Preparation
Washington's army fled from their defeat at Germantown along Skippack Pike to Pawling's Mill, beyond the Perkiomen Creek, where they camped out until October 8. After marching east on Skippack Pike, they made a left onto Forty-Foot Road and continued marching until they reached Sumneytown Pike, where they slept on Frederick Wampole's land close to Kulpsville in Towamencin Township. On October 16, two divisions of Washington's army marched to Methacton: one by Skippack Pike and Forty-Foot Road, the other via Sumneytown Pike and North Wales Road. On October 20, they marched to Whitpain down Skippack Pike. On November 2, Washington led his troops to White Marsh, a location about 13 miles northwest of Philadelphia, with one column traveling along Skippack Pike and the other down Morris Road and the modern Pennsylvania Avenue. In the first week of December, Washington’s spies guaranteed that the Continental Army is waiting for an attack at WhiteMarsh. In 1777, Howe had two strategic objectives. At the end of September, when his troops took Philadelphia, he succeeded in achieving one. Even though he defeated the Americans at Brandywine and Germantown, he has failed to annihilate Washington's army. Washington and Howe are both conducting their operations in the wake of the disastrous British defeat at Saratoga. Although Howe and his officers have done their utmost to conceal the imminent onslaught, keen-eyed Philadelphians have noticed the British preparations and have informed Washington's spies.
Days Of Battle
After using up their six days' worth of provisions, the British march out of Philadelphia around midnight on December 4. The Americans are ready and waiting for them as they arrive just outside Chestnut Hill in the early morning hours. They number roughly 15,000 and include reinforcements from Gates' army. On his right flank, Washington commands the Pennsylvania militia to advance and "skirmish with their Light, advanced parties." The Pennsylvanians flee after a brief but violent battle in which militia commander General William Irvine is captured.
General William Howe, the commander-in-chief of British forces’ men move back and forth across the American front for three days while maintaining a distance of about a mile in search of an opportunity. The Americans cover the British feints from behind their lines, denying Howe any opportunity to attack.
Howe attempts to turn the American left flank one last time on December 7 using Abington and Edge Hill, a ridge that runs parallel to the American lines. Colonel Daniel Morgan's rifle corps and the Maryland militia launch an immediate response from Washington. After some fierce fighting, the Americans pull back, but the British do too. The day is filled with small-scale clashes in the dense woods, commonly referred to as the Battle of Edge Hill, but no major conflict arises.
Aftermath of the Battle
Washington wasn’t too happy about how the events turned out to be. He expressed his frustrations to Congress, wishing that they made an attack. By December 8th, Howe marches back to Philadelphia after coming to the conclusion that he couldn’t draw Washington to the open. Following that was the Continental Army leaving for Valley Forge from WhiteMarsh. Finally, in April, Howe resigned his duties and passed on his tasks to General Henry Clinton.
References
Battle of white marsh - the heritage post. The Heritage Post - Preserving American Heritage. (2020, October 4). Retrieved September 30, 2022, from https://heritagepost.org/american-revolutionary-war/battle-of-white-marsh/
The battle of white marsh. The Battle of White Marsh. (n.d.). Retrieved September 30, 2022, from https://www.myrevolutionarywar.com/battles/771205-white-marsh.html