White Marsh, Battle of

The Battle of White Marsh or Battle of Edge Hill is a battle of the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War fought December 5–8, 1777, in the area surrounding Whitemarsh Township, Pennsylvania.

The battle, which takes the form of a series of skirmish actions, is the last major engagement of 1777 between British and American forces.

George Washington, commander-in-chief of the American revolutionary forces, spends the weeks after his defeat at the Battle of Germantown encamped with the Continental Army in various locations throughout Montgomery County, just north of British-occupied Philadelphia

In early November, the Americans establish an entrenched position approximately sixteen miles (twenty-six kilometers) north of Philadelphia along the Wissahickon Creek and Sandy Run, primarily situated on several hills between Old York Road and Bethlehem Pike.

From here, Washington monitors British troop movements in Philadelphia and evaluates his options.

On December 4, Gen. Sir William Howe, the commander-in-chief of British forces in North America, leads a sizable contingent of troops out of Philadelphia in one last attempt to destroy Washington and the Continental Army before the onset of winter.

After a series of skirmishes, Howe calls off the attack and returns to Philadelphia without engaging Washington in a decisive conflict.

With the British back in Philadelphia, Washington is able to march his troops to winter quarters at Valley Forge.

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