Germantown Victory
Oct. 4, 1777: 0700: After pausing to asses the situation, Washington disregards the advice of Chief of Artillery, Henry Knox. Instead of pausing his brigade to reduce the Chew House, he leaves a regiment of infantry, a company of riflemen and a single canon to contain the 150 members of the 40th Regiment of Foot holed up in the massive stone estate. As he continues forward he learns that his line is becoming undone as the complex maneuvers, mourning fog and heat of combat work to undo the efforts of the Patriot forces. Realizing that his personal attention is needed to direct the overall battle, Washington gives local command to Major General William Alexander. “Lord Stirling” presses his forces forward while Washington sends his couriers riding to and fro urging his divisional commanders forward and making sure that order is maintained despite the initial confusion.
0730: A brigade of Maj. General Adam Stephen under his direct command falls out of line and in their confusion opens fire on a portion of Brigadier General Anthony Wayne’s division. Told of his mistake by subordinates, Stephen rushes forward to redirect his men but falls from his horse. He suffers a head injury and dies before nightfall. Brigadier General Charles Scott takes command of Stephen’s division. With direct help from Washington, Scott is able reorganize his division and form a line just moments before coming into contact with the British.
0740: A courier with direct orders from Washington orders Brigadier Generals Smallwood and Forman to bring their militia brigades forward to put pressure of the British right flank. Smallwood is threatened with dismissal, and he reluctantly complies. They run into several regiments of British Regulars, but their disorganized advance works in their favor as the British are confused as to their numbers.
0755: Fearful that their rear is in danger the British regiments facing the American division of Major General Nathanael Greene begin to withdraw south and west ward.
0805: Elements of the 37th and 15th Regiments stumble into the right flank of the British Center Division. The 33rd and 46th Regiments open fire on their own troops as they fall back. Brigadier General James Agnew is killed while trying to get the two British units to cease fire.
0815: The British attempt at a counter attack stalls as they run into the prepared American line. Several volleys are exchanged but as the British right begins to crumble the center is forced to halt its advance.
0820: The beleaguered 5th Regiment, now cut off from the British, surrenders to Major General Greene’s division.
0830: General Sir William Howe, the commanding British officer, orders Lieutenant-General von Knyphausen, the commander of the Germans holding the British left, to advance and swing north into the American right. Unfortunately, he runs into the Pennsylvania militia which had advanced across the Wissahickon Creek and taken position just inside the woods along the creek. All three Hessian assaults were thrown back with heavy casualties; the third and final attack actually reached the tree line and resulted in brutal hand-to-hand fighting. But in the end though, the Germans fell back toward Philadelphia.
0835: Believing that it will be supported by an attack on the American right by the Germans, Maj.-Gen. Cornwallis urges his men to fix bayonets and surge forward to attack the American line. Lord Stirling’s division, which holds the center of the American line stands strong and resists the attack. Cornwallis is killed by a civilian sharpshooter as he attempts to rally his forces.
0840: Major-General Grant attempts to consolidate the elements of his command. He orders those units to the far right to disengage from the American militia they are trading fire with and reinforce the center. This goes poorly as the British are disorganized and constantly harried by Patriot militia. The rest of his command still facing off against Greene believes that they to are being withdrawn. As they begin to withdraw their movement begins to turn into a full blown retreat, made worse by a series of contradictory orders put forth by the panicky Grant.
0850: The elements of the 40th Regiment holed up in the Chew House attempt to break out into the American rear. They are met by a furry of rifle and musket fire. Of the almost 150 originally holding the house, only 87 survive.
0905: With word of the surrender of the 40th Regiment, Washington orders a general advance. As Greene and Wayne’s divisions sweep down onto the British right flank, Washington throws in his reserves and orders Lord Stirling forward. The British are overwhelmed and stagger back towards the west and the Schuylkill River. Several regiments on the right surrender immediately as the Americans advance and are handed off to the militia. Lord Stirling is hit in the leg and badly wounded but stays on the field long enough to see the British center collapse.
