The Battle of Cooch’s Bridge Fought on September 3, 1777, the Battle of Cooch's Bridge has two principal distinctions. It was the only battle of the American Revolutionary War fought on Delaware soil, and marked the first time that the Stars and Stripes was flown in battle. The battle was fought between British and *Hessian troops under Generals *Cornwallis, *Howe, and *Knyphausen and the colonial troops under General Washington. The engagement began August 30th, about two miles south of the bridge. The Americans harried the lead forces of the British Army using guerrilla techniques learned from the Native Americans. However, the roughly 700 colonials were greatly out manned and out gunned, and were driven back by the advancing British. By September 3rd, the colonials had dropped back to Cooch's Bridge. A handpicked regiment of 100 marksmen under General William Maxwell laid an ambush in the surrounding cover. Over the ensuing battle, several British and Hessian charges were repelled, but the Americans soon depleted their ammunition and called a retreat. The property was taken by the British and several buildings were burned. General Cornwallis used the Cooch house as his headquarters for the next week as the British regrouped. American casualties numbered around 30. Shortly after General Howe moved his troops out. On September 11th he defeated the colonials in the *Battle of Brandywine and subsequently captured the colonial capital of Philadelphia. Defining Terms: *Hessians:The term Hessian refers to the inhabitants of the German state of Hesse. In American English, it most commonly refers to 18th century German regiments in service to the British Empire. *Cornwallis: Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquis Cornwallis (December,31 1738 - October,5 1805) in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh) was an English military commander and colonial governor. In the United States, he is most remembered as a British general in the American Revolutionary War. His 1781 defeat by a combined American French force at the Siege of Yorktown is generally considered the end of the War. In India, where he served two terms as Governor General, he is remembered for promulgating the Permanent Settlement. *Howe: Sir William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, KB, PC (August 10, 1729 - July 12, 1814) was an English General who was Commander in Chief of British forces during the American Revolutionary War, one of the three Howe brothers. He was knighted after his successes in 1775 and was henceforth Sir William, inheriting the viscounts only upon his brother's death in 1799. *Knyphausen: Wilhelm Reichsfreiherr[1] zu Innhausen und Knyphausen (1716 - 1800) was a Hessian general during the American Revolutionary War. * The Battle of the Brandywine: At 4 A.M. on the morning of September 11, 1777, a long line of redcoats quietly flowed out from Kennett Square. They were led by General Howe who personally took command of Cornwallis's column. At the van of the column were "pioneers," soldiers employed to clear the road of any obstructions the Americans might have thrown in their way. 1. If all went well, in six miles they would reach their destination, Jeffries' Ford, without being detected by American scouts. Once across this deep ford located on a branch of the Brandywine Creek, Howe and his troops would have a good chance of flanking and trapping General Washington's army. At 5:45 A.M., after Howe's division had cleared out, General Knyphausen's division began moving along the Great Nottingham Road directly toward Chadd's Ford seven miles away exactly where Washington expected the entire British Army to attack. The first to leave was a 496-member vanguard which consisted of Queen's Rangers, Ferguson's riflemen, and a squad from the 16th Light Dragoons. Behind them were the 1st and 2nd British Brigades, followed by the artillery, supply wagons, and a herd of rustled livestock. Serving as the rear guard were the 71st regiment. It was a formidable force. A Round of Shots ... A Round of Shots ... and the Battle Begins American General Maxwell, too, had been up early on the foggy morning of the 11th. Maxwell had been ordered to scout the vicinity in the area of Kennett Square. At Kennett Meeting, a Quaker house of worship located about a mile east of Kennett Square, Maxwell sent out a mounted scouting party. After heading up the road about a half a mile, the scouts paused to refresh themselves at Welch's Tavern. The group tethered their horses out front and bellied up to the bar. At about 9 o'clock, one of the scouts saw a vision which might have been chalked up to excessive drinking. Headed straight for the tavern, and less than 100 yards away, were Ferguson's Riflemen and Queen's Rangers the vanguard of Knyphausen's Division. The Americans fired off a round of shots from the bar and bolted out the back door leaving their horses behind. Thus began the Battle of Brandywine.