Battle of Brandywine

The Battle of Brandywine

William Norman was wounded in both knees at the Battle of Brandywine. As a result, he was crippled for the rest of his life. This is the story of that battle and William's part in it.

This is based on a narrative talk and slide presentation that Mike Norman gave at the Arkansas Norman Family reunion in August, 1990. We are grateful to Mike for the information.

William Norman enlisted in the Virginia Continental Line on February 1, 1776. When the 3rd and 5th Virginia Regiments were formed on February 13, 1776, he was initially assigned to Captain George Stubblefield's Company of the 5th Virginia Regiment, commanded by Lt. Colonel Joshua Parker. In June, 1776, he was transferred to Captain Philip Richard Francis Lee's Company of the 3rd Virginia Regiment, commanded by Colonel Thomas Marshall. Col. Marshall was the father of the future Chief Justice John Marshall, and it is believed that Capt. Lee was related to General Charles Lee.

The events which led up to the actual Battle of Brandywine

The Virginia Continental Line was probably sent to Boston or New York under the overall command of General Washington. In August of 1776, General Washington fought the British under General Howe at the Battle of Long Island. Howe outflanked the Continentals and forced them back to Manhattan Island where several smaller skirmishes were fought in the area of present day downtown New York City. Howe continued to push General Washington up the Hudson River from White Plains and across the river to the west at West Point, then to the south through New Jersey. Howe stopped pursuing Washington in the late fall of 1776 and Washington withdrew across the Delaware River.

On Christmas night of 1776, Washington crossed the Delaware River and, in a surprise attack, defeated the British Hessian mercenaries at Trenton, New Jersey. He then withdrew to the sough across the Delaware River when he found out that a large force under General Cornwallis was advancing toward Trenton. During the night of January 2, 1777, Washington marched south then east around Cornwallis and on January 3 attacked and defeated the British at Princeton, New Jersey. Washington then withdrew to Morristown, New Jersey where his forces spent the rest of the winter.

The two sides moved and skirmished until September of 1777, General Howe and his battle force were camped near Kennett Square, PA just west of Chadd's Ford on Brandywine Creek. General Washington and his troops were occupying fortifications near Wilmington, DE when word of the British advance reached him. He then moved to the north along the banks of the Brandywine Creek. By Sep 9 1777 the Colonials were dug in along the east bank of the Brandywine at Chadd's Ford. The stage was set for the Battle of Brandywine.

The Battle of Brandywine

Colonel Marshall's 3rd Va. Regiment, with William Norman's company was part of Major General Adam Stephens 2nd Division which was selected to be reserve troops, and located to the south of the Chester Road, and at the rear of the troops dug in along the creek. General Howe planned to use tactics similar to what had worked at the Battle of Long Island, which would be to feign a frontal attack with part of his forces under General Knyphausen, while using the greater portion of his forces to execute an end-run flanking movement to the north around the Colonial's extreme right and attack from the rear.

Early in the morning of September 11, 1777, Generals Howe and Cornwallis marched to the north with approximately 7,500 men, while General Knyphausen started down the road toward Chadd's Form with the remaining 5,000 men. Early that same morning, General Washington ordered Colonel Maxwell's Light Infantry, about 8,000 strong to cross at Chadd's Ford and march toward Kennett Square in order to feel out the enemy forces. Maxwell was able to set up ambush sites along the road and inflicted serious casualties on Knyphausen's forces as he fought a blocking retreat back toward Chadd's Ford by noon. Maxwell had retreated across the Brandywine, fighting the whole way, and Knyphausen's British were forming on the west bank for the attack. The British advanced across Chadd's Ford, but were repulsed by the Colonials several times. All during the morning's fighting, William had an excellent grandstand view of the action.

Around 2 pm, General Washington received word that an enemy force had crossed the Brandywine to the north and was marching toward his right flank. General Washington ordered the troops on the far right, General Sullivan's Division, to move to the right and take up blocking positions on Birmingham Hill, near Birmingham Meeting House. Washington also ordered General Stephen's 2nd Division, including the 3rd and 4th Virginia Brigades, to take up positions to the right of Stirling on Birmingham Hill. Fortunately for the Colonials, Howe and Cornwallis were not pressing forward with haste, In fact, they stopped to eat lunch and rest after they crossed the Brandywine. This gave enough time for Sullivan, Stirling and Stephen to move their troops into positions to repel the enemy.

As General Stephen's Division moved into position, Col. Marshall's 3rd Va. Rgmt. were ordered to take up positions in an orchard at the intersection of what is not Street Rd. and Birmingham Rd. About 3 pm on a very hot September afternoon, our William and about 150 fellow soldiers took up positions in this orchard. As the first squad of British Dragoons and Light Infantry approached along Birmingham Road, Col. Marshall's forces were the first to open fire. They were able to stop the British and force them to fall back. Soon after, the British light infantry attacked Marshall's front and left flank. Seeing his situation deteriorate, Marshall ordered his men to fire and fall back. William took cover along with the rest of his regiment behind a low stone fence near the Birmingham Meeting House. They were holding their own, but sustained heavy casualties. The British were working their way up Birmingham Hill to the left of Marshall's troops. The British got enough men through that they were able to make an assault and drive Marshall off the hill. The Colonials ordered a retreat to a second position on a small hill to the rear of Birmingham Hill. Col. Marshall was ordered to pull back after suffering 54% casualties. Among them was William's Captain Phillip Lee, who lay wounded behind the stone wall.

