The 2026 Society of the Cincinnati Prize has been awarded to Michael C. Harris for his book Fighting for Philadelphia: Forts Mercer and Mifflin, the Battle of Whitemarsh, and the Road to Valley Forge, October 5–December 19, 1777, published in 2025 by Savas Beatie.

Fighting for Philadelphia examines the critical military events that followed the British occupation of Philadelphia in the fall of 1777. Focusing on the defense of the Delaware River, the fighting at Forts Mercer and Mifflin, and the Battle of Whitemarsh, Harris argues that the contest for Philadelphia did not end with the British capture of the city. Instead, he demonstrates that control of the Delaware River and the survival of the Continental Army remained central to the course of the war during the difficult months between Germantown and Valley Forge.

Drawing on extensive archival research, firsthand accounts, and years of experience in public history and battlefield interpretation, Harris reconstructs the experiences of soldiers and civilians involved in these events while bringing greater attention to engagements that have often received less notice than the major battles of 1777. His work illuminates the human, military, and political dimensions of the conflict while revealing the contested landscape that emerged after the British occupation of the city.

Michael C. Harris is a graduate of the University of Mary Wash­ington and the American Military University. He has worked for the National Park Service, New Jersey State Parks and the Penn­sylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

Watch Michael C. Harris's presentation on his book