stream in southeastern Pennsylvania and western Delaware, U.S., rising in two branches in Chester county, Pennsylvania, which join near Coatesville. It flows about 20 miles (32 km) southeast past Chadds Ford and through Delaware to join the Christina River just above its confluence with the Delaware River at Wilmington. On its banks in 1777 was fought one of the major battles of the American Revolution (see Brandywine, Battle of the). The river, called Wauwaset by the Indians and Fiskiekylen (Fish Creek) by Swedish immigrants, was probably named for Andrew Braindwine, an early settler.