Virtual Marching Tour of the American Revolutionary War

Washington Positions His Troops

Battle of Brandywine

Independence Hall Association

Most of Washington's troops were positioned at Chadd's Ford on the east side of the Brandywine

  • Brigadier General Anthony Wayne's Division, consisting of two Pennsylvania brigades (1,630 men), was posted on a rise at Chadd's Ferry and Ford. Wayne was to guard the Great Nottingham Road which passed through Chadd's Ford. Supporting Wayne was Proctor's Pennsylvania artillery which was positioned on a hill northwest of Chadd's Ford.
  • Two supporting Virginia divisions (1,750 men) under the command of General Greene were placed about a half a mile to the northeast of Wayne's position.
  • Backing Wayne about a half a mile to the east was General Stephen's Division which formed along a road behind them. This division included Brigadier-General Francis Nash's North Carolinians.

Washington took measures against a direct attack on his left flank. The area around Pyle's Ford was thickly wooded and difficult to access.

  • Major John Armstrong's division consisted of two brigades of Pennsylvania Militia.
Washington took measures against a direct attack on his right flank.
  • Part of Sullivan's Division (1,200 men) was placed at Brinton's Ford, which was about a mile upstream from Chadd's and the next passable crossing to the north.
  • Backing Sullivan was Stirling's Division, about a half a mile to his rear.

  • At Jones's Ford, a mile upstream from Brinton's a regiment of 70-80 Delaware troops under Colonel Hall were detached from Sullivan's division to guard the ford.
  • A battalion of 200 of Hazen's "Canadian Regiment" (also known as Congress's Own) was sent a mile north of Jones's Ford to cover Wistar's Ford.
  • Another Hazen battalion of 200 men was posted at Buffington's Ford about a mile north of Wistar's Ford. Situated just below the forks of the Brandywine, Buffington's was the northernmost ford Washington deemed passable by the British.

And, positioned on the west side of the Brandywine, to probe British troop movement...

  • Part of Maxwell's battalion of light infantry. Positioned along a road just west of Chadd's Ford, Maxwell was bolstered by about 200 local Chester County militiamen who knew the area well.
  • A detachment of troops under Pennsylvania Major Spear was posted on the west side of Buffington's Ford, just south of the confluence of the Brandywine's east and west branches.
  • The front between Spear and Maxwell was scouted by probing parties sent out by Generals Greene and Stirling.