Sons Speaker Series: Michael C. Harris
Michael C. Harris, author of definitive books on the British army’s Philadelphia Campaign of 1777, spoke to the society on March 4 about the key role that the Battle of Brandywine played in the American Revolution.
Harris said that, although suffering a military defeat, Gen. Washington won in the big picture by keeping the patriot army intact. Washington lost most of his battles during the Revolution, Harris said, but he held the cause together by keeping the army together. He never yielded to defeat and thus ultimately triumphed.
Harris, who teaches history at Norristown Area High School and is a former National Park Service ranger, spoke from the deep research he had done for his book “Brandywine: A Military History of the Battle that Lost Philadelphia but Saved America, September 11, 1777.”
He addressed the fight from the point of view of Maj. Gen. John Sullivan, of New Hampshire, ended up in overall command of three divisions on that day. Harris said that Sullivan is often blamed for the defeat, but, in fact, held his own. Three weeks later, he led troops at the Battle of Germantown
Dr. Edwin S. Hart III, the society historian, introduced Harris for his remarks, which were part of an ongoing lecture series sponsored by the PSSR. The event at Historic Waynesborough, the society headquarters, was well attended.