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Feinting Spell: Howe headquarters at Aikin's Tavern

On the March to Brandywine: ?— Part 5 of 9

On the March to Brandywine: — Part 5 of 9
Feinting Spell

At 2pm Cornwallis quartered at a tavern near the battlefield where the
skirmish occurred. The tavern's proprietor, Thomas Cooch, though neither
Tory nor Whig, had fled with his family to Pennsylvania. Knyphausen remained
at Aikin's where Howe also headquartered in a tavern.

Cornwallis sent Count Donop's Hessian brigade to reconnoiter from Iron Hill,
the same hill that Washington used a week earlier to watch the British
disembark. A column of Hessian Grenadiers and British light infantry was
sent east along the King's Highway toward the main American camp at Red Clay
Creek.

This feint was intended to dupe Washington into believing that the British
were advancing his way. Howe, all the while, intended to make a flanking
maneuver to Washington's right.

With the evening came minor skirmishing near Aikin's Tavern. American
General Caesar Rodney had sent some mounted militia from Noxontown to annoy
Howe. The militia fired a few shots and then retired back into the darkness.

At this point the British took a couple of days to regroup. Still seeking to
strengthen their horses and to finalize plans, the hurry-up-and-wait-Howe
now waited. While at Aikin's, Howe would also wait for the final supplies
being unloaded from the fleet.

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On the March to Brandywine: ?— Part 5 of 9