The Great Cow Chase

Did you know that one of the most vital military operations during the brutal Valley Forge winter was essentially a massive cattle drive? By February 1778, the Continental Army's situation was deplorable, with George Washington warning that they were experiencing "little less than a famine in the camp".

Fearing a general mutiny from his hungry men, Washington detached General Anthony Wayne on a desperate mission to the "lower Jersies" to collect cattle and forage for the starving troops. This massive logistical effort, combining foraging with active combat operations, became known as the "Great Cow Chase".

In mid-February, Wayne successfully crossed the Delaware River into New Jersey, joining forces with local militia to round up precious livestock. However, British General Sir William Howe quickly dispatched troops—including detachments led by Lieutenant-Colonel Abercrombie and Colonel Stirling—to intercept Wayne's forces. What followed was a thrilling game of cat-and-mouse.

On February 24, Wayne was warned by local lookouts and managed a narrow nighttime escape to Swedesboro, a tactical inland port. The very next day, Wayne slipped away yet again, tracing a northeast path through the Jersey interior to Haddonfield. By moving through this corridor of crossroads and creek crossings, he stayed deep enough inland to avoid British naval patrols while keeping the path to Mount Holly—and the safety of the Rancocas Valley—firmly within reach.

Wayne was not content to merely run from the British; anticipating retaliation, he wanted to strike back. Calling upon cavalry commander Casimir Pulaski for aid, the Americans launched a daring nighttime attack on the British outposts at Haddonfield on March 1.

To ensure success, the Americans utilized a brilliant psychological tactic: they leaked false intelligence exaggerating the size of their reinforcements. The deception worked flawlessly. Believing it unwise to remain against a larger force, Colonel Stirling ordered an immediate retreat. The British troops were forced to march through a severe cold sleet all the way to Cooper's Ferry, spending a miserable night without fire.

The very next morning, Wayne and Pulaski continued their offensive, attacking the retreating British forces at Cooper's Ferry and forcing them to withdraw across the river to Philadelphia under the cover of naval cannons.

With the enemy driven off, Wayne secured control of the countryside and successfully protected his convoy of vital supplies. By mid-March, Wayne finally marched his troops—and his hard-won herd of cattle—back across the river, returning triumphantly to Valley Forge on March 16.