25 & 27  November 1777

Firsthand account of the Morgan’s Riflemen attack the British & Hessians at Gloucester Town.

Colonel Richard Butler was in command of a unit of the famous Morgan's Rifles which was made up of 170 men.  The Colonel Butler was in command of the 9th PA Regiment but had been detached with the Morgan Rifles to New Jersey.

He would be in command of the Morgan’s Riflemen who attack the Hessian Jȁgers unit on November 25, 1777.

Butler would lead the Morgan’s Rifles in an attack the British and Hessian forces in Gloucester Town on 27th of November as the last of the British forces where in boats crossing into the Pennsylvania.

The Royal Navy responded by bombarding Gloucester Town.

On the 29th of Nov. 1777, as George Washington wants to make use of the attack at Gloucester to enhance Lafayette's resume.  Washington had Lafayette write a letter of thanks to Colonel Butler and in the letter he asked Colonel Butler to extend that thanks to Morgan at the end of the letter when he writes "My compliments if you please to Colonel Morgan and Major Moriss". 

Some historians have claimed that these Rifles where not the "Morgan Rifles", but Lafayette's letter would indicated otherwise.

Butler writes about the action at Gloucester Town, two months later on January 22, 1778, while at Valley Forge.

[ Historical Society of Pennsylvania - Simon Gratz autograph collection (#0250B) ]

https://digitallibrary.hsp.org/index.php/Detail/objects/12694