The Surprise at Germantown drawn by British Lt. J. Hills, Assistant Engineer, and published by William Faden (1784). After weeks of maneuvering following the Battle of the Brandywine, the British marched into Philadelphia , the American Capital, on September 26, 1777 without having to fire a shot. But Washington's fighting spirit was still up. From his camp outside Philadelphia, he decided to attack the British at their forward post in Germantown, a few miles northwest of Philadelphia. The attack began on the morning of October 4 and initially proceeded well, but Washington's plan was, once again, overly complex. With heavy fog through the morning, the American attack unravelled. The British rallied under the direct leadership of General Howe and sent the Americans reeling.
Stanford Ruderman
