adelphia, was
within six and twenty miles of that city, and each discharge of cannon
could be heard there. The two parties of the inhabitants, whig and
tory, were to be seen in separate groups in the squares and public
places, waiting the event in anxious silence. At length a courier
arrived. His tidings spread consternation among the friends of
liberty. Many left their homes; entire families abandoned everything
in terror and despair, and took refuge in the mountains. Congress,
that same evening determined to quit the city and repair to Lancaster,
whence they subsequently removed to Yorktown.

Notwithstanding the rout and precipitate retreat of the American army,
Sir William Howe did not press the pursuit, but passed the night on
the field of battle, and remained the two following days at Dilworth,
sending out detachments to take post at Concord and Chester, and seize
on Wilmington, whither the sick and wounded were conveyed.

Washington, as usual, profited by the inactivity of Howe; quietly
retreating through Derby (on the 12th) across the Schuylkill to
Germantown, within a short distance of Philadelphia, where he gave his
troops a day's repose. Finding them in good spirits and in nowise
disheartened by the recent affair, which they seemed to consider a
check rather than a defeat, he resolved to seek the enemy again and
give him battle. As preliminary measures, he left some of the
Pennsylvania militia in Philadelphia to guard the city; others, under
General Armstrong, were posted at the various passes of the
Schuylkill, with orders to throw up works; the floating bridge on the
lower road was to be unmoored, and the boats collected and taken
across the river.

Having taken these precautions against any hostile movement by the
lower road, Washington recrossed the Schuylkill on the 14th, and
advanced along the Lancaster road, with the intention of turning the
left flank of the enemy. Howe, apprised of his intention, made a
similar disposition to outflank him. The two armies came in sight of
each other near the Warren Tavern, twenty-three miles from
Philadelphia, and were on the point of engaging, but were prevented by
a violent storm of rain which lasted for four and twenty hours.

This inclement weather was particularly distressing to the Americans,
who were scantily clothed, most of them destitute of blankets, and
separated from their tents and baggage. The rain penetrated their
cartridge-boxes and the ill-fitted