Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-07-25
BATTLE OF BRANDYWINE
JOHN FISK TELLS IN INTEREST,"
ING SrORY.
Tho Field OF Action an Accident
Howe Leaves the River 10 AVOID
the FDrIs-ERoxv thc bay Was Won.


,,; -
John LAX In Atlantic Monthly, after |
showing the military blunders of General |
Howe in landing his forces at Elkton,
gives the following sketch of the battle
of Brandywine:
No wonder that the American generals |
were wide of the mark in their copjec-
lures, for the folly of Howe's movements
after reaching the mouth Of the Delaware
was quite beyond credence and would be
ineIplicable to day except as the result
of the wild advice of the marplot Lee.
Howe alleged as his reason for turning
away from the Delaware that there were
distractions in the river and forts to
pass, aud accordingly he thought it best
TO go around by way Of Chesapeake Bay,
aud land his army at Elkton. Now he
might easily have gone q little way up
the Delaware river without epcounteriug
any obHtructions whatever, and landed
his troops at q point only thirteen miles
east Of Elkton. Instead Of attempting
this, he wasted twenty four days in
voyage of four hundred miles, mostly
against head-winds, in order to reach the
same point No sensible antagonist could
be expected to understand such eccentric
behavior. No wonder, that after it had
become clear that the feet had gone
eouthward, Washington should have sup
posed an attack on Charleston to be in.
tended. A council of war on the 2lst
decided that this must be the case, and
since an overland march Of 700 miles
could not be accomplished in time to
prevent such an attack, it was decided to
90 back to New York and operate against
Sir Henry Clinton. But before this de-
oiuioY, ruan nNtad nm Homa pnnpaPad nf
the head of Chesapeake bay, where he
landed his forces at E!kton. It was now
the 25sh OF August-nine days after the
battle OF Bennington and three days
ater the flight of st. Lsger. Since en-
tering Chesapeake bay, Howe had re-
caiyed Lord George Germaine's letter OF
May 18th, telling him that whatever he
had to do ought to be done in time for
him to cooperate with Burgoyne. Now
BurRoyne5 situation had become dan
gerous, and here was Howe at Elkton,
50 miles southwest of Philadelphia, with
Washington's army in front of him, and
more than 800 miles away from Bur-
goynei
On hearing of Howe's arrival at the
head of Chesapeake Bay, Washington
had advanced as far as Wilmington to
meet him. The first proceeding of the
British general, on landing at Elkton,
was to issue his proclamation of amnesty;
but it did not bring him any recruits.
A counter proclamation, drawn MP by
Luther Martin, sufficed to neutralize it.
Though there were many people in the
neighhorhood who cared little for the
cause of independence, there were but q
fsw who sympathizsd with the invaders
enough to render them any valuable as
s,stsnce. II was through country in
different, perhaps, but not friendly in
feeling, that the British army cautiously
pushed its way northwnrd for a fort
night, until 1t reached the village OF Ken
nett Square, six miles west of the Brandy
wine creek, behind which Washington
had planted himself to oppose its progress.
The time had arrived when Washington
felt it necessary to offer battle, even
though such step might not be justified
from purely military reasons. The peo-
Pile were weary of Fabian policy which
they did not comprehend, and Washing
ton saw that even if he were defeated the
moral effect upon the country would not
be 80 bad as IL he were to abandon Phila-
delphia without blow. victory ne
was hardly entitled to expect, since he
bad but IL 900 men against Howe's
,18 900, and since the British vera still
greatly superior in equipment aud disci.
pline. Under these circumstances Wash.
ington choBe his ground with his usual
ssgspity, and took possession Of it by d
gwift and nnsterly movement. The
BfandywiDe creek ran direnty athwsr,
Fowe'a line of march to Philadelphia
Though largo enough to serve as a mill
tary obRtGele-in England it would bt
called river-it was CROSSED by nur1er
Gus tords, OF which the pinopai one
Chadd's Ford, lay in Howe's way. Wash
ington placed the centre of his army jos
behind Chedd's Ford and across ,ht
road. His centre was defended in from
by a corps OF aisillery undsr Wayne
while Greene, on some high ground II
the rear was stationed rs reserve
Below Uhedd's Ford, the Brandswiu,
becomes O roaring torrent, shut in he
tween steep, high cliffs, so that th;
American left. resting upon these natura
defences, was sufficiently guarded by til
Pennsylvania militia under Armstrong
Tho right wing, stretching two miles al
the stream, into an uneven and thickl
wooded country, was commNnde cd b,
Sullivan.
This was very strong position. Or
the left it was practically inaccessible
To try storming it in front would hs
doubtful experiment, sure to result il
terrible loss OF lits. The only woal
point was the right, which could na taksi
in fiank by long circuitous marc
through the woods. Accordingly, ol
the morning OF the 11th of Septelnbe
the British right wing under Knypbau
sen, began skirmishing and occupyin
Washington's attention at Ghadd's Ford
while the left column, under energati
CORVALLIS, msrcned up the L4nceste
road, crossed the forks of the Brandy
wine aud turned southward toward BIZ
mingham Meeting, with the intention O
striking the rear of the American rigb
wing. 1t was similar TO the tisakIn
movement which had been tried so sut
cssssully at the battle of Long Island
scar before. 1t was quite like tne splei
did movement Of StonewaIl jackson .
Charlottesville S5 years afteFward.
EoWe's time snch thanking marches We,
emineptly fashionable. II was in III
way that the great Frejerick be
won some CT his most astonishing vi
tories. They were, nevertheless, then
always, dangerous expsaients, as tt
Btupendous overthrow of the Aastr;
Russian army at Austerlitz was by au
by to show. There is always a serioi
chance that the tables msy be turne
Such thanking movements are con.pn
lively safe, however, when the gttBckir
ar ly greatly outnumbers the army a
tackled, as at the Brsndywine Bnt in {
cases the chief element in their sue1e
il secrecy; above all things. the party a
tackled must be kept in the dark.