lish, when their retreat is a virtual avowal of the inferiority of their arms?

Be this as it may, Clinton prepared to execute the orders of his government. But in order to repair by land to New York, it was necessary to traverse New Jersey, a province, in which, for reasons already stated, he must expect to meet only with enemies. It was, besides, exhausted by long war. Foreseeing, therefore, that he might want provisions, the English general, before evacuating Philadelphia, had collected them in considerable quantity, and loaded them upon a great number of carriages. It is true, that as the fleet of lord Howe still remained in the waters of the Delaware, the army might have been transported to New York by sea; the Americans themselves expected it, and Washington apprehended it much. But the difficulties and delays of the embarkation, and perhaps also the fear of encountering the French fleet in superior force, deterred the English from taking this route. Clinton and Howe having made the necessary dispositions, the whole army passed the Delaware very early on the twenty-second of June; and, descending the river a little, landed at Gloucester Point, upon the territory of New Jersey. It immediately proceeded, with all its baggage, towards Haddonfield, where it arrived the same day.

Washington was soon apprised in his camp at Valley Forge that the British army was in motion; without loss of time he sent general Dickinson to assemble the militia of New Jersey under arins. At the same time, in order to support them by a respectable corps of continental troops, he ordered general Maxwell to march into New Jersey. Their mutual efforts were to embarrass, by all possible impediments, the retreat of the British army; to break up the roads, to cut the bridges, to fell trees, and to plant them in abattis. It was recommended to them at the same time to avoid hazardous movements and unexpected actions. Such were the first steps taken by Washington in order to retard the enemy, until he could advance himself with the main body of his army into New Jersey, and observe in person what there was to be done. In the meantime, he assembled his council of war at Valley Forge, and submitted to their deliberation whether it was proper, by harassing the enemy's rear, to do him all the harm possible, without, however, coming to a general engagement; or whether it was more advisable to attack him in front, and try the fortune of a decisive battle. The opinions differed, and were for some time in balance. General Lee, who a little before had been exchanged for Prescott, considering the equality of the forces of the two armies, and the posture of affairs, become too favorable to be exposed without necessity to the hazard of battles, perhaps also having little confidence in the discipline of the American troops, was of the opinion that they should not be put to the test anew, and that an action should be avoided. He was for

being content with following the enemy, observing his motions, and preventing him from ravaging the country. This counsel was adopted by the greater part of the generals. The others, among whom was Washington himself, thought differently, and were inclined, in case a favorable occasion should present itself, to engage a general affair. They could not bring their minds to endure that the enemy should retire with impunity during so long a march, and they persuaded themselves that they had every thing to expect from soldiers whose constancy, the rigor of the seasons, and the scarcity of things the most necessary to life, had not been able to subdue. They reflected, besides, that the English army was embarrassed with the most cumbersome baggage, and they doubted not but that, in the numerous defiles it would have to thread, some favorable occasion must offer itself to attack with advantage. Nevertheless, the opinion of the majority prevailed, not without evident dissatisfaction on the part of Washington, who, according to his character of personal pertinacity, remained steadfast in his way of thinking.

The same day in which the English abandoned Philadelphia, he moved from his camp of Valley Forge, and crossing the Delaware at Coryells Ferry, because Clinton was marching up the river, he went to take post at Hopewell. He was in great uncertainty respecting the designs of the enemy. Their slow march, which was the effect of the immoderate quantity of their baggage, and not a stratagem, induced him to suspect that their aim was to draw him beyond the Rariton, into the open plains of New Jersey, and then, rapidly, turning his right, to lock him against the river, and constrain him to join battle with disadvantage. He proceeded, therefore, with extreme circumspection, and did not allow himself to be enticed to venture across the Rariton.

Meanwhile, the English had already reached Allentown. Washington detached Morgan with his light horse, to harass their right flank, while Maxwell and Dickinson infested them on the left, and general Cadwallader in rear. But when Clinton found himself in Allentown, he reflected upon the way he had to take in order to arrive at New York. By turning towards the Rariton, he might proceed to Brunswick, pass the river there, push for Staten Island, and thence to New York. Another route presented itself on the right, by passing through Monmouth and gaining with rapidity the heights of Middletown, whence it was easy to repair to Sandy Hook; from that point, the fleet of Howe, which awaited the army, could transport it to New York. General Clinton conceived it an extremely hazardous enterprise to attempt the passage of the Rariton, with an army encumbered by such immense convoys, and in the presence of that of Washington, which he knew was soon to be reenforced by the northern troops, under the command of general Gates. He concluded therefore to pursue the road of Monmouth, and immedi

ately commenced the march. Washington, who till then had remained in doubt, because the road from Allentown leads alike to New Brunswick and to Monmouth, as soon as he got this intelligence, detached general Wayne with a thousand regular troops to reenforce the corps of Cadwallader, in order to enable him with more effect to harass, and retard the enemy. The simultaneous action of the detachments of Wayne, Cadwallader, Dickinson and Morgan, being of extreme importance, the commander-in-chief put them all under the command of major-general La Fayette. But the danger increasing at every instant, as the American van had already come up with the English rear, Washington judged it necessary to support it by other corps of regular troops. He directed general Lee to press forward with two brigades. As the senior, Lee took the command of the whole vanguard, leaving to the marquis de la Fayette only that of the militia and light horse. General Lee occupied Englishtown. Washington followed a little distance from the main body of the army, and encamped at Cranberry. Morgan continued to infest the right flank of the English, and Dickinson their left. Things were fast verging to a decisive event. The British army was encamped upon the heights of Freehold; descending thence towards Monmouth, a deep valley is entered, three miles in length and one in breadth; it is broken with hillocks, woods, and morasses. General Clinton, seeing the enemy so near, and the battle inevitable, withdrew all the baggage from the rear, and passed it into the charge of the van, commanded by general Knyphausen, that while himself with the rear guard kept the enemy in check, it might be conducted without molestation to a place of safety upon the hills of Middletown. The rear guard, which he retained during the night of the twenty-seventh in his encampment at Freehold, consisted of several battalions of English infantry, both heavy and light, the Hessian grenadiers, and a regiment of cavalry.

