Defences of Philadelphia in 1777 by Worthington Chauncey Ford (Brooklyn, N.Y., Historical Printing Club, 1897) is a documentary military study of the British campaign to capture and hold Philadelphia during the American Revolutionary War. It focuses on the construction, disposition, and operational role of defensive works established around Philadelphia following its occupation by British forces in September 1777.
Ford’s work examines how the British command organized the city’s defensive perimeter after taking Philadelphia, including fortifications along key approaches such as the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers, as well as outlying positions intended to secure supply lines and communication routes. The study is grounded in military correspondence, engineering reports, and contemporary accounts, emphasizing the practical implementation of urban and field defenses.
A significant aspect of the analysis is the integration of British regulars with auxiliary German troops drawn from states such as the Electorate of Hesse. These units were stationed in and around Philadelphia and participated in garrison duty, outpost defense, and security operations during the British occupation. Ford treats them as part of the broader imperial military structure responsible for holding the city against Continental Army threats.
The work also situates the defensive system within the wider strategic context of the Philadelphia campaign, including British efforts to maintain control of a major political and logistical center while conducting operations in the surrounding region. Attention is given to the challenges posed by extended supply lines, local resistance, and the need to defend multiple approaches simultaneously.
Published by the Historical Printing Club, the study reflects late 19th-century American historical scholarship, which emphasized careful compilation of primary sources and technical military reconstruction. It serves as a focused account of the engineering and operational aspects of British occupation strategy in 1777, rather than a broader narrative of the war.
