Pulaski ' s forces a week later and caused heavy losses . Background . At the beginning of the American Revolutionary War , Chestnut Neck was a busy thriving trade center on the Little Egg Harbor River near the New Jersey coast , about 10 miles north of present - day Atlantic City , New Jersey . Local vessels traveled to New York and elsewhere , carrying mail , trading goods and merchandise . With the coming of the war , American privateer s took over the harbor facilities to use as a home base . They would attack and seize British ships and take their captured prizes into Chestnut Neck . The captured vessels and their cargoes were sold , and the captured vessels were often adapted for use as privateers . With the British holding Philadelphia and New York City during the winter of 1777 – 78 , General George Washington at Valley Forge was cut off from his sources of supplies . Supplies were brought into Little Egg Harbor , unloaded at Chestnut Neck , taken up the river in flat - bottomed boats to the Forks , carted across the peninsula to Burlington , across the Delaware River , and transported overland to Valley Forge . Many British cargoes intended for Sir Henry Clinton in New York were seized by American privateers and reached General Washington via Chestnut Neck and the described route . General Clinton became so exasperated by this constant loss of his ships , that he decided to " clean out that nest of Rebel Pirates . " Accordingly , on September 30 , 1778 , a fleet of nine British ships and transports , under the command of Captain Henry Collins , with 300 British regulars and 100 New Jersey Loyalists , under Captain Patrick Ferguson , sailed from New York , bound for Chestnut Neck . Governor William Livingston learned of their sailing , and sent riders to warn the people . General Washington dispatched Count Kazimierz Pułaski and his Legion to assist the Patriots , although they did not arrive until the day following the battle . Battle . Because of bad weather , the British fleet did not arrive off Little Egg Harbor until late in the afternoon of 5 October 1778 , and were prevented from getting over the bar . Knowing the people had been warned and that Count Pułaski was on his way , the British troops made their way up the river to Chestnut Neck as quickly as possible . The troops were put aboard the galleys and armed boats and left at daybreak on October 6 , 1778 . They were delayed when two boats grounded , and did not reach Chestnut Neck until four o ' clock , in heavy fog . They fought against American defenders and retrieved some supplies . Having destroyed any supplies that they could not retrieve , and having received intelligence that Count Pułaski was on his way , they quickly left at noon on 7 October 1778 , stopping at the mouth of the Bass River to destroy the salt works and mills of Eli Mathis . They also burnt the houses on his plantation , his home and barns and then rejoined their ships . Aftermath . As soon as Count Pułaski arrived at Chestnut Neck , he crossed the river and marched to Tuckerton , arriving there on 8 October 1778 . Pułaski ( with 50 troops ) and the British ( with 200 ) watched each other until October 15 , 1778 . That day the British surprised an outpost of Pułaski ' s men , bayonetting the sentry and almost all of the other men while still sleeping . The British withdrew and sailed back to New York . Americans call this the " Little Egg Harbor massacre . " The site is marked by a monument erected by the Sons of the Cincinnati . Although they retrieved some supplies and destroyed others at Chestnut Neck , the British and American Loyalists were not able to capture any of the American privateers or recapture any of the prize vessels present in the area . After the battle , Chestnut Neck never regained its status as a trade center . Three of the large land owners returned and rebuilt their homes , but the others eventually built new homes in present - day Port Republic .