Milford chronicle., 1931-09-11
WHEN WASHINGTON
WAS DEFEATED
AT BRANDYWINE

| lSuubSI II, lilt, GSueIdl WdSulu$-
ton sat down in his improVised
headquarters at Chester, within
thirty miles of Philadelphia, to write
Congress an account of the battle of
Brandywine which had taken place
that day. But the hand which had
carried the sword all day was now
too tired to WELD the pen, and
Washington had to ask one of his
: aides to write the news to Congress.
Timothy Pickering, Adjutant Cen
eral, prepared the account of the
battle which was signed by the
COmmander-in-Ch and sent to
Congress.
81 am sorry to inform you," the
letter began, that, in this days en-
gGgement. We have been Obliged to
leave the enemy masters of the
field"
The battle of Brandywine, as re-
called by the Division of InCOrma-
ton and Publication of the United
State George Washington BiCenten-
nial Commission, was the result of
WashingtOn's great effort TO save
Philadelphia from Howe Handi-
capped as he was, he failed to stop
the British, but only after a stub
born resistance that cost Howe
many of mis- best soldiers.
In August General Howe had
commenced his movement ON Phil
adelphia. He disembarked his army
near the Head of Elk ON the Ches-
apeake, about seventy miles from
Philadelphia, paused only long
enough to complete preparations for
the march and started for the Am
erican capital. 1t was now evident |
that Howe meant to take the city, !
and Washington had either to fight |
or to turn Philadelphia over to the
enemy without a struggle. With a
force numerically inferior and
poorly armed, the General decided
to fight. ... ...
In his genera lorders of Septem-
ber 5, Washington appealed to the
army to support him to the utmost
in the battle which was now newt
able. 1.-TWO years." he wrote, "have
we maintained the war, and stIug-
gled with difficulties innumerable,
but the prospect has frightened"
He suggested that if they were sue
cessful in this campaign the war
would be concluded.
Howe moved forward slowly with
the Americans Withdrawing ahead
of him, harassing his troops and in
every way possible impeding his
progress. General Washington at
last took his position on the Brandy
wine, at Chadd's Ford, directly in
the Briton's path twenty-six miles
from Philadelphia. Here the two ar
mics faced each other on September
II, in battle formation.
The story of the battle is told in
the letter which Pickering wrote to
Congress that night at Chester
where Washington had sent his
stores and directed the army to
gather.
Unfortunately the intelligence I
,ecd., of the enemy's advancing up {
he Brandywine & crossing at a ford 9
lbout six miles above us, was un- G
& contradictory, notwith-
standing all my pains to get the '
'est. This prevented my making a Q
disposition adequate to the force a
With which the enemy attacked us S
N our right; in consequence of C
which, the troops first engaged were
'bliged to retire before they could '
'e reinforced. In the midst of the a
ttack on our right, that body of the
nemy, which remained on the other Il
ide of Chadds Ford, crossed it, & Ii
ttacked the division there under a
he command of General Wayne, &
he light troops under Genl. Max G
'ell, who after a severe conflict, al u
o retired. The militia under the
of Major General Arm a
trong, being posted at ford about Il
Ho miles below Chadd's, had no 81
pportunity of engaging. c'
But altho we fought under many a
and were, from the
luses above mentioned, Obliged to az
9tire, yet our loss of men is not, o'
N persuaded, very considerable; 1
9lieve much less than the enemy's. al
e have also lost seven or eight 81
eces of cannon, according to the
est information l can at present w
)tain. The baggage, having been
'eylously moved off, is all secure, 20
wing the mems blankets, which vi
ing at their backs, many of them Ell
'ubtless were lost. l have directed -.
the troops to assemble behind M
hester, where they are now ar ssp
nging for this night. Notwith- ho
anding the misfortune of the day,
am happy to find the troops in pc
cd spirits; and I hope another on OF
ne we shall compensate for the tle
Sses now sustained. The Marquis Se
Lafayette was wounded in the co
:, & General Woodford in the 20
nd; divers other officers were wa
& some slain; but the an
mbers of either cannot now be th' th'
wv