In the summer of 1776, England was very powerful and had Colonies all over the world. It was during this time that the thirteen British Colonies located in North America declared their independence from England. On July 3, 1776, George Washington took command of the United States troops that were surrounding Redcoat-occupied Boston.
In September and October of 1777, Washington’s troops suffered serious losses throughout the Greater Philadelphia Region including the Battle of Brandywine in Chester County and the Battle of Germantown in Philadelphia.
After his loss in Germantown, Washington retreated through Montgomery County to an area now known as Fort Washington and Militia Hill. Fort Washington turned out to be an excellent place for protecting the Colonial position, watching British troop movements, and preparing for the winter in Valley Forge.