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It is with peculiar pleasure the commander-in-chief, in addition to the above, can in- form Gen. Knox, and the officers of the artillery, that the enemy have done them the justice to acknowledge that no artillery could have been better served than ours
The following is the British account of the battle of Monmouth, given in a letter from Sir Henry Clinton to Lord George Germaine, and published in the London Gazette of Aug. 24th, 1778:
NEW YORK, July 5th, 1778.
MY LORD: I have the honor to inform your lordship that, pursuant to his majesty's instructions, I evacuated Philadelphia on the 18th of June, at three o'clock in the morn- ing, and proceeded to Gloucester Point, without being followed by the enemy. Every thing from thence being passed in safety across the Delaware, through the excellent dis- position made by our admiral to secure our passage, the army marched at ten o'clock, and reached Haddonfield the same day. A strong corps of the enemy having, upon our approach, abandoned the difficult pass of Mount Holly, the army proceeded, without any interruption from them, except by what was occasioned by their having destroyed every bridge on our road. As the country is much intersected with marshy rivulets, the ob- structions we met with were frequent ; and the excessive heat of the weather rendered the labor of repairing the bridges severely felt.
The advanced parties of our light troops arriving unexpectedly at Crosswicks, on the 23d, after a trifling skirmish, prevented the enemy from destroying a bridge over a large creek at that village; and the army passed it the next morning. One column, under the command of his excellency Lieut. Gen. Knyphausen, halted near Imlay's town; and as the provision train and heavy artillery were stationed in that division, the other column, under Lieut. Gen. Earl Cornwallis, took a position at Allen's town, which cov- ered the other encampment. Thus far, my lord, my march pointed equally toward Hud- son river and Staten Island, by the Raritan. I was now at the juncture when it was necessary to decide ultimately what course to pursue. Encumbered as I was by an enormous provision train, &c., to which impediment the probability of obstructions and length of my march obliged me to submit, I was led to wish for a route less liable to ob. stacles than those above mentioned.
I had received intelligence that Gen. Washington and Lee had passed the Dela. ware, with their army, had assembled a numerous militia, from all the neighboring prov-
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inces ; and that Gates, with an army from the northward, was advancing to join them on the Raritan. As I could not hope that, after having always hitherto so studiously avoided a general action, they would now give in to it, against every dictate of policy, I could only suppose his views were directed against my baggage, &c., in which part I was indeed vulnerable. This circumstance alone would have tempted me to avoid the difficult passage of the Raritan ; but when I reflected that from Sandy Hook I should be able, with more expedition, to carry his majesty's further orders into execution, I did not hesitate to order the army into the road which leads through Freehold to the Navi- sink. 'The approach of the enemy's army being denoted by the frequent appearance of their light troops on our rear, I requested his excellency Lieut. Gen. Knyphausen to take the baggage of the whole army under the charge of his division, consisting of the troops mentioned in the margin .* Under the head of baggage was comprised not only all the wheel-carriages, of every department, but also the bat-horses ; a train which, as the country admitted but of one route for carriages, extended near twelve miles. The indis- pensable necessity I was under of securing these is obvious, and the difficulty of doing it, in a most woody country, against an army far superior in numbers, will, I trust, be no less so.
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I desired Licut. Gen. Knyphausen to move at daybreak, on the 28th ; and that I might not press upon him, in the first part of the march, in which we had but one route, I did not follow him with the other divisiont until near eight o'clock. Soon after I had marched, reconnoitering parties of the enemy appeared on our left flank. The Queen's Rangers fell in with and dispersed some detachments, among the woods, in the same quarter. Our rear-guard having descended from the heights, above Freehold, into a plain near three miles in length, and about one mile in breadth, several columns of the enemy appeared likewise descending into the plain ; and about ten o'clock they began to cannonade our rear. Intelligence was this moment brought me that the enemy were discovered marching in force on both our flanks. I was convinced that our baggage was their object ; but it being in this juncture engaged in the defiles, which continued for some miles, no means occurred of parrying the blow, but attacking the corps which harassed our rear, and pressing it so hard as to oblige the detachments to return from our flanks to its assistance.
I had good information that Gen. Washington was up with his whole army, esti- mated at about 20,000 ; but as I knew there were two defiles between him and the corps at which I meant to strike, I judged that he could not have passed them with a greater force than what Lord Cornwallis's division was well able to engage; and had I even met his whole army in the passage of those defiles, I had but little to apprehend but his situation might have been critical.
