General Howe Sails From New York to Capture Philadelphia, July 23, 1777

General Howe, commander of the British forces in America, sailed with his army from New York, July 23, 1777, to make a mighty effort to end the Revolution by capturing Philadelphia, the seat of government of the Continental Congress. His intentions were to approach the city by the Delaware.

Soon as this became known every effort was made for the defense of the river. Howe experienced much difficulty, therefore, in navigating his immense naval armament and meeting these obstructions in the Delaware Bay, he decided to make his approach by way of the Chesapeake, where he anchored at the head of the bay, in Elk River, August 25.

Howe disembarked with 18,000 troops, well equipped, except for horses. The movement was delayed by heavy rains, but when they reached Elkton the Philadelphia Light Horse, under Colonel Patterson retired, but annoyed the enemy by skirmishing.

On September 3, the militia and light horse with 720 Continentals, under General Maxwell, kept up an attack which checked somewhat the progress towards Philadelphia of two divisions of British, under Cornwallis and Knyphausen.

Washington marched his army through Philadelphia to encourage the partisans of independence and overawe the disaffected, and took up a position between Chester and Wilmington.

On hearing of the actual invasion of Pennsylvania the Supreme Executive Council issued a proclamation entreating all persons to march instantly to the assistance of General Washington, to enable him to demolish the only British army that remained formidable in America or in the world.

Those addressed were asked to consider the wanton ravages, the rapes, the butcheries perpetrated in New Jersey, and on the frontier of New York, and the prospect of Americans being “like the wretched inhabitants of India, stripped of their freedom, robbed of their property, degraded beneath brutes, and left to starve amid plenty at the will of their lordly masters.”

Washington had moved from White Clay Creek, leaving only the riflemen in camp, and with the main body of his army retired behind the Red Clay Creek, occupying with his right wing the town of Newport, upon the great road to Philadelphia; his left was at Hockhesson.

When Howe brought the army to attack the right flank on September 9, the Americans had slipped away and crossed the Brandywine at Chadd’s Ford in Chester County, where they awaited the enemy. General 504Sullivan commanded the right, General Armstrong the left. The riflemen of Maxwell scoured the right bank of the Brandywine, in order to harass and retard the enemy. Stephen’s and Lord Sterling’s divisions were under General Sullivan.

The British reached Kennett Square September 10. The next morning half the British army, led by Howe and Cornwallis, moved up the valley road to cross at the forks of the creek. At 10 o’clock Knyphausen began a cannonade at Chadd’s Ford.

Sullivan crossed the creek above, while Washington with Greene’s division was to attack Knyphausen, but Sullivan was too late and had not made the crossing when the attack began, for Cornwallis had made the crossing as intended and came down upon the Americans. Sterling and Stephen faced his attack southwest of the Birmingham meeting house. Sullivan should have taken his division to their right, and when he started to change his position, he was put to flight and lost his artillery.

The story of the Battle of the Brandywine will not be repeated, except to state that after a terrible day’s battle the Americans retreated at nightfall, having lost 1000 killed and wounded, Lafayette among the latter. Howe’s army did not pursue in the darkness, and Washington reached Chester. Thence it went to Germantown and collected provisions and ammunition. Battalions of militia joined the main body at the Falls of the Schuylkill and at Darby.

The public money of Pennsylvania was sent to Easton, the Liberty Bell and church bells at Philadelphia were sent to Bethlehem and Allentown, the Market Street bridge was removed and the boats at the ferries of the Schuylkill brought to the city side.

Washington advanced to the Lancaster road, and Howe and Cornwallis left the vicinity of Chester and marched toward the road through what is now West Chester and by Goshen Meeting, and the Sign of the Boot Inn, which General Howe occupied and made his headquarters.

The two armies on September 16, were drawn in battle array near the White Horse Inn on the Lancaster Road, where a fight occurred between Count Donop and his Hessians and “Mad Anthony” Wayne without much result. A violent and incessant rain storm prevented any general action.

During this storm the American army suffered a heavy loss in ammunition, which got wet; so it turned aside until a new supply could be obtained. The enemy moved toward Philadelphia.

The day after the battle of Brandywine, toward evening, the British dispatched a detachment of light troops to Wilmington. There they took prisoner the Governor of the State of Delaware, and seized a considerable quantity of coined money, as well as other property, both public and private, and some papers of importance.

505General Mifflin was too ill to take command of the defense of Philadelphia, and all was confusion, when at 1 o’clock in the morning of September 19, the alarm was given that the British had crossed the Schuylkill.

Lord Cornwallis entered Philadelphia September 26, at the head of British and Hessian grenadiers. The rest of the army remained in camp at Germantown.