The British Occupation of Wilmington Paperback – April 2, 2026

The Occupation of Wilmington tells the story of the British army occupation of Wilmington Delaware immediately after the Battle of Brandywine. This battle was the largest battle of the American revolution with over 32,000 troops engaged on September 11, 1777. Although a great victory for General William Howe, his army sustained significant losses in killed and wounded. Over 400 British and Hessian soldiers needed extended hospital care. In order to tend to the wounded, the British seized Wilmington and turned the town into a large field hospital. Eventually, the British committed three regiments to the occupation. These soldiers outnumbered the local population by over two to one. The Royal Navy sailed up the Delaware river to Wilmington in order to embark wounded soldiers and transport Continental prisoners taken at the Battle of Brandywine. This little known story uncovers the extent of British losses at Brandywine, the failure of the Delaware militia to protect Wilmington and the effects of a wartime occupation on the population of a town that just preferred to be left alone. Read more