# Simcoe’s Ruthless Raid: The Battle of Crooked Billet

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/history-distilled-6743970/simcoe-s-ruthless-raid-the-battle-of-crooked-billet
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/history-distilled-6743970/simcoe-s-ruthless-raid-the-battle-of-crooked-billet.md
Podcast: [History Distilled](https://stenobird.com/podcast/history-distilled-6743970)
Published: 2025-12-14T23:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://share.transistor.fm/s/5585ce5d
Audio file: https://media.transistor.fm/5585ce5d/a4d9d9a4.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/history-distilled-6743970/episodes/simcoe-s-ruthless-raid-the-battle-of-crooked-billet
Duration seconds: 1120

## Resource

Major John Graves Simcoe wanted a "grand stroke" to destroy the Pennsylvania Militia. On May 1, 1778, his ruthless surprise attack caught a sleeping American camp in a trap that ended in the horrific "Buckwheat Straw Massacre." In the spring of 1778, British-occupied Philadelphia was a logistical nightmare, and General George Washington tasked 25-year-old Brigadier General John Lacey with starving them out. But Lacey was inexperienced, and his opponent was the cunning Major John Graves Simcoe of the Queen's Rangers. Using spies and a daring night march, Simcoe devised a plan to encircle Lacey at the Crooked Billet tavern. While an American lieutenant slept instead of scouting, the British noose tightened. In this video, we cover: * The rise of the "Fighting Quaker" General John Lacey. * Simcoe’s "Grand Stroke" to trap the militia. * The psychological bluff Simcoe used to break the American line. * The tragic fate of the wounded men in the burning huts. #AmericanRevolution #MilitaryHistory #Simcoe #1778 #PennsylvaniaHistory #WarHistory Thanks to our monthly supporters Dan

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## Transcript

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