Howe had need to be wary, for Washington was the same "old fox" who had played so cunning a game at Trenton.

The efforts of the British army were now centered on clearing the river Delaware so that supplies might be brought up rapidly by water instead of being carried fifty miles overland from Chesapeake Bay.

Howe detached some thousands of men for this work and there was sharp fighting before the troops and the fleet combined had cleared the river.

At Germantown Howe kept about nine thousand men.

Though he knew that Washington was likely to attack him he did not entrench his army as he desired the attack to be made.