Just before the dawn of June 18, 1778, the
British began their evacuation of
Philadelphia.
They crossed the
Delaware to
Gloucester Point, and that evening encamped around
Haddonfield, a few miles southeast from
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Camden, N. J. The news of this evacuation reached
Washington, at
Valley Forge, before morning.
He immediately sent
General Maxwell, with his brigade, to cooperate with the New Jersey militia under
General Dickinson in retarding the march of the
British, who, when they crossed the river, were 17,000 strong in effective men. They marched in two divisions, one under Cornwallis and the other led by
Knyphausen.
General Arnold, whose wounds kept him from the field, entered
Philadelphia with a detachment before the rear-guard of the
British had left it. The remainder of the army, under the immediate command of
Washington, crossed the
Delaware above
Trenton and pursued.
Gen. Charles Lee (q. v.), who had been exchanged, was now with the army, and persistently opposed all interference with
Clinton's march across
New Jersey, and found fault with everything.
Clinton had intended to march to
New Brunswick and embark his army on
Raritan Bay for New York; but, finding
Washington in his path, he turned, at
Allentown, towards
Monmouth, to make his way to
Sandy Hook, and thence to New York by water.
Washington followed him in a parallel line, prepared to strike him whenever an opportunity should offer, while
Clinton wished to avoid a battle, for he was encumbered with baggage-
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Old Monmouth Court-House. |
wagons and a host of camp-followers, making his line 12 miles in length.
He encamped near the court-house in
Freehold, Monmouth co., N. J., on June 27, and there
Washington resolved to strike him if he should move the next morning, for it was important to prevent his reaching the advantageous position of
Middletown Heights.
General Lee was now in command of the advanced corps.
Washington ordered him to form a plan of attack, but he omitted to do so, or to give any orders to
Wayne,
Lafayette, or
Maxwell, who called upon him. And when, the next morning (June 28）—a hot Sabbath—Washington was told
Clinton was about to move, and ordered
Lee to fall upon the
British rear, unless there should be grave reasons for not doing so, that officer so tardily obeyed that he allowed his antagonist ample time to prepare for battle.
When
Lee did move, he seemed to have no plan, and by his orders and counterorders so perplexed his generals that they sent a request to
Washington to appear on the field with the main army immediately.
And while
Wayne was attacking with vigor, with a sure prospect of victory,
Lee ordered him to make only a feint.
At that moment
Clinton changed front, and sent a large force, horse and foot, to attack
Wayne.
Lafayette, believing there was now a good opportunity to gain the rear of the
British, rode quickly up to
Lee and asked permission to attempt the movement.
He at first refused, but, seeing the earnestness of the marquis, he yielded a little, and ordered him to wheel his column by the right and attack
Clinton's left.
At the same time he weakened
Wayne's detachment by taking three regiments from it to support the right.
Then, being apparently disconcerted by a movement of the
British, he ordered his right to fall back; and
Generals Scott and
Maxwell, who were then about to attack, were ordered to retreat.
At the same time
Lafayette received a similar order, a general retreat began, and the
British pursued.
In this flight and pursuit
Lee showed no disposition to check either party, and the retreat became a disorderly flight.
Washington was then pressing forward to the support of
Lee, when he was met by the astounding intelligence
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that the advance division was in full retreat.
Lee had sent him no word of this disastrous movement.
The fugitives, falling back upon the main army, might endanger the whole.
Washington's indignation was fearfully aroused, and when he met
Lee, at the
head of the second retreating column, he rode up to him, and, in a tone of withering reproof, he exclaimed, “Sir, I desire to know what is the reason and whence comes this disorder and confusion?”
Lee replied sharply, “You know the attack was contrary to my advice and opinion.”
The chief replied in a tone that indicated the depth of his indignation, “You should not have undertaken the command unless you intended to carry it out.”
There was no time for altercation, and, wheeling his horse, he hastened to
Ramsay and
Stewart, in the rear, and soon rallied a greater portion of their regiments, and ordered
Oswald to take post on an eminence near, with two guns.
These pieces, skilfully handled, soon checked the enemy.
Washington's presence inspired the troops with courage, and ten minutes after he appeared the retreat was ended.
The troops, lately a fugitive mob, were soon in orderly battle array on an eminence on which
Gen. Lord Stirling placed some batteries.
The line, then, was commanded on the right by
General Greene, and on the left by
Stirling.
The two armies now confronted each other.
The
British, about 7,000 strong, were upon a narrow road, bounded by morasses.
Their cavalry attempted to turn the
American left flank, but were repulsed and disappointed.
The regiments of foot came up, when a severe battle occurred with musketry and cannon.
The American artillery, under the general direction of
Knox, did great execution.
For a while the result seemed doubtful, when
General Wayne came up with a body of troops and gave victory to the
Americans.
Colonel Monckton, perceiving that the fate of the conflict depended upon driving
Wayne away or capturing him, led his troops to a bayonet charge.
So terrible was
Wayne's storm of bullets upon them that almost every British officer was slain.
Their brave leader was among the killed, as he was pressing forward, waving his sword and shouting to his men. His veterans then retreated, and fell back to the heights occupied by
Lee in the morning.
The battle ended at twilight, when the wearied armies rested on their weapons, prepared for another conflict at dawn.
Through the deep sands of the roads,
Clinton withdrew his army so silently towards midnight that he was far on his way towards
Sandy Hook when the
American sentinels discovered his flight in the morning (June 29).
Washington
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did not pursue, and the
British escaped to New York.
They had lost 1,000 men by desertion while crossing
New Jersey, and they left four officers and 245 non-commissioned officers and privates on the field, taking with them many of the wounded.
They lost fifty-nine by the terrible heat of the day. More than fifty
Americans died from the same cause.
The loss of the
Americans was 228, killed, wounded, and missing.
Many of the latter afterwards returned to the army.
Washington marched northward, crossed the
Hudson River, and encamped in
Westchester county, N. Y., until late in the autumn.
See
Pitcher, Molly.
