Chapter XVI.
BRANDYWINE, GERMANTOWN, AND REDBANK, SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, 1777.
In the summer of 1777 Sir William Howe, instead
of co-operating with Burgoyne, turned his attention to
the capture of Philadelphia. He advanced a few miles
from New Brunswick, failed to draw Washington into a
general engagement, and fell back to Amboy. Then,
hoping that Washington had left his favorable position,
Howe returned to the attack. He was in so far
successful that his right-hand column had a skirmish
with an advanced body of Americans under Stirling,
drove them back, and took three cannon and eighty
prisoners. After this the British army returned to
Amboy, and went over to Staten Island. Here it was
embarked, and on the 23d of July cleared Sandy Hook.
The force consisted of about eighteen thousand men,
of whom less than a quarter were Germans. The fleet
of two hundred and thirty-four sail arrived off Cape
May on the 30th of July, but the frigates that had
been sent to reconnoitre reported that the Delaware
was strongly defended, and Sir William determined to
approach Philadelphia by Chesapeake Bay. On the
22d of August the fleet reached the mouth of the Elk
River, and the troops were landed on the 25th and 26th
in good order and without opposition.
On the 3d of September the chasseurs forming the
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