Many of the people were friendly and
hundreds now renewed their oath of allegiance to the King.
Washington complained that the people gave Howe information
denied to him. They certainly fed Howe's army willingly and
received good British gold while Washington had only paper money
with which to pay. Over the proud capital floated once more the
British flag and people who did not see very far said that, with
both New York and Philadelphia taken, the rebellion had at last
collapsed.
Once in possession of Philadelphia Howe made his camp at
Germantown, a straggling suburban village, about seven miles
northwest of the city. Washington's army lay at the foot of some
hills a dozen miles farther away. Howe had need to be wary, for
Washington was the same "old fox" who had played so cunning a
game at Trenton. The efforts of the British army were now
centered on clearing the river Delaware so that supplies might be
brought up rapidly by water instead of being carried fifty miles
overland from Chesapeake Bay. Howe detached some thousands of men
for this work and there was sharp fighting before the troops and
the fleet combined had cleared the river. At Germantown Howe kept
about nine thousand men. Though he knew that Washington was
likely to attack him he did not entrench his army as he desired
the attack to be made.
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