0920: Greene and Wayne, supported by elements of Smallwood’s militia division work their way south of Howe’s retreating army. Before long they are positioned between the British and their line of communication to Philadelphia. Washington wishes to continue the pressure but his men are tired and running low on ammunition. Many of them have been forced to appropriate powder and balls from the dead, wounded or from prisoners.
0925: A desperate attempt by some British to escape across the Schuylkill ends in disaster as colonial riflemen pick off those trying to swim away. The Grenadier battalions arriving from Philadelphia attempt to break the encirclement but are stymied by the American militia men reforming in Germantown.
0930: The British launch a final desperate attack towards the Wissahickon Creek in order to break out, but the Pennsylvania militia, under direct encouragement from General Washington, repels this attack.
0945: General Howe asks for terms from General Washington. Knyphausen halts his march back towards Philadelphia and swings around to re-enter the battle. He puts forward a line of skirmishers and begins a cautious advance back towards Germantown.
1005: General Howe surrenders his army to General Washington. The Americans take the remaining British powder and balls as well as their artillery and small arms. Howe is allowed to keep his sword. The exhausted American army turns to confront the advancing Germans.
1015: Despite being reinforced by portions of the Philadelphia garrison, Knyphausen decides not to press an attack against the victorious American force. Learning this from deserters, Washington orders Major General John Sullivan and Brig. Gen. Scott to take their two divisions, as they are the least battered, to harry the withdrawing Germans.
Over the next several hours the Colonials will follow the Germans right up to the outskirts of Philadelphia. When news of the American victory reaches the city a spontaneous outpouring of happiness and patriotism occurs within the Patriot population. By nightfall confrontations between Patriots and Loyalists have turned into full scale rioting. The commander of the British garrison becomes more and more paranoid and Knyphausen is forced to use his Hessian troops to restore order.
Benjamin
Oct. 4, 1777: 0700: After pausing to asses the situation, Washington disregards the advice of Chief of Artillery, Henry Knox. Instead of pausing his brigade to reduce the Chew House, he leaves a regiment of infantry, a company of riflemen and a single canon to contain the 150 members of the 40th Regiment of Foot holed up in the massive stone estate. As he continues forward he learns that his line is becoming undone as the complex maneuvers, mourning fog and heat of combat work to undo the efforts of the Patriot forces. Realizing that his personal attention is needed to direct the overall battle, Washington gives local command to Major General William Alexander. “Lord Stirling” presses his forces forward while Washington sends his couriers riding to and fro urging his divisional commanders forward and making sure that order is maintained despite the initial confusion.
0730: A brigade of Maj. General Adam Stephen under his direct command falls out of line and in their confusion opens fire on a portion of Brigadier General Anthony Wayne’s division. Told of his mistake by subordinates, Stephen rushes forward to redirect his men but falls from his horse. He suffers a head injury and dies before nightfall. Brigadier General Charles Scott takes command of Stephen’s division. With direct help from Washington, Scott is able reorganize his division and form a line just moments before coming into contact with the British.
0740: A courier with direct orders from Washington orders Brigadier Generals Smallwood and Forman to bring their militia brigades forward to put pressure of the British right flank. Smallwood is threatened with dismissal, and he reluctantly complies. They run into several regiments of British Regulars, but their disorganized advance works in their favor as the British are confused as to their numbers.
0755: Fearful that their rear is in danger the British regiments facing the American division of Major General Nathanael Greene begin to withdraw south and west ward.
0805: Elements of the 37th and 15th Regiments stumble into the right flank of the British Center Division. The 33rd and 46th Regiments open fire on their own troops as they fall back. Brigadier General James Agnew is killed while trying to get the two British units to cease fire.
0815: The British attempt at a counter attack stalls as they run into the prepared American line. Several volleys are exchanged but as the British right begins to crumble the center is forced to halt its advance.