General Marquis de Lafayette, who was serving as an aide to Gen. Washington, rode to survey the flanking assault and arrived just after the British 2nd Light Infantry and a regiment of Hessian Jaegers had scattered our boys and were charging up the hill toward Gen. Conway at the top. Lafayette knew Conway, who was also a French volunteer. Within moments the fight for the hill became severe hand-to hand combat. While Lafayette, having gotten off his horse, was trying to rally the men he was hot in the leg. He wasn't successful in rallying the men as the British pushed them from the hill, capturing the two remaining cannons. Some of Stephen's officers were able to stop some of the retreating men and regrouped about 400 yards past Stirling's hilltop position. The British swept over the position with hardly a stop and pressed toward the town of Dilworth.

Gen. Washington, having heard that Sullivan's three divisions were forced off Birmingham Hill, ordered Gen. Greene's division to march to their support. They met the British near what is now Webb Rd. The fresh Colonial troops were able to slow the British advance, but were still being pushed back.

The British under Knyphausen had crossed the Brandywine and overwhelmed Gen. Wayne's 4th Division. The Colonials executed a fighting retreat back to Painter's Crossing where they made a final stand about dusk. They were able to hold open the escape route toward Chester and Philadelphia and allowed Washington's troops to retreat to the Delaware. After several more battles in the Philadelphia area Washington withdrew to Valley Forge for the winter.

That is what happened to Washington, but what about our hero William? According to relatives and family history, William said that he was standing near Lafayette when he had dismounted and was trying to rally the troops and received his wound. This would place William near the top of the 2nd Colonial hilltop position. He could have been marching by when the 2nd Light Infantry burst out of the woods. If William retreated away from the oncoming British and back up the small hill, he would have been near the area where Lafayette was reported to be. William just failed to mention that he was one of those troops which Lafayette was trying to stop from running away. It is during the ensuing melee and general rout that William received his wounds.

Bennett Farm was used as a dressing station for the casualties from the Sandy Hollow area, including both Lafayette and William Norman. It is documented as the medical aid station where Lafayette was known to have been treated. William Norman said that Lafayette intervened in the amputation of his legs due to "...the patient's stubborn resistance to the surgeons...". The location of this farm in relation to Sandy Hollow would also lead one to believe that William was not one of the troops fighting at the 3rd position or at other later skirmish locations as he would have been taken to a different dressing station. Dilworthtown Inn and Country Store was also used as a field hospital. It is said that the store counter was used as an operating table after the battle.

After the battle the wounded from both armies were treated in private homes, taverns and churches over a wide area. The American wounded were taken by wagons to Chester, about 10 miles to the east and then to various convalescent hospitals. This must not have been a pleasant trip for William, and his recovery would have been slow and painful. He was listed on the muster roles as "absent and wounded" until February 1778, but it is clear that Brandywine was his last "active duty."

The British bullet and a piece of bone from William's knee were kept as souvenirs in the Norman family for 150 years. William C. Norman recalls seeing them in his grandfather's home in Hamburg, AR. According to stories told by William's daughter, Sarah Norman, her father always observed the anniversary of the Battle of Brandywine. William Harrison Norman, son of William, stated in an affidavit given in support of John Matthews' application for a war pension that "In remembrances of their service and suffering together would meet on the 11th of September each year and enjoy their social grog together, it being the day as well as deponant remembered, the Battle was fought."

Brandywine Battlefield Park
Box 202, Chadds Ford, PA 19317
610-459-3342


Gideon Gilpin's House Lafayette's Headquarters
The Marquis de LaFayette saw his first military action in America at the Battle of Brandywine, fighting with Washington. He was quartered in the house of Gideon Gilpin, a Quaker farmer, whose property was plundered by soldiers after the battle. Gilpin filed a claim for losses in September 1777 which included 10 milk cows, 1 yoke oxen, 48 sheep, 28 swine, 12 tons of hay, 230 bushels of wheat, 50 lbs. bacon, a history book, and one gun.

The house looks much as it did in 1777 when Lafayette stayed there.



The Benjamin Ring House
Washington's Headquarters

On the evening before the battle with the British took place, Washington established his headquarters at the farmhouse of Benjamin Ring, a Quaker farmer and miller. The house was near Chadd's Ford where the British were expected to cross the river. Washington used the house to plan his strategy, meeting with his generals on September 9th.

The house has been restored having fallen into disrepair after being damaged by a fire in the early 1930s. Visitors who tour the house, will be seeing it as it was when Washington met there at the end of the summer in 1777.

Map of Brandywine Battlefield

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