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Washington, Men Endured Much
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| The painting “Washington Crossing the Delaware” by Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze. Washington, despite odds against him and his army, fought many valiant battles for America. He celebrates his birthday Sunday. (Metropolitan Museum of Art/Associated Press) |
By Bruce E. Mowday, For The Bulletin
George Washington is rightfully known throughout the land as a Founding Father. He richly deserves the credit because he was a leader during the most crucial time of the founding of our country.
The superb management capabilities of George Washington was on display for all to see during the Philadelphia campaign of 1777 and the following encampment at Valley Forge. Taking charge, making decisions and shouldering the responsibility of his actions during a time when the very being of this nation was in question made Washington a national hero.
Washington’s trying year began late in 1776 when his dispirited Continental army was in jeopardy of disappearing before his eyes because of desertions and enlistments concluding. Gen. Washington’s decisive action at Trenton on Christmas saved the army and instilled renewed hopes for a free and independent nation.
The year 1777 would again see Washington’s army and the nation’s survival in jeopardy as Washington tried valiantly to save Philadelphia from an enemy occupation. His undermanned army suffered from a lack of supplies as he prepared to meet the British army under Gen. William Howe. Washington pressured and prodded his supply officers and government officials to provide for his men, for without an army there would be no nation.
A week before the Battle of Brandywine, the decisive engagement of the Philadelphia campaign at Chadds Ford on Sept. 11, 1777, Washington issued an order from his Wilmington headquarters that he hoped would lead to better treatment for his men.
“The army is to be furnished with soft bread or flour which the commissarys are enjoined to do with more punctuality than they have done … The Commander in Chief can no longer excuse the neglects in that department … Much injury having been done to the soldiers and some lives lost by their being taken by their officers from the hospitals too soon without the concurrence of the superintending physicians, this practice is absolutely forbid.”
Despite Washington’s preparations and care for his soldiers, the Battle of Brandywine was a severe setback for the American army. One British officer wrote that if one more hour of daylight was available Washington’s army would have ceased to exist.
At midnight after retreating from banks of the Brandywine at Chadds Ford to Chester, Washington informed John Hancock and Congress, “I am sorry to inform you that in this day’s engagement we have been obliged to leave the enemy masters of the field.”
Hancock and the rest of the members of Congress then fled Philadelphia.
Thomas Wharton Jr., president of the Pennsylvania Executive Council, was rightfully concerned that Philadelphia would be lost. As Howe regrouped his army at Brandywine, Wharton wrote Washington, “Council have strong apprehensions that General Howe may take the shortest road to cross over the Schuylkill, called the Sweeds Ford, this pass which is about 17 miles to the northwest of the city.”
While camped at Germantown, Washington replied on Oct. 13, 1777, to Wharton:
“As I am well apprized of the importance of Philadelphia you may rest assured that I shall take every measure in my power to defend it, and I hope you will agree with me that the only effectual method will be to oppose General Howe with our whole united force.”
In another letter to Wharton on the same date he urges Wharton to warn the city residents not to give shelter to members of his army who fled to Philadelphia after the loss at Brandywine and assist his officers in getting the soldiers back to duty. On Oct. 17, 1777, Washington also urged Wharton to raise more troops from Pennsylvania. When Philadelphia is in the hands of the enemy they can only be dislodged by a powerful reinforcement of militia, Washington wrote to Wharton.
Of course Washington’s efforts to save Philadelphia from an occupation by Howe’s troops failed. Engagements at Germantown and Paoli ended in defeats and another disaster was averted in Goshen as rain halted fighting in the event known as the Battle of the Clouds.
After one year the good feelings generated by the victory of Trenton evaporated as Washington and his troops settled into Valley Forge for a difficult winter. The troops suffered from the cold, lack of food, lack of proper supplies and lack of pay. Only Washington’s leadership averted a total collapse of the army and the rebellion during that hard winter.
Washington shared those hardships with his soldiers and worked every day to improve the lives of his men. The army survived and became stronger in 1778 due to Washington’s leadership. The United States of America was born because of the courage of Washington and the other Founding Fathers.
