On the March to Brandywine

The British landed at the Head of Elk and were ready to march north. Their likely goal was the capture of Philadelphia. Meanwhile, George Washington rapidly moved his troops between Howe's army and Philadelphia. A jittery Continental Congress was watching.

Howe was counting on a legion of Loyalists to join him. That didn't happen. Further, the British commander confronted a logistical nightmare: he had to find food for a massive army in unfamiliar territory.

Both commanders stood two weeks away from one of the largest and bloodiest battles in the war. In between were bad roads, sick horses, rampant plundering, and a failed peace overture.