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Welcome to Washington's Headquarters at the Moland House

1641 Old York Road, Hartsville, PA  18974

Viewed from the northwest           

Etching by Lee Powell

             In the early evening of 10 August 1777, eleven thousand Continental and militia soldiers are marching up York Road towards the Cross Roads with Bristol Road [Hartsville, PA] on their way to Coryell’s Ferry [New Hope, PA] to camp four miles across the Delaware River.  General George Washington receives a dispatch from John Hancock, President of the Second Continental Congress, placing the 260-vessel British fleet, hauling 17,000 troops under General William Howe, fifty miles south of the Delaware Capes [May & Henelopen] on 7 August. Unsure and wary of Howe’s intentions, Washington immediately halts his force to encamp around the bridge over the Little Neshaminy Creek in Warwick Township, Bucks County.  Knowing the area and having ridden through only ten days earlier, he selects the substantial stone dwelling of Widow Moland as his Head Quarters on the farm north of the bridge.  

           An invasion force from Canada, led by British General Burgoyne, is advancing through central New York.  Howes’ large fleet was last reported heading eastward from the mouth of Delaware Bay.  What are his intentions?
           For eleven sweltering summer days, Washington frets as no further intelligence arrives about the fleet.  A Council of War on 21 August in the Moland House concludes Howe is heading south to attack Charleston, SC.  The encamped army is ordered to return through New Jersey to assist the Northern Army against Burgoyne’s invading forces or attack New York City.  But two dispatches arrive within the next few hours which place Howes’ fleet sailing up Chesapeake Bay. 
            On 23 August 1777, camp breaks at 4 a.m.  The Patriot troops march back down York Road towards Philadelphia in a dash to the Chesapeake.  A skirmish at Cooch’s Bridge below Newark, DE; battles at Brandywine, Germantown, Paoli, the struggle for the forts along the Delaware River, a stand-off at Whitemarsh, and retiring into winter quarters at Valley Forge soon follow.  During the winter, Pennsylvania militia will range through this area striving to impose a land blockade on trade with the British in Philadelphia.  The Continental Army will return to Bucks County in June 1778 on their way to confront Royal forces at Monmouth Courthouse, NJ.
            During this encampment at the Moland House, nineteen year-old Marquis de Lafayette arrives to present his papers to General Washington.  A life-long friendship has begun.  On 21 August, Casimir Pulaski appears at Head Quarters with his credentials.  Later during the winter, Pulaski will work to forge the Continental cavalry.  “Light Horse Harry” Lee is acquitted at a court-martial held in the nearby Neshaminy-Warwick Presbyterian Church [since rebuilt].  The thirteen-starred “Betsy Ross” flag was first unfurled at the “Cross Roads near Neshamini Bridge”.*  This is the legacy of the Moland House. 
*  As stated by Dr. B. F. Fackenthal, Jr., then President of the Bucks County Historical Society, in a speech given at the Thompson-Neeley House and published later in 1932.

 * * * * *  EXPLORE yOUR PAST  * * * * *

Visit     General Washington's itinerary and headquarters' locations

           A summary from 1876 & 1905 appears in W.W.H. Davis' History of Bucks County, Chap. XL

           Details can be found by reading through Washington’s correspondence (volume 9).
              The Writings of George Washington from the original manuscript sources - John Clement Fitzpatrick (editor). 

           For example, see volume 9  . . .
           * for arrival, see CONGRESS Sunday Evening, 9 Oclock,  August 9, 1777 [sic, really 10 August]. 
           * for departure, start with GENERAL ORDERS 21 August 1777.

 

 

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