The next morning at daybreak, Knyphausen descended into the valley with the vanguard and his convoy, on his way towards Middletown, and was soon at a good distance from the camp. Clinton, with the selected corps he had kept with him, still maintained his position, as well to retard the enemy, as to give time for the baggage to gain the heights. Washington, promptly informed of all that passed, and apprehensive that the English would effect their design of posting themselves in the mountains of Middletown, the distance being only a few miles, in which case it became impossible to interrupt their retreat to New York, resolved to give them battle without further delay.

He ordered general Lee to attack the enemy in front, while Morgan and Dickinson should descend into the valley upon his flanks, the first to the right, the second to the left, in order to attempt the column of Knyphausen, encumbered with its long train of carriages

and packhorses. Each put himself in motion to obey. General Clinton having resumed his march, was already descended from the heights of Freehold, when he perceived that the Americans were also descending with impetuosity in order to attack him. He was informed at the same instant, that Knyphausen was exposed to the greatest peril, his convoy being engaged in defiles, that continued several miles. Clinton finding himself under the necessity of fighting, instantly took the only resolution that could extricate him from the embarrassments of his position. He determined to turn upon the Americans who menaced his rear, and to charge them with the utmost vigor. He persuaded himself that thrown into disorder by this unexpected attack, they would hasten to recall to their succour the corps they had detached to intercept the baggage. Thus the English rear guard, commanded by Cornwallis and Clinton himself, and the American vanguard, conducted by general Lee, and the marquis de la Fayette, advanced the one against the other with a firm resolution to engage.

The artillery began to play, and the Queen's dragoons charged and routed the light horse of La Fayette. Lee, surprised at the unexpected determination of Clinton to face about upon the Americans, and the rapidity with which he had carried it into execution, was constrained to form his troops upon ground by no means favorable. He had behind him a ravine which rendered his retreat almost impracticable in case of check. Perhaps also he was piqued at being forced to join battle after having supported the contrary opinion.

At the first charge of the English he fell back, not without disorder, probably occasioned by the difficulty of the ground. The enemy pursued him across the ravine and pressed him hard before he had time to rally. In this critical moment, Washington arrived with his corps. Having kept himself ready to move at any instant, he had pushed forward at the first sound of the firing, having ordered his soldiers to leave behind them whatever could impede their march, even to the knapsacks, which they usually carried upon all occasions. On seeing the retreat or rather flight of the troops of Lee, he was not master of his anger, he addressed some very harsh words to that general, and applied himself with equal prudence and courage to restore the fortune of the day. It was necessary, first of all, to arrest for a few moments the impetuosity of the English, in order to give time for all the corps of the rear guard to come up. Accordingly, the commander-in-chief ordered the battalions of colonels Stewart and Ramsay to occupy an important post on the left, behind a tuft of wood, and there to sustain the first efforts of the enemy. Stung by the reproaches of his general, and stimulated by the point of honor, even Lee made extreme exertions to rally his troops. He disposed them on more advantageous ground, where they defended themselves valiantly. The English were constrained to renew their

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attacks in order to dislodge them. But at length, Lee as well as Stewart and Ramsay, overpowered by numbers, were forced to fall back; they withdrew, however, without any confusion. Lee retired to rally anew behind Englishtown; but in the meantime the American rear guard had arrived upon the field of battle. Washington disposed these fresh troops, partly in a neighboring wood, and partly upon a hill situated on the left, from which some pieces of cannon, which lord Sterling had planted there, severely annoyed the enemy. The infantry were drawn up in the centre, at the foot of the hill in front of the enemy. At the same time, general Greene, who on this day commanded the right wing, and who had advanced considerably, on being apprised of the retreat of the vanguard, very prudently concluded also to fall back.

As soon as he was arrived upon the field of battle, he took a very strong position on the right of lord Sterling. He likewise posted his artillery upon a lofty eminence, whence it cruelly infested the left wing of the enemy. The English, being thus arrested, and finding so harsh a reception in front, attempted to turn the left flank of the Americans; but they were repulsed by the light infantry which Washington had sent there for this purpose. They then directed their efforts against his right, which they endeavored to surround. But overwhelmed by the artillery of Greene, they were soon forced to retreat. As soon as Washington saw them give way, he caused them to be charged vigorously by the infantry under general Wayne.

The English turned the back, and recrossing the ravine went to form anew upon the same ground where general Lee had made his first halt. Victory was no longer doubtful; but the new position of the English was still formidable. Their flanks were covered by woods and deep morasses, and their front, being protected by the same ravine which had deranged the troops of Lee in the beginning of the action, could only be reached through a narrow pass.

Washington, nevertheless, made his dispositions for renewing the engagement, having ordered general Poor to charge them upon the right with his own brigade and a corps of Carolinian militia, and general Woodfort to attack them upon the left, while the artillery should play on them in front. Both exerted themselves with alacrity to execute their orders, and to surmount the obstacles which defended the flanks of the British army. But the ground was so broken and difficult, that night came on before they had been able to obtain any advantage. The action soon ceased throughout the line. Washington would have desired to recommence it the next morning, with the day; he therefore kept all his troops under arms during the night. He was vigilant that every thing should be ready; sparing neither cares nor fatigue. But the thoughts of Clinton were very differently occupied. His vanguard and his baggage were already arrived in safety near Middletown. His calculation had not deceived him, for