1777

Events from the year **1777 in the United States**.

## Incumbents

* President of the Second Continental Congress: John Hancock (until October 29), Henry Laurens (starting November 1)

## Events

### January - March

* January 2 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of the Assunpink Creek, also known as the Second Battle of Trenton: American forces under the command of George Washington repulse a British attack near Trenton, New Jersey.
* January 3 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Princeton: American general George Washington defeats British general Charles Cornwallis.
* January 6 – Continental Army enters second winter encampment of the war at Morristown.
* January 12 – Mission Santa Clara de Asís founded in what is now Santa Clara, California.
* January 15 – Vermont declares its independence from New York, becoming the Vermont Republic, an independent country, a status it retains until it joins the United States as the 14th state in 1791.
* January 20 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Millstone, part of the Forage War.
* February 1 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Drake's Farm, part of the Forage War.
* February 8 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Quibbletown, part of the Forage War.
* February 12 – John McKinly is sworn in as the first president of Delaware.
* February 23 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Spanktown, part of the Forage War.
* March 5 – Thomas Wharton Jr. is sworn in as the first president of Pennsylvania.
* March 8 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Pun Hill, part of the Forage War.
* March 21 – Thomas Johnson is sworn as the first governor of Maryland.

### April - June

* April 13 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Bound Brook: A British and Hessian force led by Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis surprises a Continental Army outpost in New Jersey commanded by Major General Benjamin Lincoln.
* April 26 – American Revolutionary War: 16-year-old Sybil Ludington is said to have ridden 40 miles (64 km) through the night to warn militiamen under the control of her father Henry that British troops had raided Danbury, Connecticut.
* April 27 – American Revolutionary War: The Battle of Ridgefield: A British invasion force engages and defeats Continental Army regulars and militia irregulars at Ridgefield, Connecticut.
* May 16 – Lachlan McIntosh and Button Gwinnett shoot each other during a duel near Savannah, Georgia. Gwinnett, a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence, dies three days later.
* May 17 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Thomas Creek.
* May 23 – American Revolutionary War: Meigs Raid.
* May 28 – First Middlebrook encampment begins.
* June 13 – American Revolution: The Marquis de Lafayette lands near Charleston, South Carolina to help the Continental Congress train its army.
* June 14 – The Stars and Stripes is adopted by the Continental Congress as the flag of the United States.
* June 26 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Short Hills.

### July - September

* July 2 – First Middlebrook encampment ends.
* July 4 – The first organized Independence Day celebration in Philadelphia: included fireworks set off from the city's commons.
* July 5 – American Revolutionary War: Siege of Fort Ticonderoga begins.
* July 6 – American Revolutionary War: Siege of Fort Ticonderoga ends: After a bombardment by British artillery under General John Burgoyne, American forces retreat from Fort Ticonderoga, New York.
* July 7 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Hubbardton: British forces engage American troops retreating from Fort Ticonderoga.
* July 8
	+ The Constitution of Vermont is adopted. This constitution was the first in what is now the territory of the United States to prohibit slavery, grant suffrage to non-landowning males, and require free public education.
	+ American Revolutionary War: Battle of Fort Anne.
* August 2 – American Revolutionary War: Siege of Fort Stanwix begins.
* August 6 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Oriskany: Loyalists gain a tactical victory over Patriots; Iroquois fight on both sides.
* August 13 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Machias begins.
* August 14 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Machias ends.
* August 16 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Bennington: British forces are defeated by American troops at Walloomsac, New York.
* August 22
	+ American Revolutionary War: Battle of Staten Island.
	+ American Revolutionary War: Battle of Setauket.
* August 23 – American Revolutionary War: Siege of Fort Stanwix ends.
* September 1 – American Revolutionary War: Siege of Fort Henry.
* September 3 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Cooch's Bridge: In a minor skirmish in New Castle County, Delaware, the flag of the United States was flown in battle for the first time.
* September 11 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Brandywine: The British gain a major victory in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
* September 16 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of the Clouds.
* September 19 – American Revolutionary War: First Battle of Saratoga: Battle of Freeman's Farm – Patriot forces withstand a British attack at Saratoga, New York.
* September 21 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Paoli.
* September 26
	+ American Revolutionary War: British troops occupy Philadelphia.
	+ American Revolutionary War: Siege of Fort Mifflin begins.
* September 27 – Lancaster, Pennsylvania is the capital of the United States for one day.

### October - December

* October 4 – American Revolution: Battle of Germantown: Troops under George Washington are repelled by British troops under Sir William Howe.
* October 6 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Forts Clinton and Montgomery: British troops capture Fort Clinton and Fort Montgomery (Hudson River) and are able to dismantle the Hudson River Chain.
* October 7 – American Revolution: Second Battle of Saratoga: Battle of Bemis Heights: British General John Burgoyne is defeated by American troops.
* October 17 – American Revolution: Battle of Saratoga: British General John Burgoyne surrenders to the American troops.
* October 22 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Red Bank.
* November 15
	+ American Revolution: After 16 months of debate, the Continental Congress approves the Articles of Confederation in the temporary American capital at York, Pennsylvania.
	+ American Revolutionary War: Siege of Fort Mifflin ends.
* November 16 – Capture of Fort Mifflin.
* November 17 – The Articles of Confederation are submitted to the states for ratification.
* November 18 – Capture of Fort Mercer.
* November 25 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Gloucester.
* November 29 – San Jose, California is founded. It is the first *pueblo* in Spanish Alta California.
* December 5 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of White Marsh begins.
* December 8 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of White Marsh ends.
* December 11 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Matson's Ford.
* December 13 – Rivington's Gazetter renamed Royal Gazette.
* December 18 – The United States celebrates its first Thanksgiving as a nation, marking the victory by the Americans over General John Burgoyne in the Battle of Saratoga in October.
* December 19 – American Revolution: George Washington's Continental Army goes into winter quarters at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.
* December 20: – Morocco becomes the first country to recognize the independence of the United States.

## Memoriam

* January 3 – William Leslie, British Army captain, killed at Battle of Princeton (aged 25; Princeton, NJ, USA)
* January 12 – Hugh Mercer, Continental Army brigadier general and physician, mortally wounded at Battle of Princeton (aged 50; Princeton, NJ, USA)
* February 19 – Seth Pomeroy, gunsmith and soldier (aged 70; Peekskill, NY, USA)
* May 19 – Button Gwinnett, signatory of the Declaration of Independence, 2nd Governor of Georgia in 1777 (aged 42; Savannah, GA, USA)
* August 11 – William Tennent III, Presbyterian pastor and patriot (aged 37; High Hills of Santee, SC, USA)
* September 22 – John Bartram, botanist, horticulturalist and explorer (aged 78; Philadelphia, PA, USA)
* October 4 – Francis Nash, Continental Army brigadier general, mortally wounded at Battle of Germantown (aged 35; Kulpsville, PA, USA)
* October 7 – Simon Fraser, British Army general, killed in Battle of Bemis Heights (aged 48; Saratoga, NY, USA)
* November 10 – Cornstalk (Hokoleskwa), Shawnee chief, murdered (aged 57; Fort Randolph, VA (now WV), USA)