In the campaign of 1777, the British approached Philadelphia from the Chesapeake, landing at Head of Elk, Maryland which is present day Elkton. The capital of the newly formed nation was Philadelphia, and that was the goal of British General William Howe.

General Washington chose Chadds’ Ford to defend against the British advance, because it was the high ground. Chadds’ Ford was a place of safe passage in which to cross the Brandywine River on the road between Baltimore and Philadelphia.

Washington believed that he could force the British to fight at Chadds’ Ford by placing troops to guard the main fords along the Brandywine River. On the morning of September 9th, Washington sent detachments to Wistar's Ford which was the most northern crossing of the river before it forked and at Pyle's Ford the southernmost possible crossing of the river. Washington persisted in an incorrect belief that he had all of the fords along the Brandywine guarded by his troops and that the closest unguarded ford was twelve miles up-river.

The British in the meanwhile were grouped at nearby Kennett Square and were formulating a plan. A small portion of the British army marched from Kennett Square, as though they intended to meet General Washington at Chadds’ Ford. The majority of the army under General William Howe's direction marched north of Wistar's Ford, crossing the river at a ford that was unknown to Washington, then Howe’s troops marched south into the flank of the American forces. General Howe’s better knowledge of the area led to superior tactics which allowed the British to outmaneuver Washington and his army.

The day of the battle, September 11th, started with a heavy fog that shrouded the area, thereby, providing cover for the approaching British troops. Sweltering heat was the result as the fog cleared, with the advent of the blazing sun. By the middle of that afternoon, the British had crossed the river at a ford that was not patrolled by Washington's army, and General Howe and his men gained a strategic position near Birmingham Friends Meeting House.

As the majority of the British appeared on the right flank, General George Washington realized that he had been outmaneuvered. His orders were to take the high ground around Birmingham Friends Meeting House as a last defense. Unfortunately, confusion ensued from the surprise British march, and the American forces were not able to successfully defend their position. The American troops fought valiantly, but they had simply been outwitted on the rolling hills along the Brandywine.

 

By nightfall finally the battle had come to an end. The defeated Americans made their retreat to Chester. The bulk of the American army arrived there by midnight with the remainder of the troops making their way at intervals, throughout night until dawn.

This publication was printed in Philadelphia by John Dunlap;

it contains a letter from Robert Henson Harrison to John

Hancock relaying the account of the Battle of the Brandywine,

until 4:30 PM. That letter from Mr. Harrison is followed by a

letter from George Washington declaring the battle as lost.

According to the journal of a Captain of the British army, there was no pursuit because of fatigue and the darkness of night. General Howe's men camped on the battlefield and the surrounding countryside including the nearby farmyards of Benjamin Ring and Gideon Gilpin.

This battle resulted in the British taking Philadelphia on September 26th 1777, and they held the young capital city until June 18th 1778, when they abandoned Philadelphia and returned to New York.