Towamencin History: Today in Towamencin, Oct. 16, 1777

General George Washington and the Continental Army marched out of Towamencin to nearby Worcester. The General used the Peter Wentz farm for his HDQ as he had earlier in October before coming to Towamencin.

This morning, the army marched from Towamencin towards Peter Wentz’s farm in Worcester and several days later to Whitpain and Whitemarsh Townships. Life in Towamencin Township would eventually return to normal, but memories of 11,000 soldiers camped on Towamencin fields would remain on the minds of the residents for the rest of their lives, and in historical records forever.

 October 17 Receipt for an additional payment to the Wampoles for all the trouble of using his farm as military HDQ. (Credit: Towamencin History)
  

First Lieutenant James McMichael of the 13th Pennsylvania Regiment wrote in his journal about today’s exit march:

"Octr. 16 At 7 o Clock A.M. we marched from Towamensing & Steering S. E. B. S. we proceeded to the intersection of the roads to N. Wales and Bethlehem [Springhouse, Pa.], then turning S. S. W. we proceeded to our former Encampment near the Methodist meetinghouse, adjacent to which we formed an Encampment."

The unit’s encampment was formed at the Bethel Hill Methodist Church along the Skippack Pike at Bethel Road. The eighteenth-century Methodist meetinghouse was located next to where the earliest graves are seen in the historic cemetery today.