Pennsylvania Militia in Battle of Trenton,
December 26, 1776
Early in the Revolution Pennsylvania began to suffer severe losses. Each of the battalions organized at the request of Congress had been sent immediately to the front, some to Canada, some to the defense of the Hudson, and the balance with the main army.
During the summer of 1776 the necessities of the Continental service were such that the Council of Safety of Pennsylvania placed the State battalions under Colonels Samuel Miles, Samuel J. Atlee and Daniel Brodhead at the disposal of Congress. These were marched to Long Island, where, with the Continental Regiments of the Pennsylvania Line, viz: Colonel Shee’s, Magaw’s and Lambert Cadwalader’s, they were engaged in battle August 27, which resulted in the defeat of the American forces and the evacuation of Long Island. The Pennsylvanians sustained severe loss. Lieutenant Colonel Caleb Perry and other officers were killed. Colonel Miles, Colonel Atlee and Lieutenant Colonel James Piper were among the many taken prisoners.
Fort Washington was reduced November 16 and again Pennsylvania lost heavily and the battalions of Morgan, Cadwalader, Atlee, Swope, Watts and Montgomery were taken prisoners, and, in addition to those losses, Howe was menacing Philadelphia.
Congress made a precipitate adjournment in Philadelphia and removed to Baltimore. General Washington dispatched Major General Israel Putnam to Philadelphia to direct the defense of that place. He arrived December 12, and assumed military command of the city. The fort at Billingsport was of little consequence, and works were commenced at Red Bank, N. J.
General Howe returned for winter quarters in New York, leaving British troops at Trenton and Burlington, which threatened Philadelphia from the east side of the Delaware. The Americans had brigades under Lord Stirling and Generals Mercer, Stephen and De Fermoy, at the several ferries from Coryells (New Hope) to Yardleys. General Ewing was farther south with the Pennsylvania Flying Camp. Philemon Dickinson’s troops were opposite Bordentown, Cadwalader’s were near Bristol, and Colonel Nixon’s Third Pennsylvania Battalion was at Dunks Ferry.
On December 25 Colonel John Cadwalader and Colonel Samuel Miles, who was then a prisoner of war, were appointed by Pennsylvania to be brigadier generals.
General Washington, with his army, was on the west bank of the Delaware, encamped near Taylorsville, then McConkeys Ferry, eight miles above Trenton.