In 1777 of our history, roughly 1200 Hessian soldiers marched on Fort Mercer, one of two paired forts guarding Philadelphia from ships sailing north up the Delaware River. Fort Mifflin was on the Pennsylvania side, Mercer in southern New Jersey.
Inside Fort Mercer was a small force of about 400 Colonial soldiers, led by a lieutenant Colonel. Three American ships were also positioned out in the river. Realizing the fort was too large to defend properly, the Americans built a wall inside the fort, cutting it in half. They also dug ditches around the outside walls (and the new inside walls) and lined them with sharpened sticks and branches cut from James Whithall's orchard.
Once the Hessians arrived and offered surrender (which the Americans refused), the battle began. In total, the battle lasted forty minutes and left roughly a fifth of the Hessian force dead or wounded. By contrast, fourteen Americans died and twenty-seven were wounded. The Battle of Red Bank was a victory for the Americans.
But what if it wasn't? What if the Hessians had been better prepared to take on the fort (they only had a couple of three-pound cannons with them)? What if the Americans had lost the battle? How would the rest of the war had gone?
Inside Fort Mercer was a small force of about 400 Colonial soldiers, led by a lieutenant Colonel. Three American ships were also positioned out in the river. Realizing the fort was too large to defend properly, the Americans built a wall inside the fort, cutting it in half. They also dug ditches around the outside walls (and the new inside walls) and lined them with sharpened sticks and branches cut from James Whithall's orchard.
Once the Hessians arrived and offered surrender (which the Americans refused), the battle began. In total, the battle lasted forty minutes and left roughly a fifth of the Hessian force dead or wounded. By contrast, fourteen Americans died and twenty-seven were wounded. The Battle of Red Bank was a victory for the Americans.
But what if it wasn't? What if the Hessians had been better prepared to take on the fort (they only had a couple of three-pound cannons with them)? What if the Americans had lost the battle? How would the rest of the war had gone?