Wells that's sort of it, Washington DIDNT fight a guerilla war or push for the widespread adoption of new tactics. By and large he spent the war trying to get the Continentals he had on hand up to the standards and competency of the British so that he could fight the war as he wanted to. Every one of his major battles was if somewhat bold and prone to sometimes rash actions, well within the normal bounds of what wars might play out like for the European world. Light infantry in open order was nothing new, sharpshooters and the morale quandaries they brought up were nothing new, continuing to campaign well into the normal Winter season was not unheard of.

He certainly at times, none more so than in the retreat from New York, had to adopt a Fabian strategy of sorts, electing to preserve the existence of the Army at all costs, and sought to seize some momentum back if he could. With the opportunity presenting itself against an equally tired and worn out foe at Trenton and Princeton. But virtually every one of the battles he fought, from Brooklyn, to Trenton and Princeton, Brandywine, Germantown, and Monmouth could all have been fought in Flanders for the tactics seen on the field.

While it wasn't just the Continentals in the war who tried to get in one last punch before winter. A year later in December of 1777 General Howe had spent the 2 months since Washington's botched attack at Germantown pulling his troops back to captured Philadelphia. Washington's army was in rough shape, having been worn out failing to prevent the fall of the city, in poor supply, and having only received some reinforcements from upstate NY and the army under General Gates that had defeated Burgoyne at Saratoga. However once again many enlistments were expiring and desertions rampant. Washington was still in the field though looking for another face saving victory, and Howe hoping to further secure his position for the winter and erode his foe. So in the first half of December the armies maneuvered around each other for several days at White Marsh Pennsylvania. Despite being aware of each other and insight of each other a general battle failed to develop, though a British Flanking column was held up in wooded terrain by Daniel Morgan's rifle corps. It was only after 3 days that Howe gave up and marched back to settle into Winter Quarters, and Washington fell back to Valley Forge to settle in for the winter as well.