[hannay] history of THE QUEEN'S RANGERS 127 



ment, and two British brigades, in all about 10,000 men, moved north- 

 ward along- the Lancaster road which runs for several miles parallel to 

 the Brandywine, but distant from it some three miles. A dense fog 

 shrouded the landscape and the movement of Cornwallis was not per- 

 ceived b}' the Americans, until between nine and ten o'clock in the morn- 

 ing, when some American light horse under Colonel Bland, discovered a 

 part of Cornwallis's division marching towards the west branch of the 

 river at Trimble's Ford, about seven miles above Chad's Ford, where 

 the bulk of the American army was. This news did not reach Washing- 

 ton until nearly noon, by which time Cornwallis had made a circuitous 

 march of seventeen miles, crossing the west branch of the Brandywine 

 at Trimble's Ford and the east branch at Jeffries's Ford, and was within 

 two miles of the right flank of the American army, where General Sulli- 

 van was resting at his ease in utter ignorance of the fact that Corn- 

 wallis had moved at all. 



At nine o'clock when Cornwallis had been several hours on the 

 march, Knyphausen moved forward towards Chad's Ford with his divi- 

 sion which consisted of Hessians and the Queen's Rangers, in all about 

 4,000 men. His orders were to amuse the Americans with feigned efforts 

 to make passage at Chad's Ford until the cannon of Cornwallis an- 

 nounced that he had got in the rear of Washington's army. Maxwell 

 with his light troops vainly attempted to oppose his advance. He oc- 

 cupied a wooded height near the river and a furious contest ensued be- 

 fore he was dislodged. The worst of the fighting fell upon the Queen's 

 Rangers, then about 400 strong, and a detachment of riflemen under 

 Major Ferguson of the 71st Regiment. Maxwell and his light infantry 

 were driven across the driver and Knyphausen, from the heights on its 

 western bank, commenced a cannonade of the American position. About 

 two o'clock in the afternoon Cornwallis, who had got into the rear of 

 the American army made a vigorous attack upon it, and soon afterwards 

 Knyphausen began to force a passage across the Brandywine at Chad's 

 î'ord where he was opposed by the American troops under General 

 Wayne. The attempt to stop the victorious British was futile, Wayne 

 was defeated and his guns captured and at the same time Cornwallis 

 broke the American right and their whole army was soon flying in every 

 direction. The Americans retreated to Chester in the utmost disorder 

 and if General Howe had been prompt in pursuit, Washington's army 

 would have ceased to exist as a military body. 



The British loss in the battle of Brandywine was 70 killed, 488 

 wounded, and 6 missing. Of this loss about one-fifth fell upon the 

 Queen's Rangers who had one-third of their total number killed or 

 wounded. Of the twenty-one commissioned officers of the Queen's 



