Moland House
Warwick Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Gen. Washington's headquarters Aug. 10-23, 1777, during the Neshaminy encampment of 11,000 troops. Here, the Marquis de Lafayette functioned for the first time as Major General at the Council of War on Aug. 21, and Count Casimir Pulaski of Poland met Washington for the first time. An experienced military commander, Pulaski was later appointed Brigadier General of mounted troops and is remembered as the "Father of the American Cavalry."
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
In the tense summer of 1777, General Washington gathered some 11,000 Continental soldiers at the Neshaminy encampment and made this house his headquarters for two weeks in August. It was here that a young Marquis de Lafayette first served in the field as a major general, and where the Polish exile Casimir Pulaski met Washington for the first time. Pulaski would soon organize American mounted forces and earn lasting fame as the "Father of the American Cavalry."
Why it matters
The Moland House marks a quiet but pivotal moment when foreign volunteers who would help win American independence first joined Washington's cause.
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Related people
- ยท George Washington
- ยท Marquis de Lafayette
- ยท Casimir Pulaski
Related events
- ยท Neshaminy encampment
- ยท Council of War, Aug. 21, 1777
Themes & tags
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