Sometimes a loss can be a win. The fighting spirit was awakened and well as a result of the battle at Brandywine. Despite having lost the hill, the Americans gained morale and confidence which was invaluable to the outcome of the war. Thank you Tara.
Washington was indeed a capable general who rarely allowed his men to be cornered. His men were more experienced and had gained some confidence. They certainly had become a worthy opponent for the British although the British attitude of superiority certainly would not let them acknowledge the fact! Their concert would allow several different commanders to be led into traps by these supposedly inept colonials! And they emerged from Brandywine with more confidence! Thanks for this insightful peep into history, Tara Ross! May God continue to bless your efforts!
The scrappy Colonialists learned, adapted, and overcame. I suppose fighting for our freedom was more important than the British fighting to maintain the status quo. We must remember our history and the good and bad that has brought us to where we are now. Thanks, Teacher Tara !
Great history lesson and interesting question at the end. Very interesting reply by Eugene Ruttledge. I have always believed when the Southerners got into the fray was the turning point of the Revolutionary War. The scrappers that fought from the hiding spots of gorilla warfare of trees and bunkers was a whole new type of fighting and confused the likes of Cornwallis and his generals.
I would imagine at the Battle of Trenton St. Stephens Day December 1776.
With over 90 % of Washingtons Army baving left the field Washington eas down to 3000 Irish men and boys, and about 500 German American patriots. Washington eas in a bad way psychologically!
He knew he had only brought to the American Revolutionary Army only one dreadful defeat upon another humiliating defeat. In quick succession. He had not yet won any battle at all!
He had only shown how the American Army could retreat so far.
90 % of the Revolutionary Army had packed it in.
Only the Irish remained solid and stuck to the spot. Congress had quickly cleared out of Philladelphia, and relocated to Baltimore, a very Irish town. They had also given full authority to Washington to do what best he thought even to the point of starting peace negiotations!
The Irish refused point blank to even consider surrendering to the British. Most the majority by far of Washingtons senior officers were all now Irish. They insisted he go on the attack recross the river and hit the toughest regiment in the British task force one almighty wallop!
The whole British Army was in awe of Colonel Raul Hessian Regiment. It was easily the toughest Regiment the British had in their task force.
Come December 26th 1776 the Irish approximately 1200 faced off against Raul toughnuts. In 45 Minutes it was all over 950 Hessian troops laid down their arms and surrendered to the Predominately Irish Continental Army.
General Howe had already told Cornwallis to go home, for the winter, as the war was essentially over. 94 % of Washingtons Army had left him alone on the Battlefield!
The rest predominately Irish would all pack it in as a hopeless cause. The Irishmens enlistments all ended on December 31st 1776.
All those left were full of disease, in rags and barefooted. Howe rightly assumed the cause of American Independence was totally and uttdrly over. Most of the New Englanders had changed sides and sworn allegiance to king George! They would all have had their farms and homes confiscated if they stayed loyal to the cause.
The Irish were in no mood to kiss the englishmans smelly sweaty feet. Most Irish townlands were rushing in new recruits to Washington Army.
They fed it when nobody else would and they supplied it with whatever it needed for free!
Washinvton and all his generals were instructed to go thru Irish townlands whenever mo ing across America towards any battle with the British to gain new recruits. Washington instructed all his generals to do likewise for the whole duration of the Revolutionary War of Independence
The museum of American Revolution in Philadelphia has a great reenactment clip about this battle and it is amazing to watch on a great screen. I was lucky to visit there before COVID hit and I would recommend visiting that museum to anyone if you are in Philadelphia. The entrance has two statues of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr facing each other during their duel.
Your question prompts another, which British? I suspect that the leadership in London was repeatedly frustrated at the inability of their commanders in America to bring about a satisfactory end to the conflict. I believe opinion about the American army and its leadership was divided among the British commanders who faced it on the battlefield- in part because they faced different American commanders and often a very different American army from one theatre to the next.
General George Washington was certainly an excellent tactician and field commander. This man gifted us this country along with all the other patriots who fought the British and declared our nation.
“THOSE who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supporting it. The event of yesterday was one of those kind of alarms which is just sufficient to rouse us to duty, without being of consequence enough to depress our fortitude. It is not a field of a few acres of ground, but a cause, that we are defending, and whether we defeat the enemy in one battle, or by degrees, the consequences will be the same.”
Sometimes a loss can be a win. The fighting spirit was awakened and well as a result of the battle at Brandywine. Despite having lost the hill, the Americans gained morale and confidence which was invaluable to the outcome of the war. Thank you Tara.
