Page:History of the United States of America, Spencer, v1.djvu/508

476 to Lancaster, and afterwards to Yorktown, where they continued for eight months, until Philadelphia was evacuated by the British. On the afternoon of the 22d, and early on the 23d of September, Sir William Howe, contrary to the expectation of the American commander-in-chief, crossed the Schuylkill at Fatland and Gordon's Ford. The main body of his army encamped at Germantown, a village, seven miles from Philadelphia; and, on the 26th, with a detachment of his troops, he took peaceable possession of the city, where he was cordially received by the Quakers and other royalists.

On receiving information of the success of the royal army, under his brother, at the Brandy wine, Lord Howe left the Chesapeake and steered for the Delaware, where he arrived on the 8th of October. As soon as General Howe had gained possession of Philadelphia, he began his efforts to clear the course of the river, in order to open a free communication with the fleet.

The Americans had labored assiduously to obstruct the navigation of the Delaware; and, for that purpose, had sunk three rows of chevaux-de-frise, formed of large beams of timber bolted together, with strong projecting iron pikes, across the channel, a little below the place where the Schuylkill falls into the Delaware. The upper and lower rows were commanded by fortifications on the banks and islands of the river, and by floating batteries.

While the detachments employed in assisting to clear the course of the river weakened the royal army at Germantown, Washington, who lay encamped at Skippack Creek, on the north side of the Schuylkill, about seventeen miles from Germantown, meditated an attack upon it. Germantown consisted of one street, about two miles long; the line of the British encampment bisected the village almost at right angles, and had its left covered by the Schuylkill. Washington, having been reinforced by fifteen hundred troops from Peekskill, and one thousand Virginia militia, marched from Skippack Creek on the evening of the 3d of October, and at dawn of day next morning attacked the royal army. After a smart conflict, he drove in the advanced guard, which was stationed at the head of the village, and, with his army divided into five columns, prosecuted the attack; but Lieutenant-colonel Musgrave, of the 40th regiment, which had been driven in, and who had been able to keep five companies of the regiment together, threw himself into a large stone house in the village, belonging to Mr. Chew, which stood in front of the main column of the Americans, and there almost a half of Washington's army was detained for a considerable time. Instead of masking Chew's house with a sufficient force, and advancing rapidly with their main body, the Americans attacked the house, which was obstinately defended. The delay was very unfortunate; for the critical moment was lost in fruitless attempts on the house; the royal troops had time to get under arms, and be in readiness to resist or attack, as circumstances required. General Grey came to the assistance of Colonel Musgrave; the engagement for some time was general