British Occupation of Philadelphia
- When
- 1777–1778
- Where
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Lancaster, Pennsylvania
- Episodes
- 3
On September 26, 1777, British forces occupied Philadelphia, the revolutionary capital and seat of the Second Continental Congress, after defeating Washington at Brandywine. Congress fled to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and later York. The occupation lasted 266 days until Clinton's evacuation in June 1778.
Episodes
- Continental Congress Flees to Lancaster
The Second Continental Congress abandoned Philadelphia, relocating first to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and later to York.
- British Occupation of Philadelphia
British forces entered Philadelphia on September 26, 1777, after defeating Washington at Brandywine, occupying the revolutionary capital.
- Occupation Duration and Evacuation
The British occupation lasted 266 days; Clinton evacuated Philadelphia on June 18, 1778, consolidating troops in New York.
Background and detail
Background. Philadelphia was the Revolutionary-era capital where the Second Continental Congress convened, formed the Continental Army, and adopted the Declaration of Independence. In 1777, General William Howe proposed to George Germain an expedition to capture the city, the seat of the rebellious Congress, as a potential decisive blow.
The Road to Occupation. Howe rejected an overland route through New Jersey because it would require crossing the Delaware River under hostile conditions. Washington positioned 11,000 men between Howe and Philadelphia but was outflanked and beaten at the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777, opening the way to the capital.
Occupation and Aftermath. The Continental Congress relocated first to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and later to York. The British needed to open a supply route along the Delaware River to sustain the occupation, which lasted 266 days until General Clinton evacuated Philadelphia on June 18, 1778.
People involved
- William Howe · British general who captured Philadelphia
- George Washington · Continental Army commander defending Philadelphia
- Henry Clinton · British general who evacuated Philadelphia in 1778
Sources
- Philadelphia campaign Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-22
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.