{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"History Distilled","title":"Simcoe’s Ruthless Raid: The Battle of Crooked Billet","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/5585ce5d\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1120,"description":"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","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/vHz7eJOctw9EkX92KRocNlRyCJm2i0Lzt2lBtgY_hxc/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS84NmIw/NTcwYzhiMzAyOTNm/OGZjNzZjY2Y1YTNk/ZjkwNi5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}