Bruce E. Mowday is the author of a book on the Battle of Brandywine, September 11, 1777: Washington’s Defeat at Brandywine Dooms Philadelphia. He is past chair of the Chester County Historical Society and president of The Mowday Group, Inc. His latest book, Jailing The Johnston Gang, was just released this month. For more information, see mowday.com
The superb management capabilities of George Washington was on display for all to see during the Philadelphia campaign of 1777 and the following encampment at Valley Forge. Taking charge, making decisions and shouldering the responsibility of his actions during a time when the very being of this nation was in question made Washington a national hero.
Washington’s trying year began late in 1776 when his dispirited Continental army was in jeopardy of disappearing before his eyes because of desertions and enlistments concluding. Gen. Washington’s decisive action at Trenton on Christmas saved the army and instilled renewed hopes for a free and independent nation.
The year 1777 would again see Washington’s army and the nation’s survival in jeopardy as Washington tried valiantly to save Philadelphia from an enemy occupation. His undermanned army suffered from a lack of supplies as he prepared to meet the British army under Gen. William Howe. Washington pressured and prodded his supply officers and government officials to provide for his men, for without an army there would be no nation.
A week before the Battle of Brandywine, the decisive engagement of the Philadelphia campaign at Chadds Ford on Sept. 11, 1777, Washington issued an order from his Wilmington headquarters that he hoped would lead to better treatment for his men.
“The army is to be furnished with soft bread or flour which the commissarys are enjoined to do with more punctuality than they have done … The Commander in Chief can no longer excuse the neglects in that department … Much injury having been done to the soldiers and some lives lost by their being taken by their officers from the hospitals too soon without the concurrence of the superintending physicians, this practice is absolutely forbid.”
Despite Washington’s preparations and care for his soldiers, the Battle of Brandywine was a severe setback for the American army. One British officer wrote that if one more hour of daylight was available Washington’s army would have ceased to exist.
At midnight after retreating from banks of the Brandywine at Chadds Ford to Chester, Washington informed John Hancock and Congress, “I am sorry to inform you that in this day’s engagement we have been obliged to leave the enemy masters of the field.”
Hancock and the rest of the members of Congress then fled Philadelphia.
Thomas Wharton Jr., president of the Pennsylvania Executive Council, was rightfully concerned that Philadelphia would be lost. As Howe regrouped his army at Brandywine, Wharton wrote Washington, “Council have strong apprehensions that General Howe may take the shortest road to cross over the Schuylkill, called the Sweeds Ford, this pass which is about 17 miles to the northwest of the city.”
While camped at Germantown, Washington replied on Oct. 13, 1777, to Wharton:
“As I am well apprized of the importance of Philadelphia you may rest assured that I shall take every measure in my power to defend it, and I hope you will agree with me that the only effectual method will be to oppose General Howe with our whole united force.”
In another letter to Wharton on the same date he urges Wharton to warn the city residents not to give shelter to members of his army who fled to Philadelphia after the loss at Brandywine and assist his officers in getting the soldiers back to duty. On Oct. 17, 1777, Washington also urged Wharton to raise more troops from Pennsylvania. When Philadelphia is in the hands of the enemy they can only be dislodged by a powerful reinforcement of militia, Washington wrote to Wharton.
Of course Washington’s efforts to save Philadelphia from an occupation by Howe’s troops failed. Engagements at Germantown and Paoli ended in defeats and another disaster was averted in Goshen as rain halted fighting in the event known as the Battle of the Clouds.
After one year the good feelings generated by the victory of Trenton evaporated as Washington and his troops settled into Valley Forge for a difficult winter. The troops suffered from the cold, lack of food, lack of proper supplies and lack of pay. Only Washington’s leadership averted a total collapse of the army and the rebellion during that hard winter.
Washington shared those hardships with his soldiers and worked every day to improve the lives of his men. The army survived and became stronger in 1778 due to Washington’s leadership. The United States of America was born because of the courage of Washington and the other Founding Fathers.
Bruce E. Mowday is the author of a book on the Battle of Brandywine, September 11, 1777: Washington’s Defeat at Brandywine Dooms Philadelphia. He is past chair of the Chester County Historical Society and president of The Mowday Group, Inc. His latest book, Jailing The Johnston Gang, was just released this month. For more information, see mowday.com
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