Editing Battle of Germantown (section)

== Washington's Plan ==

Washington devised an ambitious plan involving four separate columns attacking Germantown simultaneously from different directions. The main assault would be delivered by two columns of Continental troops advancing down the Skippack Road (now Germantown Avenue): General John Sullivan's division on the right and General Nathanael Greene's larger division on the left. Two additional columns of militia would attack the British flanks, preventing escape and creating confusion. The attack would begin at dawn on October 4, following overnight marches of 15 to 16 miles. Success depended on precise timing, effective coordination, and the element of surprise—a demanding set of requirements for an army that had yet to prove it could execute complex maneuvers.<ref name="lengel"/>

The plan reflected both Washington's boldness and the Continental Army's limitations. The night march and coordinated assault required a level of organization and discipline that American forces had rarely demonstrated. The troops were exhausted from the previous weeks' campaigning and marching, and many lacked adequate weapons, clothing, or shoes. Yet Washington believed that only aggressive action could offset the strategic disadvantage of having lost the capital and could maintain the army's morale and public confidence in the revolutionary cause. If the attack succeeded, it might reverse the campaign's momentum and even force the British to evacuate Philadelphia.<ref name="middlekauff">{{cite book |last=Middlekauff |first=Robert |title=The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution, 1763-1789 |year=2005 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=New York}}</ref>