In late 1776, the fortunes of the Patriots fighting the American Revolution were at their nadir, It had been a year of defeat, Washington's main Continental Army had been beaten on Long Island and Manhattan, and forced to retreat across New Jersey with the British hoard on his heels. Battle casualties, the surrender of outposts, and desertions had reduced his army from around 19,000 men, before the Battle of New York to less than 6,000 troops, Another American army, under Benedict Arnold had been driven from Canada, after failing to capture Quebec the preceding winter.

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