On the evening of September 11, 1777, from approx. 6-8 pm, the small crossroads village of Thortonville (Thornton) witnessed part of the American strategic retreat ordered by General George Washington from the Battle of Brandywine. After a long day of battle and a successful rearguard defense by General Nathaniel Greene, thousands of exhausted American troops and camp followers from General Sullivan’s, Stephen’s, and Sterling‘s divisions retreated east along Dilworthtown Road from Birmingham Road, then turned south on Thornton Road, eventually regrouping in Chester.
