To dispassionate onlookers, England's grasp on her colonies appeared to be slipping away very rapidly.

Washington himself saw the meaning of it all plainly enough, for it was but the development of his theory of carrying on the war.
There is no indication, however, that England detected, in all that had gone on since her army landed at the Head of Elk, anything more than a couple of natural defeats for the rebels.

General Howe was sufficiently impressed to draw in his troops, and keep very closely shut up in Philadelphia, but his country was not moved at all.

The fact that it had taken forty-seven days to get their army from the Elk River to Philadelphia, and that in that time they had fought two successful battles and yet had left the American army still active and menacing, had no effect upon the British mind.

The English were thoroughly satisfied that the colonists were cowards and were sure to be defeated, no matter what the actual facts might be.