Battle of Brandywine

The Battle of Brandywine was a battle of the American Revolutionary War, which was fought at Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford, Delaware County, Pennsylvania on September 11, 1777. The battle ended in a major victory in the British armed forces and allowed them to take Philadelphia.

After a 34 -day sea transport of Sandy Hook on the coast of New Jersey landed 17,000 British soldiers under the command of General William Howe at the mouth of Maryland's Elk River, on the northern shore of the Chesapeake Bay. The unloading of troops proved in view of the shallow and marshy river bank to be very difficult.

General George Washington had given the American troops between the mouth of the Elk and about 70 km from Philadelphia in position. You could watch the British landing from 14 km north-west from Iron Hill. Washington was built because of the delayed disembarkation of the British no real camp, but came with his troops before quickly and failed the exact scrutinizing the enemy troop strength. He opted for the high position at the ford at Chadds Fort as a defensive position, since one could get out of here safely over the Brandywine, on the road from Baltimore to Philadelphia.

On September 9th Washington placed guard units in other fords above and below Chadds Ford, because he hoped to force the battle at this point and as he held the area for sure. The British withdrew their troops together in Kennett Square, where a part of the armed forces opened after Chadds Ford to meet Washington. The other troops went north to a ford, which Washington had overlooked and then marched south into the flank of the American forces.

On the morning of September 11 lay down a thick fog over the landscape, which gave the British cover. Washington received conflicting messages over the enemy troop movements, but did continue to assume that the majority of Brits headed for the attack on Chadds Ford. Then, when the British appeared on the right flank of his troops, it was too late for a response, and he had to order a retreat to Chester.

In the following days the British and American troops tacked, and there were only smaller meetings, such as the Paoli Massacre on the night of the 20th to the 21th of September.

The Continental Congress left Philadelphia, first to Lancaster and then to York. The military supplies were brought from Philadelphia to Reading. On September 26, 1777, the British marched unopposed into Philadelphia.