The enemy's cavalry, commanded, it is said, by M. Lafayette, having approached our reach, they were charged, with great spirit, by the Queen's Light Dragoons. They did not wait the shock, but fell back, in confusion, upon their own infantry.
Thinking it possible that the event might draw to a general action, I sent for a brigade of British, and the 17th Light Dragoons, from Lieut. Gen. Knyphausen's division ; and having directed them, on their arrival, to take a position effectually covering our right flank, of which I was most jealous, I made a disposition of attack on the plain. But before I could advance, the enemy fell back, and took a strong position on the heights above Freehold courthouse. The heat of the weather was intense, and our men already suffered severely from fatigue. But our circumstances obliged us to make a vigorous exertion. The British Grenadiers, with their left to the village of Freeliold, 'and the Guards on the right of the Grenadiers, began the attack with such spirit, that the enemy gave way immediately. The second line of the enemy stood the attack with greater obstinacy, but was likewise completely routed. They then took a third position, with a marshy hollow in front, over which it would have been scarcely possible to have attacked them. However, part of the second line made a movement to the front, occu- pied some ground on the enemy's left flank, and the Light Infantry and Queen's Ran- gers turned their left.
By this time our men were so overpowered with fatigue, that I could press the affair
* 17th Light Dragoons, 2d battalion of Light Infantry, Hessian Yagers, 1st and 2d brigades British, Stern's and Loo's brigades of Hessians, Pennsylvania Loyalists, West Jersey Volunteers, Maryland Loyalists.
t 16th Light Dragoons, Ist battalion of British Grenadiers, 2d ditto, 1st battalion of Light Infantry, Hessian Grenadiers, Guards, 3d, 4th, 5th brigades British.
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. no further ; especially as I was confident the end was gained for which the attack had been made.
I ordered the Light Infantry to rejoin me, but a strong detachment of the enemy having possessed themselves of a post which would have annoyed them in their retreat, the 33d regiment made a movement toward the enemy; which, with a similar one made by the first Grenadiers, immediately dispersed them.
I took the position from which the enemy had been first driven, after they had quitted the plain ; and having reposed the troops until ten at night, to avoid the excessive heat of the day, I took advantage of the moonlight to rejoin Lieut. Gen. Knyphausen, who had advanced to Nut Swamp, near Middletown.
Our baggage had been attempted by some of the enemy's light troops, who were re- pulsed by the good dispositions made by Lieut. Gen. Knyphausen and Maj. Gen. Grant, and the good countenance of the 40th regiment, whose piquets alone were attacked, and one troop of the 17th Light Dragoons. The two corps which had marched against it (being, as I since learn, a brigade on each flank) were recalled, as I had suspected, at the beginning of the action.
It would be sufficient honor to the troops to barely say, that they had forced a corps, as I am informed, of near 12,000 men, from two strong positions ; but it will, I doubt not, be considered doubly creditable when I mention they did it under such disadvan- tages of heat and fatigue, that a great part of those we lost fell dead as they ad- vanced.
Fearing that my order had miscarried, before I quitted the ground I sent a second, for a brigade of infantry, the 17th Light Dragoons, and the 2d battalion of Light In- fantry, to mcet on the march, to which additional force had Gen. Washington shown himself the next day, I was determined to attack him; but there being not the least appearance of an cnemy, I suspected he might have passed a considerable corps to a strong position, near Middletown; I therefore left the rear-guard on its march, and de- tached Maj. Gen. Grant to take post there, which was effected on the 20th. The whole army marched to this position the next day, and then fell back to another, near Navi- sink ; where I waited two days, in the hope that Mr. Washington might have been tempted to advance to the position near Middletown, which we had quitted; in which case I might have attacked him to advantage.
During this time the sick and wounded were embarked, and preparations made for passing to Sandy Hook island, by a bridge, which by the extraordinary labors of the men was soon completed, and over which the whole army passed, in about two hours' time ; the horses and cattle having been previously transported.
Your lordship will receive herewith a return of the killed, wounded, missing, &c., of his majesty's troops, on the 28th of last month. That of the enemy is supposed to have been more considerable, especially in killed.
