Washington had retired in good order and was still formidable.He now realized clearly enough that Philadelphia would fall.Delay, however, would be nearly as good as victory.He saw what Howe could not see, that menacing cloud in the north, much bigger than a man's hand, which, with Howe far away, should break in a final storm terrible for the British cause.Meanwhile Washington meant to keep Howe occupied.Rain alone prevented another battle before the British reached the Schuylkill River.On that river Washington guarded every ford.But, in the end, by skillful maneuvering, Howe was able to cross and on the 26th of September he occupied Philadelphia without resistance.The people were ordered to remain quietly in their houses.Officers were billeted on the wealthier inhabitants.The fall resounded far of what Lord Adam Gordon called a "great and noble city," "the first Town in America," "one of the Wonders of the World." Its luxury had been so conspicuous that the austere John Adams condemned the "sinful feasts" in which he shared.About it were fine country seats surrounded by parklike grounds, with noble trees, clipped hedges, and beautiful gardens.The British believed that Pennsylvania was really on their side.Many of the people were friendly and hundreds now renewed their oath of allegiance to the King.
Washington complained that the people gave Howe information denied to him.They certainly fed Howe's army willingly and received good British gold while Washington had only paper money with which to pay.Over the proud capital floated once more the British flag and people who did not see very far said that, with both New York and Philadelphia taken, the rebellion had at last collapsed.
Once in possession of Philadelphia Howe made his camp at Germantown, a straggling suburban village, about seven miles northwest of the city.Washington's army lay at the foot of some hills a dozen miles farther away.Howe had need to be wary, for Washington was the same "old fox" who had played so cunning a game at Trenton.The efforts of the British army were now centered on clearing the river Delaware so that supplies might be brought up rapidly by water instead of being carried fifty miles overland from Chesapeake Bay.Howe detached some thousands of men for this work and there was sharp fighting before the troops and the fleet combined had cleared the river.At Germantown Howe kept about nine thousand men.Though he knew that Washington was likely to attack him he did not entrench his army as he desired the attack to be made.It might well have succeeded.Washington with eleven thousand men aimed at a surprise.On the evening of the 3d of October he set out from his camp.Four roads led into Germantown and all these the Americans used.At sunrise on the fourth, just as the attack began, a fog arose to embarrass both sides.Lying a little north of the village was the solid stone house of Chief Justice Chew, and it remains famous as the central point in the bitter fight of that day.What brought final failure to the American attack was an accident of maneuvering.Sullivan's brigade was in front attacking the British when Greene's came up for the same purpose.His line overlapped Sullivan's and he mistook in the fog Sullivan's men for the enemy and fired on them from the rear.A panic naturally resulted among the men who were attacked also at the same time by the British on their front.The disorder spread.British reinforcements arrived, and Washington drew off his army in surprising order considering the panic.He had six hundred and seventy-three casualties and lost besides four hundred prisoners.The British loss was five hundred and thirty-seven casualties and fourteen prisoners.The attack had failed, but news soon came which made the reverse unimportant.
Burgoyne and his whole army had surrendered at Saratoga.
