General Howe did not violate orders by taking Philadelphia

Recent historians give background on September 11, 1777, battle at Brandywine

September 9th, 2026

Recent suspicion that British General Howe violated orders preceding battle of Brandywine proves to be false

 By Bruce E. Mowday

As the country has been celebrating the 250^th anniversary of the founding of the United States, I’ve also been reading and researching our historic past. Part of my reading included new books by historians H. W. Brands and Eric Metaxas.

Since I’ve authored three books in connection with the Battle of Brandywine, I closely followed the information on the Revolutionary War engagement centered at Chadds Ford. American Patriarch: The Life of George Washington by Brands and Revolution by Metaxas both address Howe at Brandywine. One belief is that Howe violated a direct order by his superior, Lord George Germain, and pursued the Philadelphia campaign rather than going north to assist British General John Burgoyne.

Since Burgoyne lost the pivotal battle of Saratoga and surrendered his army to the Americans, King George III, Germain and Parliament would have immediately recalled Howe and publicly vilified the general if he had violated a direct order. He did not.

The last missive from Germain to Howe stated that Howe as to go south (Howe was in New York City at the time and Philadelphia is south of New York City) and then north if he had an opportunity to do so. Clearly, Howe was authorized to go south and capture the American capital of Philadelphia.

British planning for the 1777 campaign began in late 1776. Howe proposed the two-pronged approach for the coming fighting. Burgoyne would handle the difficult New England colonies and Howe would capture Philadelphia. Howe believed many loyalists in Philadelphia strongly supported King George. With his army ensconced in the rebel capital city, those loyalists would overthrow Washington. Capturing an enemy’s capital was tantamount to ending the war in the 1700s.

Germain approved Howe’s battle plans. Howe did have second thoughts after Washington’s spectacular victories in December. Maybe the rebels were stronger than expected. Howe wrote to Germain about altering plans and having Burgoyne combine with his army. Germain never responded to Howe’s second suggestion.

According to Brandt, Howe wrote to Germain just before the Philadelphia campaign began, “I purpose to invade Pennsylvania by sea.” The April 2, 1777, statement was made by Howe during one of his many requests for additional troops. King George III had expressed concern that Howe’s taking of Philadelphia would put at risk Burgoyne’s attack on the Hudson and New England. Germain, Brandt stated, tactfully told King George that Howe was going to take Philadelphia and hold the city.

When I visited the British Public Records Office, akin to our National Archives, in London while researching my book September 11, 1777: Washington’s Defeat at Brandywine Dooms Philadelphia, I asked about the second request. I was told many British historians were not sure why Germain didn’t respond. I was told maybe he had confidence in Howe’s original plan. One person said maybe Germain put the second letter in his desk and forgot about it.

Metaxas wrote, “Germain in letters to Howe was never quite clear enough in what he expected of Howe. He mentioned that Howe was expected to sail north up the Hudson to aid Burgoyne, but he never clearly said that this should take priority over going to Philadelphia. He somehow left this ambiguous, perhaps because he knew that the Howes had close family ties to King George III, and he felt uncomfortable unequivocally ordering them to do anything, preferring to deferentially give them the freedom to make what decisions they thought best.”

Clearly, Howe didn’t violate any orders from London. He claimed his stated prize of Philadelphia.

(Author Bruce E. Mowday wrote the first extensive look at Brandywine, September 11, 1777: Washington’s Defeat at Brandywine Dooms Philadelphia. He also wrote Lafayette at Brandywine: The Making of an American Hero and Lafayette: America’s Young Hero & Guest. For all of Mowday’s books, see www.mowday.com.)