The loss of Lieut. Col. Monckton, who commanded the 2d battalion of Grenadiers, is much to be lamented.
I am much indebted to Lord Cornwallis for his zealous services, on every occasion ; and I found great support from the activity of Maj. Gen. Grey, Brig. Gens. Matthew, Leslie, and Sir William Erskine.
I beg leave to refer your lordship, for any other particulars which you may wish to be informed of, to Col. Patterson, who will have the honor of delivering these dis- patches, and whose services in this country entitle him to every mark of your lordship's fa vor.
I have the honor to be, &c. H. CLINTON.
Return of the killed, wounded, missing, gc., of the troops under the command of Gen.
Sir Henry Clinton, in an engagement with the Rebel army, on the heights of Free- hold, Monmouth county, New Jersey, the 28th of June, 1778.
TOTAL BRITISH .- 1 lieutenant colonel, 1 captain, 2 lieutenants, 4 sergeants, 56 rank and rile killed ; 3 sergeants, 45 rank and file died with fatigue ; 1 colonel, 1 lieutenant-col- onel, 1 major, 7 captains, 5 lieutenants, 7 sergeants, 137 rank and file wounded ; 7 ser- geants, 61 rank and file missing.
TOTAL GERMAN .- 1 rank and file killed, 11 rank and file died with fatigue, 11 rank and file wounded.
GENERAL TOTAL-1 lieutenant colonel, 1 captain, 2 lieutenants, 4 sergeants, 57 rank and file killed; 3 sergeants, 56 rank and file died with fatigue; 1 colonel, 1 lieutenant. colonel, 1 major, 7 captains, 5 lieutenants, 7 sergeants, 148 rank and file wounded; 7 sergeants, 61 rank and file missing
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Names and rank of the officers returned, killed and wounded, on the 28th of June, 1778 ..
. Royal Artillery-Lieut. Vaughan, killed. 1st Grenadiers-Capt. Gore, of the 5th com- pany, killed. 2d Grenadiers-Lieut. Col. Hon. H. Monckton, of the 5th company, (com- manding the battalion ;) Lieut. Kenedy, of the 44th company, killed. 1st Grenadiers- Capt. Cathcart, of the 15th company; Capt. Bereton, of the 17th company; Captain. Willis, of the 23d company, wounded. 2d Grenadiers-Major Gardner, of the 10th. company ; Capt. Leighton, of the 46th company ; Capt. Powell, of the 52d company ; Lieut. Gilchrist, of the 42d company ; Lieut. Kelly, of the 44th company ; Lieut. Pau- mier, of the 45th company ; Lieut. Goroffe, of the 52d company, wounded. Foot Guards-Col. Trelawney, Capt. Bellue, wounded. 15th Regiment-Capt. Ditmas, (at- tached to the 2d Grenadiers,) wounded. Marines-Lieut. Desborough, (attached to the 2d Grenadiers,) wounded. Queen's American Rangers-Lieut. Col. Simcoe, wounded. H .. CLINTON.
The annexed account of the battle of Monmouth is translated for this work from a French publication, entitled "Historical and Political Essays on the North American Revolution, by M. Hilliard d'Auberteuil. Published at Brussels and Paris, 1782." The ac- companying plan of the battle is reduced from one in this work.
Having arrived at the heights of Princeton on the 23d, Washington sent a new de tachment, under the command of Marquis de Lafayette, to harass the enemy during their march ; but this detachment being too feeble and incompetent to undertake more than light skirmishes, he forwarded a considerable reinforcement. The M. de Lafayette was to keep command of these united bodies of troops, which were destined to pursue the English in their march to Amboy, and hold them in check until Gen. Washington should arrive with the main body of the army ; but Charles Lee, just delivered from imprison- ment, had rejoined the camp, and availing himself of his seniority, claimed his right to command. Instead of endeavoring to cut off the English army in its passage, he made only a feeble movement to gain the advance of the enemy near a small piece of woods, a little below the village of Monmouth Courthouse, where the English army had passed the night of the 27th of June. At this time the English column, deploying itself on the left, detached a party of dragoons to advance to the right of the Americans, who left the woods, and opened a discharge from two batteries of cannon, which they had ad- vantageously stationed. Soon the American troops began to withdraw, and to bury themselves in the woods, from which they emerged in four columns, 1,200 paces above their first position. They stationed two batteries within 300 paces of those of the ene- my ; two bodies of troops formed to the right of these batteries, but their timid orders obliged them to retire without a discharge. The other brigades, which were beyond the village, retreated almost as quickly, without waiting for the enemy, and stopped at a dis- tance of 300 paces, between two woods, in a position which they soon abandoned, to throw themselves into a wood on the left. They were there vigorously attacked by the English, and retreated still further, leaving behind them an advantageous position, from which the English could not have driven them, without traversing a deep ravine, the passage of which could be commanded by two pieces of cannon. It is not easy to see the occasion of so many successive retreats,-so many multiplied mistakes. A panic appears to have seized the detachment under Gen. Lee, or rather the general himself. At length Washington arrived, and courage began to revive : the troops rallied in a po- sition less favorable than most of those which they had abandoned, and there sustained a discharge from the English infantry ; and Col. Stuart, with two pieces of cannon, dis- persed the dragoons who made an attack upon them.