Washington was indeed a capable general who rarely allowed his men to be cornered. His men were more experienced and had gained some confidence. They certainly had become a worthy opponent for the British although the British attitude of superiority certainly would not let them acknowledge the fact! Their concert would allow several different commanders to be led into traps by these supposedly inept colonials! And they emerged from Brandywine with more confidence! Thanks for this insightful peep into history, Tara Ross! May God continue to bless your efforts!
I think the British underestimated us from the very beginning of taxation without representation!
Lost the battle.
Won the war.
The scrappy Colonialists learned, adapted, and overcame. I suppose fighting for our freedom was more important than the British fighting to maintain the status quo. We must remember our history and the good and bad that has brought us to where we are now. Thanks, Teacher Tara !
Great history lesson and interesting question at the end. Very interesting reply by Eugene Ruttledge. I have always believed when the Southerners got into the fray was the turning point of the Revolutionary War. The scrappers that fought from the hiding spots of gorilla warfare of trees and bunkers was a whole new type of fighting and confused the likes of Cornwallis and his generals.
Many Scot down my way in NC.
I would imagine at the Battle of Trenton St. Stephens Day December 1776.
With over 90 % of Washingtons Army baving left the field Washington eas down to 3000 Irish men and boys, and about 500 German American patriots. Washington eas in a bad way psychologically!
He knew he had only brought to the American Revolutionary Army only one dreadful defeat upon another humiliating defeat. In quick succession. He had not yet won any battle at all!
He had only shown how the American Army could retreat so far.
90 % of the Revolutionary Army had packed it in.
Only the Irish remained solid and stuck to the spot. Congress had quickly cleared out of Philladelphia, and relocated to Baltimore, a very Irish town. They had also given full authority to Washington to do what best he thought even to the point of starting peace negiotations!
The Irish refused point blank to even consider surrendering to the British. Most the majority by far of Washingtons senior officers were all now Irish. They insisted he go on the attack recross the river and hit the toughest regiment in the British task force one almighty wallop!
The whole British Army was in awe of Colonel Raul Hessian Regiment. It was easily the toughest Regiment the British had in their task force.
Come December 26th 1776 the Irish approximately 1200 faced off against Raul toughnuts. In 45 Minutes it was all over 950 Hessian troops laid down their arms and surrendered to the Predominately Irish Continental Army.
General Howe had already told Cornwallis to go home, for the winter, as the war was essentially over. 94 % of Washingtons Army had left him alone on the Battlefield!
The rest predominately Irish would all pack it in as a hopeless cause. The Irishmens enlistments all ended on December 31st 1776.
All those left were full of disease, in rags and barefooted. Howe rightly assumed the cause of American Independence was totally and uttdrly over. Most of the New Englanders had changed sides and sworn allegiance to king George! They would all have had their farms and homes confiscated if they stayed loyal to the cause.
The Irish were in no mood to kiss the englishmans smelly sweaty feet. Most Irish townlands were rushing in new recruits to Washington Army.
They fed it when nobody else would and they supplied it with whatever it needed for free!
Washinvton and all his generals were instructed to go thru Irish townlands whenever mo ing across America towards any battle with the British to gain new recruits. Washington instructed all his generals to do likewise for the whole duration of the Revolutionary War of Independence
The museum of American Revolution in Philadelphia has a great reenactment clip about this battle and it is amazing to watch on a great screen. I was lucky to visit there before COVID hit and I would recommend visiting that museum to anyone if you are in Philadelphia. The entrance has two statues of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr facing each other during their duel.
Your question prompts another, which British? I suspect that the leadership in London was repeatedly frustrated at the inability of their commanders in America to bring about a satisfactory end to the conflict. I believe opinion about the American army and its leadership was divided among the British commanders who faced it on the battlefield- in part because they faced different American commanders and often a very different American army from one theatre to the next.
It seems morale became infectious at the perfect time. Thank you Tara 😊
General George Washington was certainly an excellent tactician and field commander. This man gifted us this country along with all the other patriots who fought the British and declared our nation.
I love these stories from the Revolutionary war, Thanks Tara!! Keep them coming!!
👍👍👍
And *that* was before they had the benefit of Valley Forge. The best was yet to come.
Thanks to my friendly commentors. Lots of good info and facts. Washington made it happen though he had some great minds helping.
Thanks Tara. Your lessons are a high point in my day.
“THOSE who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supporting it. The event of yesterday was one of those kind of alarms which is just sufficient to rouse us to duty, without being of consequence enough to depress our fortitude. It is not a field of a few acres of ground, but a cause, that we are defending, and whether we defeat the enemy in one battle, or by degrees, the consequences will be the same.”
—Thomas Paine: Crisis IV; 1777
I live about an hour away from the Brandywine Creek. I think I will drive down and look at this historic site.