The voyage took two months, much longer than he expected.
When at length he landed and advanced toward Philadelphia, he was again
thwarted. Washington's army grimly fronted him at Brandywine Creek, and a
battle had to be fought. The Americans were defeated, it is true, but
Washington handled his army with such skill that it took Howe two weeks to
reach Philadelphia, which was only twenty-six miles away from the field of
battle.
Howe was thus kept busy by Washington until it was too late for him to
send help to Burgoyne.
Moreover, Burgoyne was disappointed also in the help which he had expected
from the Mohawk Valley, for the army which was to come from that direction
had been forced to retreat to Canada almost before reaching the valley at
all.
[Illustration: General Burgoyne Surrendering to General Gates.]
Burgoyne was now in a hard place. The Americans were in front of him,
blocking his way, and also behind him, preventing him from retreating or
from getting powder and other greatly needed supplies from Canada. He
could move in neither direction.
Thus left in the lurch by those from whom he expected aid and penned in by
the Americans, there was nothing for him to do but fight or give up.
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