We can well imagine the indignation of Washington, on learning the disorders which occurred before his arrival. Astonished at so many precipitate retreats, he hastened to place the troops of Lee's detachment in the rear of two lines, which he formed on a neighboring eminence. Observing that the English infantry were preparing to make an attack on the left, commanded by Lord Stirling, he stationed there a battery, which told so well that the enemy was obliged to rally in turn. Gen. Geene led the right ; a battery of six pieces of cannon, under command of Chevalier Plessis Mauduit, was stationed at 500 paces in advance, on the right, taking the English on the flank, and forced them, af- ter two hours of incessant firing, to retreat a second time, whilst the corps detached by Gen. Washington attacked them in front with great success. Thrice they rallied ; thrice they were repulsed ; finally they were compelled to quit the field, and in their flight to re-
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MONMOUTH COUNTY.
PLAN OF
THE BATTLE OF MONMOUTH,
Where General Washington commanded the American army, and General Clinton the English army,
June 28th, 1778.
a Position occupied by the English on the eve of the battle.
1 English column deploying itself to the left, from which were detached the dragoons, to take a position on the right of the American columns, which were de- bouching (or emerging) from the woods.
2 First battery of the English, which discharged while deploying.
3 Debouchement of the 1st brigade of the detachment of Gen. Lee, stationed in the woods, where the rest of the detachment debouched in four columns.
4 Debouchement of the four columns.
5 Second battery of the English.
6-7 First and second batteries of the Americans.
9 Troops formed at the right of the batteries 6 and 7, which were ordered to retire without discharging.
9 Village of Monmouth, containing the courthouse.
10 Troops formed before Monmouth, which withdrew without waiting for the enemy.
11 First position occupied by all the troops under com- mand of Gen. Lee, where they did not wait for the attack, and from which they threw themselves into the woods on the left.
12 Fierce attack of the English on the troops thrown into the woods during the retreat from position Il.
13 Second position occupied by the rest of the troops, and from which they withdrew when charged by the English dragoons, which were afterwards dis- persed by Col. Stuart.
14 Point from which debouched a body of English, hav- ing fired on the rest of the troops which still occu- Died position 13.
15 Position taken by the troops on retiring from point 13, and from which Gen. Washington took them behind the line which he had just formed at point 16.
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16 Position which Gen. Washington occupied by the troops which came to support Gen. Lee's detach- .. ment.
17 English column which advanced to attack the left, and withdrew after reconnoitering.
18 Battery of six pieces, commanded by Chevalier du Plessis Mauduit, and supported by 500 men.
19 Position occupied by the English troops withdrawr. from points 14 and 17, and from which they were repulsed with great loss.
20 Station occupied by the English after having been driven from point 19.
21 New position taken by the English when Washington attacked them, and from which also they were re- pulsed.
28 Final position of the English, where they passed the night.
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English Town
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pass the same ravine which Gen. Lee had not been able to defend. At a moderate dis- tance they halted, still preserving their front. Washington pursued them in good order, and directed two brigades to advance on each of their flanks. This last attack resulted lik. the preceding, but night came on, and interrupted the victory.
