the river. At his left, below Chadd's Ford, the Brandywine is a
torrent flowing between high cliffs. There the British would find
no passage. On his right was a forest. Washington had chosen his
position with his usual skill. Entrenchments protected his front
and batteries would sweep down an advancing enemy. He had
probably not more than eleven thousand men in the fight and it is
doubtful whether Howe brought up a greater number so that the
armies were not unevenly matched. At daybreak on the eleventh the
British army broke camp at the village of Kenneth Square, four
miles from Chadd's Ford, and, under General Knyphausen, marched
straight to make a frontal attack on Washington's position.

In the battle which followed Washington was beaten by the
superior tactics of his enemy. Not all of the British army was
there in the attack at Chadd's Ford. A column under Cornwallis
had filed off by a road to the left and was making a long and
rapid march. The plan was to cross the Brandywine some ten miles
above where Washington was posted and to attack him in the rear.
By two o'clock in the afternoon Cornwallis had forced the two
branches of the upper Brandywine and was marching on Dilworth at
the right rear of the American army. Only then did Washington
become aware of his danger. His first impulse was to advance
across Chadd's Ford to try to overwhelm Knyphausen and thus to
get between Howe and the fleet at Elkton. This might, however,
have brought disaster and he soon decided to retire. His movement
was ably carried out. Both sides suffered in the woodland
fighting but that night the British army encamped in Washington's
position at Chadd's Ford, and Howe had fought skillfully and won
an important battle.