St. Peter's Church
Whitemarsh Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Lutheran, founded 1752 by Henry Melchior Muhlenberg. From steeple of original church, May 20, 1778, Gen. Lafayette gave orders for battle against British in old churchyard. Here he organized his famous retreat to Matson Ford, saving himself and 2200 Continental troops from capture.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
Founded in 1752 by Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, the patriarch of Lutheranism in America, St. Peter's stood at the edge of the Revolution a generation later. In May 1778, as Washington's army wintered nearby, the Marquis de Lafayette used the position here to direct a maneuver against advancing British forces, then executed a skillful withdrawal across Matson's Ford that spared some 2,200 Continental troops from capture. The old churchyard thus witnessed both the birth of an American faith community and a young French general's coming of age.
Why it matters
It links the German religious founding of colonial Pennsylvania to one of Lafayette's early proofs of generalship, binding immigrant settlement and the fight for independence to a single hillside.
Plan your visit
NearbyMake a day of it — museums, food, and places to stay near this marker.
Museums & culture
- African American Museum in Philadelphia10.4 mi away · 701 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA
- National Constitution Center10.4 mi away · 525 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Independence Visitor Center10.5 mi away · 599 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Liberty Bell Center10.6 mi away · 526 Market Street, Philadelphia
- Betsy Ross House10.6 mi away · 239 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History10.7 mi away · 101 South Independence Mall East, Philadelphia, PA
Attractions
- Discovery Center at East Park Reservoir7.6 mi away
- Pennsylvania Railroad, Connecting Railway Bridge8.0 mi away
- Philadelphia Zoo8.2 mi away
- American Bandstand8.8 mi away
- Rocky Steps9.0 mi away
- Harbison's Dairy Milk Bottle9.4 mi away
Food & drink
- Burger King10.5 mi away
- Dunkin'10.5 mi away · 634 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Philly Pretzel Factory10.5 mi away
- Independence Mall Cafe10.5 mi away · 50 North Independence Mall East, Philadelphia
- Munchie’s Cafe10.6 mi away · 728 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
- La Colombe Coffee Roasters10.6 mi away
Places to stay
- Days Inn Philadelphia Convention Center - Philadelphia10.0 mi away · 1227 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Four Points by Sheraton Philadelphia City Center10.0 mi away · 1201 Race Street, Philadelphia
- The Notary Hotel10.1 mi away · 21 North Juniper Street, Philadelphia
- Clarion Suites Philadelphia10.1 mi away · 1010 Race Street, Philadelphia
- Home2 Suites by Hilton Philadelphia - Convention Center, PA10.1 mi away · 1200 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Residence Inn Philadelphia Center City10.2 mi away · 1 East Penn Square, Philadelphia, PA
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Related people
- · Henry Melchior Muhlenberg
- · Marquis de Lafayette
Related events
- · Battle of Barren Hill
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
Lafayette
Whitemarsh Township, PA · est. 1980
In May 1778, the young Marquis de Lafayette led 2,000 Continental troops to Barren Hill on his first independent command, scouting British movements out of Philadelphia. General Howe tried to trap him with an overwhelming force, but Lafayette skillfully extracted his men and slipped back toward the American camp. He reoccupied the position until his recall to Valley Forge on May 23, having passed a crucial early test of his generalship.
Plymouth Friends Meetinghouse
Whitemarsh Township, PA · est. 1955
The Plymouth Friends Meetinghouse has gathered worshippers since about 1708, making it one of the region's oldest continuously used houses of worship. During the hard winter march to Valley Forge, it sheltered Washington's soldiers as a hospital and campsite. Its Quaker congregation later made it a hub of the abolition movement, and an eastern wing added in 1780 replaced the original log school.
Edward Hector
Conshohocken, PA · est. 1976
Edward Hector served as a private in the Continental artillery and fought at the Battle of Brandywine in 1777, one of the largest engagements of the Revolutionary War. He made his home in what is now Conshohocken. His marker honors him as a stand-in for the many Black soldiers whose service filled the Continental ranks but whose race went unrecorded in the muster rolls.
William Allen (1704-1780)
Philadelphia, PA · est. 2009
William Allen was one of colonial America's richest men, and his fortune helped build the institutions of early Philadelphia. He backed construction of the State House, now Independence Hall, and helped found Pennsylvania Hospital and the college that became the University of Pennsylvania. He established Allentown and served as Chief Justice of Pennsylvania's Supreme Court, but as revolution neared he broke with the patriot cause and remained a Loyalist until his death at his Mount Airy estate.