▁September ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 7 7 7 , ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁surrounding ▁present ▁day ▁Mal vern , ▁Pennsylvania . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁American ▁defeat ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Brand yw ine , ▁the ▁British ▁Army ▁remained ▁enc amp ed ▁near ▁Ch add s ▁Ford . ▁When ▁British ▁commander ▁William ▁How e ▁was ▁informed ▁that ▁the ▁weak ened ▁American ▁force ▁was ▁less ▁than ▁ten ▁miles ▁( 1 6   km ) ▁away , ▁he ▁decided ▁to ▁press ▁for ▁another ▁decis ive ▁victory . ▁ ▁George ▁Washington ▁learned ▁of ▁How e ' s ▁plans ▁and ▁prepared ▁for ▁battle . ▁Before ▁the ▁two ▁arm ies ▁could ▁fully ▁eng age , ▁a ▁tor r ential ▁down p our ▁en su ed . ▁Sign ific antly ▁out number ed , ▁and ▁with ▁tens ▁of ▁thousands ▁of ▁cart rid ges ▁ru ined ▁by ▁the ▁rain , ▁Washington ▁opt ed ▁to ▁retre at . ▁Bog ged ▁down ▁by ▁rain ▁and ▁mud , ▁the ▁British ▁allowed ▁Washington ▁and ▁his ▁army ▁to ▁withdraw . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁After ▁Washington ' s ▁defeat ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Brand yw ine , ▁he ▁was ▁intent ▁on ▁accomplish ing ▁two ▁tasks . ▁He ▁wanted ▁to ▁protect ▁Philadelphia ▁from ▁British ▁forces ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁How e , ▁and ▁he ▁needed ▁to ▁re pl en ish ▁the ▁rapidly ▁dw ind ling ▁supplies ▁and ▁m un itions ▁which ▁were ▁stored ▁in ▁Reading , ▁Pennsylvania . ▁Washington ▁with d rew ▁across ▁the ▁Sch u yl kill ▁River , ▁march ed ▁through ▁Philadelphia , ▁and ▁head