UpperSouthhamptonPatch: 'The Battle of the Crooked Billet' Screened at Southampton Library
The filmmakers hope to teach residents about a battle that happened in their own backyards
http://www.battleofcrookedbillet.com/
While many people may be aware of larger battles in the American Revolutionary War, such as Brandywine and Valley Forge, fewer may know about a significant battle that happened locally — the Battle of Crooked Billet.
The producers of one documentary film hope to change that.
"The Battle of the Crooked Billet" chronicles the events leading up to and surrounding the battle, which occurred in what is now Bucks and Montgomery counties on May 1, 1778. The film was screened at the Southampton Free Library Monday night, with a question-and-answer session following.
A screening in Southampton was apt, as one of the major historians whose research brought the Battle of Crooked Billet and militia Gen. John Lacey's work to light, Gen. William Watts Hart Davis, was a Bucks County native.
"It's great to have this shown here in Southampton in his own backyard," said director and executive producer Scott Randolph.
According to the film, at the time of the battle, the American militia, headed by Gen. Lacey, of Bucks County, was tasked by George Washington to keep supplies from getting into Philadelphia to be sold to the British. The British wanted to stop the militia's interference and capture Lacey, so British forces, including a regiment of American loyalists, marched from the city to Crooked Billet, present-day Hatboro, to achieve these aims.
However, Lacey foiled the British plans. Being familiar with the area, he led hundreds of militiamen to escape by heading north into the farmlands of Bucks County, saving many lives.
Ultimately, 26 militiamen were killed in the battle. Nine were wounded, and 58 were captured by the British.
Attendees learned many historical tidbits throughout the evening. Many may not know that in the mid-1930s, there was a failed effort to make the area from Byberry Road to Bristol Road, and from Davisville Road to Old York Road, a national military park similar to Gettysburg because of its role in the battle.
Another little-known fact is that the fallen militiamen were originally buried at one of two locations: one at the current site of Lacey Park in Warminster, and another on the grounds of Wolverton's Welding on County Line Road in Hatboro.
The Battle of Crooked Billet was also demonstrative of a sentiment among historians that the American Revolution was the nation's first Civil War, said Randolph. Brother fought against brother in the struggle for the nation's independence, and anecdotes go that one member of the militia was killed by his own neighbor, a loyalist, at Crooked Billet.
Randolph, a resident of the Burgundy Hills section of Southampton, had a natural interest in the battle. His father was a history buff, so he learned a great deal about all types of history.
"I grew up with the story," he said. "I grew up on the edge of the battlefield."
As a graduate of Crooked Billet Elementary School in Hatboro, named after the historic battle, Randolph thought he knew about the events that transpired that day. But once he began researching for the film, he learned that he was not correct.
"When I met with the historians, I realized that I didn't know the story," he said. "They wanted to make sure to clear up the misconceptions and present the story as it actually happened."
A common false belief about the battle was that it was a win for the British. However, Randolph said that, in talking with historians, he learned that "it was a British failure" because they did not achieve any of their goals. The British did not capture Gen. Lacey, and within 48 hours of the battle, he and his remaining troops were back to disrupting the flow of British supplies into the city.
Other misconceptions, said Randolph, were that Lacey was court-martialed and that the militia "just ran away."
Executive producer Trey Crease also got an education while putting together the documentary. A Civil War buff, Crease knew little about the Revolutionary War.
"It was an actual learning experience for me," he said.
Crease added that the Battle of Crooked Billet was indicative of the brutality of war. The loyalists and British troops killed the militiamen in barbaric ways, even setting some of the wounded on fire in buckwheat straw, burning them alive. The sacrifice of these soldiers is rarely discussed, Crease said.
"People know about the suffering that went at Valley Forge, but there were men being shot at and killed at Crooked Billet," he said. "History overlooks them. Our solders have been forgotten. We believe it's good to give a little recognition to them."
Randolph shared these sentiments.
"We have something that happened right here," he said. "It makes it special. People gave their lives for the founding of our nation. You don't have to go far to find it."
Along with the film, other efforts have been made to commemorate the battle. Crooked Billet Elementary School, where much of the fighting occurred, has a ceremony with its students every year. And, two years ago, Sen. Stewart Greenleaf and Rep. Tom Murt introduced a resolution officially marking May 1 as "Crooked Billet Day" in Pennsylvania.
Besides the Southampton Library screening, the film has been shown at the Union Library of Hatboro and the Upper Moreland Free Public Library. A screening is scheduled for this evening at 7 p.m. at the Horsham Township Library.
"This is what we call our 'grand library tour,'" said Randolph.
The showing at the Southampton Library, which drew close to 25 people, was in the works for about a year, according to reference librarian J.L. Garner.
"It finally gelled, and I was really happy with the turnout," Garner said. "It was really very well attended."
Garner was impressed with the quality and subject matter of the documentary, and he thought screening the piece would be a great addition to the library's adult programming.
"The film is just stupendous; it's History Channel quality," he said. "It's really interesting. It's local history, and it's so professionally done."
The library has been expanding its adult programming to include such events, Garner said. Other adult events at the library include Friday movie screenings of recent DVD releases and bracelet-making workshops.
