Campaign of 1777: Battle of the Clouds

The Battle of Brandywine was not the end of the American Revolution in Chester County. The Continental Army led by General George Washington and the British forces led by General William Howe clashed two more times before General Howe left the county on September 22nd and advanced into Philadelphia and General Washington made his way to Valley Forge where the army camped for the winter.

The Battle of the Clouds took place on September 16, 1777 less than a week after the Battle of Brandywine. The two full armies of 26,000 met and engaged briefly before a violent storm pre-empted the battle. Outnumbered and very short on dry munitions, Washington retreated in the night toward Yellow Springs and then continued north to protect Reading Furnace.

The Battle of Paoli, also called the "Paoli Massacre," was a small, vicious battle that occurred at midnight on September 20-21, 1777 when Major General Charles Grey led a surprise attack on Brigadier General Anthony Wayne's encampment.

Animated Map

Animated MapThe animated maps for the Battles of Brandywine, Paoli, and Clouds are based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. View Animation

Technical Report and Maps