On this day in history, 1777, Lydia Darragh thwarted a surprise British attack on General Washington and the Continental Army, helping turn the tide of the war.
By September 1777, the outlook wasn’t so rosy for the Continental Army. The British emerged victorious in every recent battle and then marched triumphantly into Philadelphia. General Washington and his troops attempted unsuccessfully to reclaim the city in October, but were forced to retreat to Whitemarsh.
Nearly 30 percent of the city’s inhabitants decided to evacuate. Most of those remaining were either loyalists or neutral. One of the remaining families was the Darraghs, who had emigrated from Dublin, Ireland. William and Lydia Darragh, as well known Quakers, felt they were in relatively little danger, even with British General Sir William Howe’s headquarters right across the street.
