A smaller Continental Army force repelled 1,200 Hessian troops at Fort Mercer, boosting Patriot morale and delaying British consolidation of Philadelphia.
Key Facts
- Date
- October 22, 1777
- Hessian force size
- 1,200 troops
- Location
- Fort Mercer, New Jersey, south of Philadelphia
- Outcome
- Continental Army victory; fort fell to British one month later
- Conflict
- American Revolutionary War
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
British forces sought to consolidate their hold on Philadelphia after capturing the city in 1777. Fort Mercer on the New Jersey side of the Delaware River obstructed British control of the river supply route, prompting commanders to dispatch a Hessian force to eliminate this obstacle.
On October 22, 1777, approximately 1,200 Hessian troops attacked Fort Mercer at Red Bank, New Jersey. The defending Continental Army garrison, though smaller in number, repulsed the assault, inflicting significant casualties on the attackers and forcing the Hessian force to withdraw.
The Patriot victory provided a badly needed morale boost and delayed British plans to fully exploit their occupation of Philadelphia. It also relieved pressure on Washington's Continental Army positioned north of the city, though Fort Mercer itself fell to British forces approximately one month after the battle.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent