Battle of Matson's Ford

The Battle of Matson's Ford was a battle in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War fought on December 11, 1777 in the area surrounding Matson's Ford . In this series of minor skirmish actions, advance patrols of Pennsylvania militia encountered a British foraging expedition and were overrun. The British pushed ahead to Matson's Ford, where units of the Continental Army were making their way across the Schuylkill River. The Americans retreated to the far side, destroying their temporary bridge across the Schuylkill. The British left the area the next day to continue foraging elsewhere; the Continentals crossed the river at Swede's Ford , a few miles upriver from Matson's Ford.

Following the British capture of New York City in a 1776 campaign, British commander Lieutenant General General William Howe turned his thoughts to capturing the seat of the Second Continental Congress, Philadelphia. In July 1777 he embarked about 18,000 troops on transports in New York, and sailed to the northern reaches of the Chesapeake Bay. Landing his troops there in late August, he defeated the Continental Army of Major General George Washington at the September 11 Battle of Brandywine, and occupied Philadelphia without opposition on September 25 after Washington was forced to retreat west of the city.

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