Battle of Gloucester (1777) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Gloucester
Part of the American Revolutionary War
Date November 25, 1777 Location Gloucester City, New Jersey Result American victory
Belligerents
United States	Great Britain Hesse-Kassel
Commanders and leaders
Marquis de Lafayette Armand de La Rouërie Colonel Richard Butler	Lord Cornwallis
Strength
350 regulars and militia	350 jägers
Casualties and losses
1 killed 5 wounded	20 killed 20 wounded 20 captured

The Battle of Gloucester was a small fight during the American Revolutionary War. It happened on November 25, 1777, in Gloucester City, New Jersey. This battle was part of the larger Philadelphia campaign. It was also the very first time the Marquis de Lafayette led troops in battle.

Why Did the Battle of Gloucester Happen?

The British Plan to Capture Philadelphia

In 1777, British General William Howe wanted to take control of the Thirteen Colonies. His main goal was to capture Philadelphia. This city was very important because the Continental Congress met there. The Continental Congress was the government of the new American states.

General Howe successfully captured Philadelphia in September 1777. After that, he needed to secure his army's supplies. His army depended on supplies coming up the Delaware River. So, he needed to control the river.

Fort Mercer and Lord Cornwallis

The Americans had strong defenses on the Delaware River. One of these was Fort Mercer in New Jersey. The British, with some German soldiers called Hessians, tried to attack Fort Mercer. But the Americans fought them off in the Battle of Red Bank.

After this defeat, General Howe sent part of his army to Gloucester, New Jersey. This force was led by Lord Cornwallis. Their mission was to capture Fort Mercer.

General George Washington, the leader of the American army, reacted quickly. He sent his own troops across the Delaware River. These troops were led by General Nathanael Greene. They went to an area just north of Gloucester.

Lafayette's Role in the Campaign

The Marquis de Lafayette joined General Greene's forces. Lafayette was a young French officer. He had fought with Washington at the Battle of Brandywine. Lafayette had been hurt in the foot during that battle. Even though his foot was not fully healed, he was eager to fight.

General Greene gave Lafayette an important job. He ordered Lafayette to go on a scouting mission. Lafayette's task was to find out where Lord Cornwallis's army was. He also needed to learn how strong they were.

How the Battle Unfolded

Lafayette led about 350 American soldiers towards the British. He was very careful as he scouted the British camp. At times, he got so close that British guards could have shot him.

Then, Lafayette and his men launched a surprise attack. They targeted a small group of British soldiers called "jägers." These jägers were German soldiers who were part of the British army. They were positioned ahead of the main British camp.

The 400 Hessian jägers were completely surprised. They were not ready for an attack. They started to retreat in a messy way towards their main camp. Lafayette and his American soldiers chased after them.

Lord Cornwallis sent some of his own soldiers, called grenadiers, to help. These grenadiers fired their weapons to protect the retreating Germans. Under the cover of darkness, Lafayette decided to pull his men back. He returned to General Greene to report what he had found.

What Happened After the Battle?

Lafayette's scouting mission was a big success. The Americans had only one soldier killed and five wounded. The British, however, had 60 soldiers killed, wounded, or captured.

News of Lafayette's brave actions reached the Continental Congress. Because of his success, Congress decided to give him a higher rank. He was made a major general in the Continental Army. This was a great honor for the young French officer.