The Forage War – Feb 1777

The period between December 25, 1776, and January 3, 1777, is famously known as the "Ten Crucial Days," during which George Washington transformed his beleaguered Patriot army with a series of remarkable victories that sustained the American fight for independence. However, the struggle did not end there. Washington was aware that the British forces in New York needed forage to sustain their horses and draft animals through the winter, and he was determined to make it difficult for them. Thus began the "Forage War," a brutal and relentless campaign that lasted for three months. The British, confined to New York City, had sufficient salt pork for their troops but lacked the forage necessary for their animals.

As the Patriots retreated across New Jersey, Washington ordered the countryside to be stripped of forage, forcing British foraging parties to venture far and wide. Utilizing intelligence from spies, Patriot militia and Continental regulars ambushed and fought these parties throughout the winter. Similarly, the British, informed by loyalist spies, set traps and ambushes for the Patriots. The continuous skirmishes and battles took a heavy toll on the British, with historians estimating at least 60 separate engagements and over 1,000 British, Tory, and Hessian casualties between January 4 and March 21.

Patriot casualties were also significant, with one of the bloodiest encounters occurring at Drake's Farm near Metuchen, New Jersey. Here, the 5th Virginia Regiment, misled into a trap by a decoy foraging party, faced a large British force. Despite the surprise attack, the Virginians launched a bold counterattack, eventually forcing the British to retreat. Tragically, seven wounded Virginians, including Lieutenant William Kelly, were left behind and brutally killed by the British. In response, General Washington issued an order forbidding retribution and commanding humane treatment of all captured soldiers. This decision surprised many captured Hessians and British Regulars, who had expected harsh treatment. Interestingly, about a quarter of the captured Hessians chose to remain in America, becoming settlers and neighbors. As historian David Hackett Fischer noted, Washington's honorable and moral decision not to seek revenge helped transform an army of invaders into an army of settlers and citizens.