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XI.

1778.

the council. He seemed averse to any kind of interfer- CHAPTER ence with the enemy; but he acceded to a proposal, in which he was joined by five others, that fifteen hundred men should be sent to hang on their rear. Six general officers, namely, Greene, Lafayette, Steuben, Wayne, Duportail, and Paterson, were for sending twenty-five hundred men, or at least two thousand, which should be followed by the main army at such a distance as to afford support, if it should be necessary. It was clearly the wish of these officers to draw the enemy into a general engagement, if it could be done under favorable circumstances. Indeed Greene, Lafayette, and Wayne declared their sentiments to this effect in writing.

Thus embarrassed with the divided opinions of his officers, Washington had a delicate part to act. There can be no doubt, however, that his own judgment strongly inclined him to seek an engagement, from the time he left Valley Forge. The reputation of the army, and the expectation of the country, in his view required it; and he believed the chances of success at least sufficient to

authorize the attempt. After the council at Hopewell, therefore, he asked no further advice, but proceeded on his individual responsibility. He immediately ordered a detachment of one thousand men under General Wayne to join the troops already near the enemy, and gave to General Lafayette the command of all the advanced parties, amounting now to about three thousand eight hundred men, including militia.

Washington

seeks an en

gagement.

to Lafayette.

June 25.

In his instructions to Lafayette he said; "You are to Instructions use the most effectual means for gaining the enemy's left flank, and giving every degree of annoyance. For these purposes you will attack them as occasion may require by detachment, and, if a proper opening should be given, by operating against them with your whole command." Foreseeing that these orders, executed with the spirit and ardor which characterized Lafayette, would soon lead to an action with a large part of the enemy's force, Wash

CHAPTER ington prepared to sustain the advanced division, keeping within a distance proper for that purpose.

XI.

1778.

takes com

advanced

division.

June 26.

General Lee's seniority of rank entitled him to the General Lee command of all the advanced detachments; but disapprovund of the ing the plans of the Commander-in-chief and believing they would fail, he voluntarily yielded his claims to Lafayette. After this arrangement had been made with Washington's consent, and Lafayette had marched towards the enemy, Lee changed his mind and applied to be reinstated. As Lafayette could not with any degree of justice or propriety be recalled, Washington resorted to an expedient, which he hoped would preserve harmony, although it might not be entirely satisfactory to either of the parties. He put Lee at the head of two additional brigades, with orders to join the advanced detachments, when he would of course have the command of the whole; but directed him at the same time to give Lafayette notice of his approach, and to afford him all the assistance in his power for prosecuting any enterprise, which he might already have undertaken or planned. He wrote also to Lafayette, explaining the dilemma into which he was thrown by the vacillating conduct of General Lee, and expressing a conviction that he would cheerfully acquiesce in a measure, which the exigency of the occasion rendered necessary. While the main army moved forward to Cranberry, and the advanced parties were hovering around the enemy's flanks and rear, Sir Henry Clinton changed the disposition of his line, placing the baggage train in front, and his best troops in the rear. With his army thus arranged, he encamped in a strong position near Monmouth CourtHouse, secured on nearly all sides by woods and marshy grounds. This was his situation on the morning of the 28th of June. Washington was at this time six or seven miles distant, and, receiving intelligence at five o'clock, that the enemy's front had begun to march, he instantly put the army in motion, and sent orders to General Lee by one of his aids to move on and commence the attack, "unless there should be very powerful reasons to the

Battle of
Monmouth.

June 28.

contrary," acquainting him at the same time, that he CHAPTER should come up as soon as possible to his support.

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1778.

retreats.

After marching about five miles, he was surprised and mortified to learn, that the whole of Lee's division, amount- General Lee ing to five thousand men, was by his orders retreating, without having made any opposition except one fire from a party, which had been charged by the enemy's cavalry. The situation was the more critical and alarming, as General Lee had given no notice of his retreat, but was marching his troops into the face of the rear division, thus running the hazard of throwing all parts of the army into confusion at the moment when the enemy were pressing upon him with unimpeded force.*

Washington rode immediately to the rear of the retreating division, where he found General Lee, and, accosting him with a warmth in his language and manner, which showed his disappointment and displeasure, he ordered the troops to be formed and brought into action. Lee promptly obeyed, and with some difficulty the order of battle was restored in time to check the advance of the enemy before the other division came up.

