WHEREAS, The British Army also planned to capture Brigadier
General John Lacey; and
WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Militia was comprised of
approximately 300 men from Bucks County and historic Cumberland
County as well as from other places throughout this
Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, The British Army attacked the Pennsylvania Militia
with a force of approximately 850 men in the early morning hours
of May 1, 1778, in present-day Hatboro Borough, Montgomery
County, and present-day Warminster Township, Bucks County; and
WHEREAS, The Queen's Rangers attempted to push the
Pennsylvania Militia south toward the point of ambush along
present-day Horsham Road; and
WHEREAS, Brigadier General John Lacey was not fooled by the
trap and led the Pennsylvania Militia north, fighting its way
through a blockade held by British Dragoons, escaping deeper
into Bucks County; and
WHEREAS, The British committed war atrocities on the wounded
and surrendering militiamen by throwing them into burning piles
of buckwheat straw and stabbing them with their bayonets and
cutlasses; and
WHEREAS, Twenty-six Pennsylvania militiamen were killed in
action that day; and
WHEREAS, Fifty-eight Pennsylvania militiamen were captured;
and
WHEREAS, Brigadier General John Lacey's heroic leadership and
quick thinking on that fateful day prevented further casualties,
saving the lives of hundreds of Pennsylvania militiamen; and
WHEREAS, Brigadier General John Lacey, 48 hours after the
battle, continued with his orders of keeping supplies from
20180HR0883PN3456 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30