The thoughtful reader, of whatever age or training, is prompted to linger here a moment, and catch a parting view of this column of earnest men, so proudly and joyfully marching to meet in battle the magnificent array of Britain’s chief captains and most honored battalions, the famous Grenadiers of Hanau, and the dragoons and lancers of Hesse. When all are waiting for the advance, who is that man who swiftly rides past the column to its front, erect in saddle, calm, self-reliant, imposing in presence, and with face radiant in confidence and trust? What sort of faith is that which inspires the utterance, which rings like that of the Hebrew Captain when about to face the horsemen and chariots of the Egyptian Pharaoh: “Tell the people that they go _forward_”? How dare this American soldier reckon upon chances for victory in such an unequal measurement of physical force, unless he discern, through plainest garb, the proof-panoply of those whose cause is just? And whence the inspiration of those men of brawn, whose nerves seemed turned to steel, that they are so firmly and confidently ready to enter into the trying ordeal of battle. _It is the Continental Army of America, with Washington in command!_ Only short halts at Derby, Chester and Wilmington delayed their march; and after each halt, that single word, “Forward!” as it ran down the lines, brigade after brigade, again brought shouts from spectators and soldiers alike. General Sullivan, who had been detained in New Jersey to make an attack upon the British posts on Staten Island which failed of its anticipated success joined the command just in time for Brandywine. There was no timidity in this advancing army. Every heart beat with steady cadence. Maxwell, with a selected corps of one hundred men from each brigade, supplied the place of Morgan’s Rifles, then with the northern army. He pushed forward even to Elk River, accompanied by the youthful Lafayette, hoping to save some stores gathered there before the British could effect a landing, and possibly to obstruct the landing itself. This was on September third; but too late to save the stores, for the British were already encamped. A sharp skirmish with Cornwallis was reported by General Howe to have resulted in a British loss of two officers and twenty-two men, killed or wounded.