of the ac

A disposition of the left wing and second line of the Particulars army was then made on an eminence, and partly in a tion. wood, covered by a morass in front. This wing was commanded by Lord Stirling, who placed some batteries

* Lee had manœuvred near the enemy for some time with the apparent intention of attacking them. While thus engaged, a party of British troops moved towards his right flank, and so placed itself that Lafayette thought a fair opportunity offered for cutting it off. He rode quickly up to Lee, and asked him if an attack could not be advantageously made in that quarter. "Sir," replied Lee, " you do not know British soldiers; we cannot stand against them; we shall certainly be driven back at first, and we must be cautious." Lafayette answered, that it might be so, but British soldiers had been beaten, and it was to be presumed they might be beaten again, and at any rate he was for making the trial. Soon afterwards one of Washington's aids arrived for intelligence, and, as he was returning, Lafayette desired him to say to the General, that his presence at the scene of action was extremely important. Before this message reached him, the retreat had begun.

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1778.

CHAPTER of cannon in such a manner as to play upon the enemy with great effect, and, aided by parties of infantry, to put a stop to their advance in that direction. General Greene commanded the right wing, and on the march he had been ordered to file off and take a road, which would bring him upon the enemy's flank. On hearing of the retreat he marched up and took a very advantageous position on the right. Being warmly opposed in front, the enemy attempted next to turn the American left flank, but were repulsed and driven back; and a similar movement to the right was equally unsuccessful, as they were bravely met by the troops with artillery under General Greene. In the mean time General Wayne advanced with a body of infantry, and kept up so hot and welldirected a fire upon the enemy's front, that they retired behind a marshy ravine to the ground which they had occupied at the beginning of the engagement.

British

retire to

In this situation both their flanks were secured by Middletown. Woods and morasses, and they could be approached in front only through a narrow pass. Two bodies of troops were ordered to move round and gain their right and left, while the artillery should gall them in front. Before these movements could be effected, night came on and put an end to the action. Intending to renew the contest in the morning, Washington directed all the troops to lie upon their arms in the places where they happened to be stationed at dark. Wrapped in his cloak, he passed the night on the field of battle in the midst of his soldiers. But, when the morning dawned, no enemy was to be seen. Sir Henry Clinton had silently withdrawn his troops during the night, and followed his baggage train on the road leading to Middletown. As he would have gained commanding ground, where he might choose his own position, before he could be overtaken, and as the troops had suffered exceedingly from the intense heat of the weather and fatigue, it was not thought expedient to continue the pursuit.

This battle, though it can hardly be said to have re

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sulted in a victory, was nevertheless honorable to the CHAPTER American arms, and, after the inauspicious retreat of the first division, was fought with skill and bravery. It was probably in all respects as successful as Washington had hoped. Congress passed a unanimous vote of thanks to the Commander and the army.

battle.

Four British officers and two hundred and forty-five Loss in the privates were left dead on the field, and were buried by the Americans. It appeared that others were likewise buried by the enemy, making the whole number of killed nearly three hundred. The American loss was sixty-nine killed. Several soldiers on both sides are said to have died in consequence of the extreme heat of the day, and it is probable that the number of Americans reported as killed does not include all that died from this cause.

But the loss of Sir Henry Clinton in battle made but a small part of the diminution of his army while marching through Jersey. One hundred were taken prisoners, and more than six hundred deserters arrived in Philadelphia within three weeks from the time he left it, being drawn thither chiefly by the attachments they had formed during eight months' residence in the city. Others also escaped into the country while on the march; so that the army, when it reached New York, had suffered a reduction of at least twelve hundred men.

British loss through

in the march

New Jersey.

General Lee.

After the action, Sir Henry Clinton proceeded to Sandy Hook, where Lord Howe's fleet, having come round from the Delaware, was in readiness to convey the troops to New York. Washington marched to Hudson's River, crossed at King's Ferry, and encamped near White Plains. The pride of General Lee was wounded by the lan- Trial of guage, which Washington used when he met him retreating. The day after the action, Lee wrote a letter to Washington, containing expressions, which no officer could with propriety address to his superior. This was answered in a tone, that rather tended to increase than soothe his irritation, and he replied in terms still more offensive. In a subsequent note, written the same day,

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