British cavalry and rangers under John Graves Simcoe — commander of the Queen's Rangers — launched a devastating dawn raid on the American militia camp at Crooked Billet in May 1778. General Lacey's militia had been operating against British foraging parties in the Philadelphia a…
British cavalry and rangers under John Graves Simcoe — commander of the Queen's Rangers — launched a devastating dawn raid on the American militia camp at Crooked Billet in May 1778. General Lacey's militia had been operating against British foraging parties in the Philadelphia area, and Simcoe obtained intelligence about their camp location.
The surprise was complete. Simcoe's men struck before the camp was alert, killing and wounding twenty-six militia and scattering the rest. The operation demonstrated Simcoe's aggressive and effective leadership of irregular operations that would make the Queen's Rangers one of the most feared Loyalist units of the war.
The battle also showed the vulnerability of militia forces to professional cavalry raids when security was inadequate. Lacey's force was eliminated as an effective unit and his command was subsequently reorganized. The operation was part of the intense partisan warfare in the Philadelphia area that continued even as the British prepared to evacuate the city following news of the French alliance.
"The preservation of the names and services of those who achieved our independence is one of the highest duties of patriotism."
Search Patriots →