Battle of Brandywine
The Battle of Brandywine was a significant engagement during the American Revolutionary War, taking place on September 11, 1777, near the Brandywine River in Pennsylvania. General George Washington aimed to halt the British advance towards Philadelphia, establishing a defensive position based on his understanding of the terrain and expected enemy movements. However, Washington's lack of complete intelligence about the area allowed British General Sir William Howe to execute a more effective strategy, including a flanking maneuver that ultimately overwhelmed American forces. The battle resulted in an estimated 600 to 1,900 British casualties and 700 to 1,300 American casualties, along with the loss of ten cannons by the Americans. Following the defeat, Washington's troops were forced to retreat, leading to Howe's unopposed entry into Philadelphia on September 26. This battle was pivotal, as it diminished Washington's forces significantly, leaving only 6,000 soldiers to endure the harsh winter at Valley Forge. The Battle of Brandywine is remembered as a turning point in the Revolutionary War that demonstrated the challenges faced by American forces in their fight for independence.
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Subject Terms
Battle of Brandywine
Type of action: Ground battle in the American Revolution
Date: September 11, 1777
Location: Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania
Combatants: 17,000 British and Hessians vs. 15,000 Americans
Principal commanders:British/Hessian, General Sir William Howe (1732–1786); American, General George Washington (1732–1799)
Result: Tactical British victory
Hoping to stop the British advance from Elkton, Maryland, to Philadelphia, General George Washington established a strong defensive position on high ground just east of the Brandywine River (September 9, 1777). He failed to gain adequate knowledge of the surrounding terrain and mistakenly believed he had guarded all nearby fords. By preventing British crossings at Wistar’s, Jones’s, Brinton’s, Chadds, Lower, Gibson’s, Pyle’s, or Corner Fords, he expected to force Sir William Howe to attack frontally from the west bank.
The British marched northeast up the Baltimore Pike (later U.S. Route 1) and headquartered at Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Howe’s reconnaissance was superior to that of Washington. He divided his army, attacked frontally with the smaller part under Baron Wilhelm von Knyphausen, and sent the larger part under Lord Charles Cornwallis to another ford north of Wistar’s. Fog favored the British. When the sky cleared, Washington realized he had been outflanked on his right. He held ground as long as he could but finally had to retreat.
Casualty estimates range between 600 and 1,900 for the British and between 700 and 1,300 for the Americans. Washington also lost ten cannons and a howitzer.
Significance
At this point in the Revolutionary War, Howe entered Philadelphia unopposed (September 26). Through casualties and desertions, only 6,000 men remained with Washington after the Philadelphia campaign to winter at Valley Forge.
Bibliography
Anderson, Troyer Steele. The Command of the Howe Brothers During the American Revolution. New York: Oxford University Press, 1936.
Bennett, Charles E. A Quest for Glory: Major General Robert Howe and the American Revolution. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1991.
Liberty: The American Revolution. Documentary. Middlemarch Films, 1997.
Smith, Samuel Stelle. The Battle of Brandywine. Monmouth Beach, N.J.: Philip Freneau, 1976.
Townsend, Joseph. Some Account of the British Army Under the Command of General Howe, and of the Battle of Brandywine. Philadelphia, Pa.: Townsend Ward, 1846.