1776, the year which often crosses our minds when we think of the colonists fight to earn our independence from the British crown.

However, that's not exactly accurate.

British forces were defeated in New England and driven from Boston in the spring of 1776,

almost a year after the shot heard round the world was fired in Lexington, Massachusetts in April 1775. There were many more

battles yet to be fought, yet to be won, and some yet to be lost.

The losses in Boston didn't dissuade the British forces because by the end of 1776, they

captured parts of New York and set their sights on Philadelphia Pennsylvania.

Taking Philadelphia would have been an enormous win for the British because at that time Philly was

the home to the Continental Congress.

General George William Howe and his British troops took the long way to get to Pennsylvania,

avoiding the Delaware River and eventually met up with General George Washington and

the Continental Army along the Brandywine Creek.

You may have heard of the Battle of Brandywine, and if you have, then you know Washington and

his troops left the shores of the Brandywine licking their wounds.

The Continental Army suffered twice the losses of house troops, and this began a rumor mill

among prominent colonists wondering if Washington was truly the man for the job. As if the loss at Brandywine wasn't bad enough,

the Battle of Germantown just added insult to injury.

It was after the Battle of Germantown

that General Washington and his troops bunked down in Valley Forge for the winter.

We're going to spend our time today in Northwest Philadelphia, visiting Germantown.

We'll talk a little more about the battle, the history of Germantown, and a famous residence

with a most unusual name where 240-year-old bloodstains mar the centuries-old hardwood floors.

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