The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1855-09-22
Gistorical.
BATTLE OF BRANDYWINE.
BY RICHARD EVERETT.


At the latter end of August, III, Lord
Howe, with an army of about eighteen thou
sand men, sailed up Chesapeake Bay, and
landed near Elkton. 1t was the intention of
the British commander to march directly to
Philadelphia, but he was delayed, from varl.
GUS causes, several weeks.
Washington at once OWNED that Howe S
moven,e nt was against Philadelphia; and ac-
cordinsly he put forth every effort to raise a
force capable of resisting him with some hope
of success.
We will pass over the preliminary acts of
the armies their manGvering, &C., nor will
we dwell upon the supcrhuman cxcrtions
made by the Americans to rctard the British
force. and to bring into the field respectable
urmy. Leaving these incidental matters, we
will turn OF once to the llth of September,
Iii. 1t was about day break when the
British army, eighteen thousand strong, in
several columns began to move towards the
American positions. Washington had parted
his army, which numbered about eleven thou
sand mcn-rcgular and miltia-in several
divisions around Chads Ford. Sullivan,
Lafayette, Wayne, Maxwell, and Stirling,
were IN command of different portions of the
infantry. The artillery was directed by
Knox, and the cavalry by the brave Pulaski.
The British van, under Gen. knyphausen,
advanced directly NJ on the ford and engaged
Gen. Maxwell, whose troops being militia,
we've gradually driven back. Being rein
forced, however, Maxwell men charged the
enemy SO vigorously that they halted for a
short time. The conflict was very stubborn,
but the British rallied, and at last succeeded
in driving Maxwells forces across the ford
y heavy cannonade now commenced between
the two armies without any definite result
The British lost some three hundred men,
while to the PATRIOTS the damage was trlfling.
khyphauscn's attack proved to be frint for
Corvallis, with a strong division, marched
up to the Brandywine river crossed, and
moved swiftly down against Sullivan's divi-
sion, whose duty il was to watch the
tords just above the point Of knyphauscn S
assault.
Sullivan was nearly taken by surprise, so
sudden was the movement Of the British Gen.
cral, and his army was not entirely formed
for battle, when the British and German
troops burst upon him. The patriots rcceiv-
I'd the shock with firmncss. The cncmy's
artillery being superior to the American, it
soon made wide gaps in their ranks. The
militia received several charges from the
British regulars, and returned them with
great courage. Every eycrtion was put forth
by Sullivan and his officers to encourage
their troops. The carnage was dreadful, and
not until All overwhelming force Of the enc
my came on, did the Amc,i ans wavrr--
But under "a volcano Of fire. slowly. first one
wing and then the other. began to waver.-
In vain did Sullivan, covered with dust and
blood, attempt to stay his men. La Faycttc.
on loot, hurried from rank to rank, and bcgg-
cd the soldiers to stand firm until death -
But in vain
The storm of battle poured over the field,
and both wings of Sullvan's army we've hurl
ed back, shattered and nearly destroyed
But the centre, some eight hundred men,
stood like living wall. The resistlcss cam
non ball plowcd through their ranks hut
they closed them up again. Tho German
infantry, and the British grcndicrs more
than once charged in vain. Sullivan, La
Faycttc and Sterling toiled like heroes to
make a final stand until rcintorccmcnts
come up. But La Fayette fell, shot through
the leg; two Of Sullivan's aids were killed.
and the detachment reduced to- few hundred
men were compelled to Join their retrcating
comrades, and the whole body, in disorder,
closely pursued by the victorious enemy
rushed on towards the main army at Chad's
Ford.
Alarmed at the sound of the battle in the
despatched Greene with his division to give
aid, if necessary. His men were marching
briskly along, when messengers from Sulli-
van told how fierce was the battle, and this
was corroborated by the heavy cannonade,
Il,
The truth flashed upon Greene in an in
stant-Cornwallis had attacked Greene's
division! Orders for the men to march in
double quick time" were instantly gwen
The men responded with shouts; and it is
matter of history that Wayne's troops march
cd four miles IN forty minutes.
About one mile from the battlefield,
Wayne met the flying Americans. lie open
cd his ranks and allowed them to pass thro'
showed an undauntel front to the English,
and received them with well directed vollcls
from his infantry and artillery. Count Pu-
laski, with his splendid corpse Of cavalry
also charged upon the advancing squadron.
beating them back in gallant style Anoth.
er battle now began, and continued until
darkness came down upon both armies
The British could not advance, while the re-
treating forces of Sullivan were gathered and
recognized. Although pressed very hard,
Grecnes corps holds its ground and when
night came On, the two armies were very
close together.
In this battle Count Pulaski, the accom-
plishcd Polish officer, to"k prominent part.
He commanded the cavalry fine corps
which he had drilled to perfection. When
the pursuing columns Of English came up
with Grccnc's men, Pulaski charged upon
their ranks (disordcred by the pursuts) and
cut down whole platoons.
On the evening previous to the battle, one
Of the chaplains Of the American army
preached to the soldiers an eloquent and
patriotic sermon from the text--"They that
take the sword shall perish by the sword"
Gen. La Fayette was taken to the convent
Of the Moravian Nuns at Bethlehem, where
he received kind attention until once more
able to join the army.
The British force being greatly superior to
the American, in every respect, Washington
concluded not to risk another engagement
but that night his troops retreated, and the
next day marched to Germantown.
Sullivan has been ccnsured for negligence
in allowing himself to be surprised by the
British Army, but he was cleared from any
such inputaiion by committee Of invcstiga.
ton. The Battle of Brandywine was unfor-
tunate for the American cause. although to
the royal forces it was a dear victory. Their
loss was over EIGHT hundred killed wounded