Which Way Did They Go?
Howe’s flanking movement at the Battle of Brandywine
By Thomas M. Walsh
Much has been written about the battle of Brandywine of September 11, 1777. Many people are aware of Howe and Cornwallis’s flanking movement as the British attempt to destroy the American right flank while General Knyphausen would stage a direct frontal assault on the American forces at Chadd’s Ford. There is general consensus among most writers that Howe moved his units from Kennett to Trimble’s Ford to Jefferis’ Ford to Birmingham Road. Very little is written on the route that Howe and his forces followed. What roads did they use? Are they in existence today? This article is a work in progress that will attempt to lay out Howe’s route.
On September 10, 1777, the British Army of about 15,000 stopped and spent most of the day in Kennett. Battle plans were drawn and redrawn while the British troops rested. At 5:00 AM on September 11, General Howe and Lord Cornwallis, with about 8300 British regulars, Hessians, and Loyalists, went north from Kennett, and at 6:00 AM General Knyphausen, with 7000 Hessians, British regulars, and Loyalists moved toward Chadd’s Ford and Chadd’s Ferry via the Baltimore and Philadelphia Pike (Route 1 today). Knyphausen’s frontal attack on the 14,500 men under General George Washington would set the stage for Howe’s flanking movement on the American right. Howe was hoping to repeat his victory over Washington at Long Island.
As we pick up with Howe moving north out of Kennett (Rt. 82 today), to quote from Samuel S. Smith’s 1976 volume on the battle. “When the column came to a dead end at this road (eastern end of the present village of Unionville--the traffic circle) it turned right. Then in about 500 yards at a fork in the road (probably Marlboro Road today) it turned obliquely to the right on a road called Doe Run Road and proceeded toward the Red Lion Inn (Longwood).”
If they turned north before the Red Lion it would appear that Howe’s troops moved toward the West Branch of the Brandywine by way of today’s Northbrook Road and bore to the right onto Red Lion Road. They continued all the way to present-day Rt. 842 where today’s Red Lion Road dead-ends. Local residents and aerial photographs suggest that Red Lion Road continued straight toward Joel Baily’s farm by crossing present-day Bragg Hill Road. From Baily’s farm they forded the Brandywine at the farm and mill complex known as Trimble’s Ford, then swung north on Trimble’s property to Camp Linden Road, and then moved east along Camp Linden Road to the dead end at Wawaset Road. Again, various locals and aerial maps would indicate they swung to the left and climbed the hill traversing a farm road or lane that led through the meadows along the woods to Lucky Hill Road.
The troops passed in front of a south-facing farmhouse that was one of the early Worth farms (Thomas Worth son of Thomas Worth of Darby), and more recently known as ESCO’s or Cann’s horse farm. At Lucky Hill, they swung southeast to Jefferis’ Ford at present-day Blue Rock and forded the East Branch of the Brandywine and picked up today’s Rt. 842 for a short distance before turning right and moving south along Birmingham Road. Howe passed safely along the narrow and winding road to Sconneltown, hence to Strode’s Mill on his way to Osborne’s Hill. After Howe and some of his officers had “light refreshment” as the troops ate their midday meal, the grand plan was put into play.
One of the largest encounters of the American Revolution ensued that hot summer afternoon on the northern portion of the battlefield with very heavy action in and around the Birmingham Meeting House. Howe won the day but failed to utilize his advantage. The American forces stood ground most of that day against mainly highly trained European professionals, and George Washington saved his army to fight again another day.