Battle of Red Bank

The Battle of Red Bank, also known as the Battle of Fort Mercer, was fought on October 22, 1777, during the American Revolutionary War. A British and Hessian force was sent to take Fort Mercer on the New Jersey side of the Delaware River just south of Philadelphia, but was decisively defeated by a smaller force of Continental Army troops.

This article is about the Revolutionary War battle in New Jersey. For the Civil War battle in Tennessee, see Battle of Red Banks.
Battle of Red Bank
Part of the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War

Monument at Fort Mercer commemorating the American victory in the Battle of Red Bank
DateOctober 22, 1777
Location
Fort Mercer, National Park, New Jersey
39.871371°N 75.18941°W / 39.871371; -75.18941
Result American victory
Belligerents
 United States

 Great Britain

Hesse-Kassel
Commanders and leaders
Christopher Greene
John Hazelwood		 Carl Donop †
Strength
400 American Patriots 1,200 Hessian troops
Casualties and losses
14 killed
23 wounded		 82 killed
228 wounded
60 captured

Although Fort Mercer ultimately fell to the British a month later, the victory at the Battle of Red Bank served as a much-needed morale boost to the revolutionary cause, delaying British plans to consolidate gains in Philadelphia, and relieving pressure on Washington's Continental Army, which was embedded north of Philadelphia.

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