Battle of Germantown

Washington's attack on Germantown was one of the most daring and imaginatively conceived operations of the war. Rather than accept the fall of Philadelphia passively, Washington planned a four-column night attack on Howe's dispersed forces. The plan required extraordinary coordination from an army that had just suffered a major defeat — its very ambition impressed European military observers.

On the night of October 3-4, four columns set out on different roads to converge on Germantown simultaneously at dawn. The operation began promisingly: the lead American column smashed into the British advance guard in heavy morning fog and drove them back steadily for two miles, inflicting heavy casualties. British troops were seen throwing down their weapons and running. For a moment, it appeared Washington would achieve a stunning reversal.

Then everything went wrong simultaneously. A group of 120 British soldiers barricaded themselves in Chew House, a stone mansion. American commanders, following doctrine, stopped to reduce this 'fort' before advancing. Two cannon wasted their fire on the stone walls. In the fog, two American columns fired on each other. Officers lost control of units. Greene's column arrived late and attacked in the wrong direction. The initial advance stalled and then reversed as British reinforcements arrived.

Despite the defeat, the battle had significant positive consequences. The ferocity of the American attack, coming weeks after Brandywine, convinced French officials observing from Paris that the Americans had the will and capability to win the war. The battle accelerated France's decision to formally ally with the United States — without which American independence would have been nearly impossible.