September of 1777: When the Revolutionary War Came to

Phoenixville Public Library will host a free, four-part lecture series, “September of 1777: When the Revolutionary War Came to Southeastern Pennsylvania” over four evenings – Monday, May 4; Monday, May 11; Thursday, May 14; and Monday, May 18 – each lecture running from 6:00 to 7:45 PM. Michael Snyder is the presenter.

Beginning in September 1777, southeastern Pennsylvania became the focus of the Revolutionary War as British General Sir William Howe brought an 18,000-man army into our area in an attempt to capture Philadelphia, the center of America’s government and the largest city in the colonies. Over the next nine months the area in which we live was the scene of some stirring events: the battle of Brandywine, the Battle of the Clouds, the Paoli Massacre, and the Battle of Germantown. In addition, the local civilian population had to deal with the problems created by the presence of both armies. Using lecture, PowerPoint, and maps, this four-part presentation will examine these important events in American history that happened right in our own backyards.

After Michael Snyder retired from teaching public school, he began a new career as a free-lance author and lecturer specializing in American military history from the Revolutionary War to World War II. For almost twenty years, Snyder’s articles on local history were published in the Pottstown’s daily newspaper, the Mercury. In 2010 his book, "Remembering Pottstown: Historic Tales of a Pennsylvania Borough", was published by the History Press. Snyder has given courses on the Revolutionary War, Civil War, and World War II at Montgomery County Community College, main and west campuses, the Historical Society of Montgomery County, and other local institutions. He has been the guest speaker at many Civil War Round Tables in the United States, including Chicago, Milwaukee, New York City, and Philadelphia, and has also spoken at many local historical societies.

These events are free and open to the public. With the exception of May 11, the programs will also be livestreamed on Zoom for those unable to attend in person. Registration is required on the Library’s events calendar at https://ccls.libcal.com/calendar/Phoenixville or by calling 610-933-3013 x132. Email mpinto@ccls.org for more information. Phoenixville Public Library is located at 183 Second Avenue, Phoenixville, PA.

This program supports America 250PA Chester County.