Brandywine, Battle of, September 11, 1777, a British victory in the American Revolution. It was fought about 20 miles (32 km) west of Philadelphia at Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, on Brandywine Creek. A force of 11,000 Americans under Washington faced 18,000 British under General Sir William Howe. A British flanking movement caught the Americans by surprise and nearly trapped the entire army. A rear-guard action led by General Nathanael Greene prevented disaster. The British victory enabled them to take Philadelphia two weeks later.