0820: The beleaguered 5th Regiment, now cut off from the British, surrenders to Major General Greene’s division.
0830: General Sir William Howe, the commanding British officer, orders Lieutenant-General von Knyphausen, the commander of the Germans holding the British left, to advance and swing north into the American right. Unfortunately, he runs into the Pennsylvania militia which had advanced across the Wissahickon Creek and taken position just inside the woods along the creek. All three Hessian assaults were thrown back with heavy casualties; the third and final attack actually reached the tree line and resulted in brutal hand-to-hand fighting. But in the end though, the Germans fell back toward Philadelphia.
0835: Believing that it will be supported by an attack on the American right by the Germans, Maj.-Gen. Cornwallis urges his men to fix bayonets and surge forward to attack the American line. Lord Stirling’s division, which holds the center of the American line stands strong and resists the attack. Cornwallis is killed by a civilian sharpshooter as he attempts to rally his forces.
0840: Major-General Grant attempts to consolidate the elements of his command. He orders those units to the far right to disengage from the American militia they are trading fire with and reinforce the center. This goes poorly as the British are disorganized and constantly harried by Patriot militia. The rest of his command still facing off against Greene believes that they to are being withdrawn. As they begin to withdraw their movement begins to turn into a full blown retreat, made worse by a series of contradictory orders put forth by the panicky Grant.
0850: The elements of the 40th Regiment holed up in the Chew House attempt to break out into the American rear. They are met by a furry of rifle and musket fire. Of the almost 150 originally holding the house, only 87 survive.
0905: With word of the surrender of the 40th Regiment, Washington orders a general advance. As Greene and Wayne’s divisions sweep down onto the British right flank, Washington throws in his reserves and orders Lord Stirling forward. The British are overwhelmed and stagger back towards the west and the Schuylkill River. Several regiments on the right surrender immediately as the Americans advance and are handed off to the militia. Lord Stirling is hit in the leg and badly wounded but stays on the field long enough to see the British center collapse.
0920: Greene and Wayne, supported by elements of Smallwood’s militia division work their way south of Howe’s retreating army. Before long they are positioned between the British and their line of communication to Philadelphia. Washington wishes to continue the pressure but his men are tired and running low on ammunition. Many of them have been forced to appropriate powder and balls from the dead, wounded or from prisoners.
0925: A desperate attempt by some British to escape across the Schuylkill ends in disaster as colonial riflemen pick off those trying to swim away. The Grenadier battalions arriving from Philadelphia attempt to break the encirclement but are stymied by the American militia men reforming in Germantown.
0930: The British launch a final desperate attack towards the Wissahickon Creek in order to break out, but the Pennsylvania militia, under direct encouragement from General Washington, repels this attack.
0945: General Howe asks for terms from General Washington. Knyphausen halts his march back towards Philadelphia and swings around to re-enter the battle. He puts forward a line of skirmishers and begins a cautious advance back towards Germantown.
1005: General Howe surrenders his army to General Washington. The Americans take the remaining British powder and balls as well as their artillery and small arms. Howe is allowed to keep his sword. The exhausted American army turns to confront the advancing Germans.
1015: Despite being reinforced by portions of the Philadelphia garrison, Knyphausen decides not to press an attack against the victorious American force. Learning this from deserters, Washington orders Major General John Sullivan and Brig. Gen. Scott to take their two divisions, as they are the least battered, to harry the withdrawing Germans.
Over the next several hours the Colonials will follow the Germans right up to the outskirts of Philadelphia. When news of the American victory reaches the city a spontaneous outpouring of happiness and patriotism occurs within the Patriot population. By nightfall confrontations between Patriots and Loyalists have turned into full scale rioting. The commander of the British garrison becomes more and more paranoid and Knyphausen is forced to use his Hessian troops to restore order.
Benjamin
