US ResearchConflictsRevolutionary WarBattle of Little Egg Harbor
Revolutionary War

Battle of Little Egg Harbor

1778
New Jersey
Era
Revolutionary War
Year
1778
Location
New Jersey
Status
Verified engagement
The Combatants

Who Fought

Forces
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
American forces: Kazimierz Pułaski's Legion, three companies of light infantry, three troops of light horse, and one artillery detachment (specific total strength unknown)
VS
Victor
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
British/Loyalist forces: American Loyalists commanded by Patrick Ferguson (specific strength unknown)
Outcome
The British retrieved some supplies and destroyed others, as well as destroying some residences and other buildings
The Battle

History & Significance

The Battle of Chestnut Neck was fought on October 6, 1778 in southern New Jersey during the American Revolutionary War, at Chestnut Neck, a settlement on the Little Egg Harbor River near the present-day city of Port Republic, New Jersey, which was used as a base by privateers. The British retrieved some supplies and destroyed others, as well as destroying some residences and other buildings.

Duration
Single day engagement (October 6, 1778)
Historical context

The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783) grew from colonial resistance to British taxation without parliamentary representation — a dispute that radicalized through the Stamp Act (1765), the Townshend Acts (1767), and the Boston Massacre (1770). Fighting began at Lexington and Concord in April 1775; the Continental Congress declared independence on July 4, 1776. The Continental Army under George Washington faced severe shortages of supplies and troops, enduring the brutal winter at Valley Forge (1777–1778) before French alliance and French financing turned the military balance. Major engagements included Bunker Hill (1775), Trenton (1776), Saratoga (1777) — which secured French intervention — and Yorktown (1781), where British General Cornwallis surrendered to Washington. An estimated 25,000 American soldiers died in service, from combat, disease, and captivity. The Treaty of Paris (1783) recognized American independence and ceded British territory east of the Mississippi, though it left unresolved questions about Indigenous land rights and the status of Loyalists.

Casualties & Losses

American: 45 killed, 5 captured; British/Loyalist: unknown

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Battle of Little Egg Harbor take place?
Battle of Little Egg Harbor took place in 1778. Single day engagement (October 6, 1778).
Where was Battle of Little Egg Harbor fought?
Battle of Little Egg Harbor was fought in New Jersey, United States.
What was the outcome of Battle of Little Egg Harbor?
The British retrieved some supplies and destroyed others, as well as destroying some residences and other buildings
What was the significance of Battle of Little Egg Harbor?
The Battle of Chestnut Neck was fought on October 6, 1778 in southern New Jersey during the American Revolutionary War, at Chestnut Neck, a settlement on the Little Egg Harbor River near the present-day city of Port Republic, New Jersey, which was used as a base by privateers. The British retrieved
More from this era

Other Revolutionary War Engagements

Fall of Fort Lee
1776
New Jersey
Battle of Trenton (First)
1776
New Jersey
Battle of Fort Lee (New Jersey)
1776
New Jersey
Ambush of Geary
1776
New Jersey
Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet
1776
New Jersey
Battle of Fort Lee
1776
New Jersey
Battle of Hackensack
1776
New Jersey
Battle of Trenton Dec 26 1776
1776
New Jersey
Fort Lee Evacuation
1776
New Jersey
Capture of Fort Lee Nov 20 1776
1776
New Jersey
Capture of General Charles Lee
1776
New Jersey
Action at New Bridge
1776
New Jersey
Battle of Basking Ridge (Charles Lee Captured)
1776
New Jersey
Hackensack River Raid
1776
New Jersey
Skirmish at Newark (NJ, 1776)
1776
New Jersey
Battle of New Brunswick
1776
New Jersey
First Battle of Trenton
1776
New Jersey
Battle of Springfield 1776 (Skirmish)
1776
New Jersey
Battle of Gloucester (New Jersey 1777)
1777
New Jersey
All battles in New Jersey
Source

Content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Wikipedia source.

Aubrey Research

Explore the history around New Jersey

Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any location in the US, drawing on NRHP records, battlefield archives, census history and geological data to tell the full story of a place.

Research a location near New JerseyView a free sample report
All Revolutionary War Battles