Militia & Associated Companies of Bucks County Pennsylvania
The Battle at Crooked Billet Tavern
In early 1778 Brigadier General John Lacey, Jr. had been charged with patrolling the area north of Philadelphia, between the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers, with responsibility for warning Valley Forge of attacks, checking British foraging raids, and preventing local trade with the enemy. Most of the enlistments of the few troops he had were due to expire shortly. Promised, and desperately needed, reinforcements were slow arriving or simply not coming. Bands of Loyalists and British horsemen grew increasingly bold, and their raids into Lacey's sector were becoming more frequent.
On the morning of May 1, 1778, Gen. Lacey found his camp near the Crooked Billet Tavern virtually surrounded. Though outnumbered the general rallied his troops during the initial attack and was able to withdraw to a nearby wooded area and make a stand. After repulsing a charge of horse he decided to continue moving, and had his troops withdraw further. Skirmishing continued for some two miles before Lacey's troops turned to the left, broke free and made a move back towards the Billet. At this point the British broke off, withdrawing towards Philadelphia.
What Gen. Lacey's troops found on their return to the field was a scene of carnage - bodies of their fallen comrades bayoneted and cutlassed beyond need, and others who had been covered in straw and set afire. Judging from their posture, it appeared that some of these victims were still alive when set alight. Later, depositions were taken from persons who witnessed British troopers brag of bayoneting militiamen after accepting their surrender and of throwing wounded militiamen into fires of buckwheat straw.
The American losses at Crooked Billet were twenty-six killed and eight wounded, with some fifty-eight additional troopers missing.
