Revolutionary War

INTRODUCTION

Researched and written by Bradley S. DeForest
Member of Skippack Historical Society

Quite a few structures, including the Indenhofen house and farm, where already here in Skippack when George Washington and his Continental Army positioned themselves in the region before and after the important Battle of Germantown.

Just about two years after forming a new army and one year after Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence George Washington led the Continental Army through the Skippack Region on the way to the Battle of Germantown and in retreat just after losing the battle to the British.

In a letter to Thomas McKean, esq. on October 10, 1777 while at camp near Skippack, George Washington expressed his disappointment in the defeat at Germantown writing "If the uncommon fogginess of the morning and the Smoke had not hindered us from seeing our advantage, I am convinced it would have ended in a complete Victory."

In 1777, at this point in the War, the British held the City of Philadelphia after defeating the Continental Army at Brandywine, surprising General Wayne's troops at Paoli, and faking a move towards Washington's military stores in Reading. This feint towards Reading caused Washington to move northwest choosing to protect his military stockpiles rather than Philadelphia. This left a clear opening for General Howe to move his troops across the Schuylkill River near Norristown and on to Germantown before taking the capital city Philadelphia on September 26, 1777.