Clinton availed himself of the darkness, not choosing to wait for the hazards of the morrow ; he hastened his march toward the road for Amboy, leaving the Americans masters of the battle-field, covered with wounded and dead. The Germans were so ex- hausted by fatigue and the heat, that inany were found dead who had received no wound. Col. Monckton was slain. It was said that, at the last, Sir Henry Clinton left, on the field, a sack, containing a letter to Gen. Washington, recommending the wounded to his humanity. The number of English killed in this combat was as great as 300; and this loss was the more important, because Clinton had commenced his attack with veteran grenadiers and light-infantry. Yet the objects aimed at by Washington were still unac- complished ; his victory still uncertain. He wished to prevent Clinton from passing be- yond Monmouth and re-embarking, but his intentions were frustrated, and although he had gained the victory, he could not reap from it any advantage. On the other hand, Clinton, although vanquished and flying, had secured all he had promised to himself. Washington had accomplished all that his valor and skill could effect, but the fate of the day was compromised before he reached the field of battle. There was great complaint against Gen. Lee; he was even accused of having bargained with the English while he was their prisoner ; his conduct was examined by a court-martial, whose decision, being confirmed by an act of congress, obliged him to leave the service.
The following incidents relating to the battle, were mainly de- rived from conversation with the venerable Dr. Samuel Forman, now residing near Freehold, who was on the battle-field the day after the action. His father. Mr. David Forman, and Mr. Peter Wikoff, acted as guides to Washington, and testified to his extra- ordinary coolness and presence of mind amid the exciting scenes of the engagement. We have also drawn a map from personal observation, giving the roads and other localities as at the pres- ent day, together with the most important positions of the two ar- mies as fixed by tradition.
The action commenced in the morning after breakfast. in the vicinity of Briar Hill, (A. see map,) distant a half or three quarters of a mile beyond the courthouse. From thence the Americans under Lee slowly retreated before the enemy about three miles, until they came in the vicinity of the parsonage, (P.) where a final stand was made, and the principal action fought. Here Washing- ton met Lee in the field immediately north of this dwelling, and riding up to him, with astonishment asked, " What is the meaning of this ?"* Lee being somewhat confused, and not distinctly under- standing the question, replied, "Sir! sir!" Washington the second time said, " What is all that confusion for, and retreat ?"t Lee re-
* This conversation has been variously stated in different accounts, and Weems's Life of Washington imputes grossly insulting language to Lee. That given above is from the testimony of Capt. Mercer and others, taken from the printed proceedings of the General Court Martial, on the trial of Lee.
t Lieut. Col. Brookes, in his testimony at the trial, says, " On Washington's coming up to Lee, he said, " What is the meaning of all this ?" Lee answered, the contradictory intelligence, and his orders not being obeyed, was the reason of his finding them in that situation. His Excellency, showing considerable warmth, said he was sorry Gen. Lee undertook the command, unless he meant to fight the enemy, (or words to that effect.) Gen. Lee observed that it was his private opinion it was not for the interests of America or the army, (I cannot say which,) to have a general action, but notwithstanding was
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plied, "He saw no confusion but what arose from his orders not be- ing properly obeyed." Washington mentioned that "he had cer- tain information that it was but a strong covering party of the ene- my." Lee answered, " It might be so, but they were rather stronger
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Monmouth C.H. or Freehold
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PLAN
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BATTLE OF MONMOUTH,
Fought Sunday, June 28, 1778.
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REFERENCES.
S. Road to Shrewsbury.
M. do. " Middletown.
A. Briar Hill.
C. Road to Allentown.
E. Washington's main body.
H. Comb's Hill. -
W. Advanced corps of Americans under Wayne.
P. Parsonage.
G. Fence.
F. British main army.
I. Encampment of do. on the night after the action.
L. Forest now standing.
than he was, and that he did not think it proper to risk so much," or words to that effect. Washington said, " You should not have undertaken it," and then passed by him. Shortly after, Washington again met him, and asked "if he would take command there; if not, he (Washington) would ; if Gen. Lee would take command there, he would return to the main army and arrange it." Lee re- plied, that "his Excellency had before given him the command there." Washington told him he expected he would take proper measures for checking the enemy there. Lee replied that his or- ders should be obeyed, and that he would not be the first to leave the field ; and Washington then rode to the main army. Immediately after this, Col. Hamilton, in great heat, rode up to Lee, and said, " I will stay here with you, my dear general, and die with you ; let us all die here rather than retreat."
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