In April 1775, a faction of British colonists in America rose in armed rebellion against lawful authority. In May 1775, the "Continental Congress" declared itself the government and appointed George Washington their military leader. Through 1775, the rebellion won a few victories at Bunker Hill, Crown Point, and Ticonderoga and by July of 1776, the rebels were sufficiently emboldened to declare themselves their own country.
But in that summer, General Howe and the Army landed to restore order and routed Washington's forces in the New York campaign. With the ragged remnants of his men, Washington fled across the Delaware River at Christmas and spent a miserable winter in New Jersey. During the spring and summer of 1777, the British consolidated their gains in New York. September saw the British launch a drive for Philadelphia, the biggest city in the colonies, the seat of the Continental Congress, and the source of most manufactured goods.
After the Royal Navy landed the Army south of Philadelphia, General Howe moved north towards the city. On the 11th of September, 1777, the British army crossed the Brandywine Creek and defeated the rebels in the biggest battle of the war yet, forcing them to retreat. Soon afterwards, the British captured Philadelphia without a shot. The rebels were defeated again at Germantown a few weeks after that, when they unsuccessfully tried to retake the city. Washington marched what was left of his defeated and demoralized army away to spend the infamous winter at Valley Forge, desperate and hungry.
Perhaps a third of the colonists supported Washington and the rebels. But at least another third remained loyal to the Crown and 40 battalions of men volunteered for military service. The most distinguished of those battalions and the only one perpetuated today, the Queen's Rangers, formed the vanguard of the forces attacking across the Brandywine against the heaviest defences, thereby allowing the other division of British forces to flank Washington.
While the Queen's Rangers had fought quite successfully in the French and Indian Wars as independent companies, Brandywine was their first action as a Regiment and as such has been celebrated ever since as as the Regimental Birthday. On 2 May 1779, as a mark of favour, five units were designated "American Regiments." The Queen's Rangers were given the place of pride as the "1st American Regiment." In 1782, The Queen's Rangers were absorbed into the Regular British Army and their ranks were made permanent.
General Howe at Brandywine divided his 12,000 men into two divisions. The southern division was under General Knyphausen and formed the fixing force, crossing at Chadd's Ford and deceiving Washington as to the location of the main effort. Washington was convinced that Howe would rely on his numerical strength and superior artillery. Consequently, he ignored the advice of his advisors and rebel defences concentrated on Chadd's Ford.
The northern division, the striking force of about 8000 men, was under Lord Cornwallis and General Howe himself. Howe's scheme of manoeuvre was to cross the Brandywine north of any defences - at Trimble's Ford and Jeffries' Ford about eight miles to the north - and conduct a left flanking. It worked.
The Queen's Rangers formed the vanguard of Knyphausen's southern division at Chadd's Ford. On the morning of the battle, after allowing the rest of the column to catch up with them, the Queen's Rangers advanced toward the creek. They had made it about a half a mile before they were attacked by a company of rebel infantry.
The Americans had set a trap, forming a defensive line behind the stone wall of the Kennett Meeting House and in the woods surrounding the church. While the Quakers inside were holding a worship meeting, the skirmishers outside pressed their ambush ferociously. Ranger casualties were heavy. The order's of the rebel delaying force were to harass the enemy, fall back, and harass again. After the first ambuscade, the rebels retreated half a mile to a stone house to again fire and fall back.
From the diary of one British soldier:
[The Queen's Rangers] fell in very early with large Bodies of the Enemy who form'd upon ev'ry advantageous Post & behind Fences fired on the Troops as they advanc'd - This galling fire was sustain'd the whole way by the Queen's Rangers commanded by Capt. Weyms of the 40th & Rifle Men by Capt. Ferguson of the 70th - who encouraged by the Example of their Leaders behav'd with a degree of perseverance & Bravery which would have done Honor to the best Established Corps
Washington's own scouts sent back numerous reports telling of the British preparations for a northern flanking, but he discounted them, believing "that the movement of the enemy was just a feint." He withdrew his north flank protection, preparing for a main defensive battle at Chadd's Ford - the wrong ford.
As Howe drew near, Washington tried to reorient his forces north, but it was too late. He had no reconnaissance forward and his troops were already in disarray, forming a ragged line with gaps. One of Washington's generals would later complain that, "I neither knew where the enemy were, nor what route the other two divisions were to take, and of course could not determine where I should junction with them."
Howe's army fanned out into an eight pronged attack, led by his Grenadiers and Hessian Jaegers - shock troops. Some rebels ran, but many stayed and were badly mauled before the centre broke and the battle became a rout. A British officer recorded that the rebels ran "away from us with too much speed to be overtaken."
Washington then formed a second hasty defensive position about 800 yards southwest of the previous engagement. The fighting here was the fiercest of the entire battle. The American line gave way five times, ever re-forming pushed farther back. Even now, commanding from his depth and relying on dispatch riders for information, Washington still erroneously believed the main effort would cross at Chadd's Ford.
About 5 P.M, Washington finally grasped the tactical situation and deployed his reserve against the British main effort . In the event, it was far too late for the reserve to have a useful effect. Now, Knyphausen's division finally crossed the Brandywine, again led by the Queen's Rangers, and attacked the rebel artillery. Finally, Washington's men broke and ran, leaving their wounded on the field.
At the end of the day, the Queen's Rangers had: twice led a division into battle, courageously taken a key river crossing, and assisted in the capture of eleven enemy field guns while the enemy was in flight. The Rangers suffered 72 casualties, American losses were in the neighbourhood of 1200 men. Brandywine was one of the bloodiest battles of the war.
George Washington's Field Dispatch to the Continental Congress
At Midnight, Chester, September 11, 1777.
Sir: I am sorry to inform you, that in this day's engagement, we have been obliged to leave the enemy masters of the field. Unfortunately the intelligence received of the enemy's advancing up the Brandywine, and crossing at a ford about six miles above us, was uncertain and contradictory, notwithstanding all my pains to get the best. This prevented my making a disposition, adequate to the force with which the Enemy attacked us on the right; in consequence of which the troops first engaged, were obliged to retire before they could be reinforced. In the midst of the attack on the right, that body of the Enemy which remained on the other side of Chad's Ford, crossed it, and attacked the division there under the command of General Wayne and the light troops under General Maxwell who, after a severe conflict, also retired. The Militia under the command of Major Genl. Armstrong, being posted at a ford, about two miles below Chad's, had no opportunity of engaging. But though we fought under many disadvantages, and were from the causes, above mentioned obliged to retire, yet our loss of men is not, I am persuaded, very considerable, I believe much less than the enemy's. We have also lost about seven or eight pieces of cannon, according to the best information I can at present obtain. The baggage having been previously moved off, is all secure, saving the men's Blankets, which being at their backs, many of them doubtless are lost.
I have directed all the Troops to Assemble behind Chester, where they are now arranging for this Night. Notwithstanding the misfortune of the day, I am happy to find the troops in good spirits; and I hope another time we shall compensate for the losses now sustained. The Marquis La Fayette was wounded in the leg, and Genl. Woodford in the hand. Divers other Officers were wounded and some Slain, but the number of either cannot now be ascertained. I have &ca.
P.S. It has not been in my power to send you earlier intelligence; the present being the first leisure moment I have had since the action.