Editing Battle of Germantown (section)

== The Battle ==

The attack began according to plan in the early morning fog of October 4, with Sullivan's column engaging British advance posts around 5:30 a.m. The Americans drove the British pickets back through the village, gaining ground and capturing prisoners. For a time, the attack seemed to be succeeding, with British forces falling back toward their main encampment. However, complications soon emerged. A contingent of British troops occupied the Chew House (Cliveden), a substantial stone mansion, and refused to surrender. Rather than bypass this strongpoint, some American officers insisted on reducing it according to conventional military doctrine, wasting time and ammunition while the main attack stalled.<ref name="mcguire"/>

The fog that had helped conceal the American approach now became a liability, obscuring the battlefield and making it impossible for commanders to coordinate their forces. Greene's column, taking a longer route, arrived late and attacked at an angle that brought it into contact with Sullivan's troops rather than the British flank. In the confusion, American units fired on each other, believing they were engaging the enemy. Panic spread through portions of the army, with some soldiers convinced they had been surrounded. The ammunition shortage became critical, and Washington, recognizing that the attack had failed, ordered a retreat. The army withdrew in reasonably good order, having suffered approximately 150 killed, 500 wounded, and 400 captured.<ref name="lengel"/>