History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 33

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Swan, Norma Lippincott. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia, R. T. Peck & co.
Number of Pages: 1148

USA > New Jersey > Monmouth County > History of Monmouth county, New Jersey > Part 33

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Already, with the last retreating column, tinental army needed the presence of their com- General Lee had appeared, and finding the mander-in-chief. First a mounted farmer, then a frightened fugitive fifer, told his story. " After a few paces, two or three more persons troops in line, proceeded to make such change in their position and arrangement as he thought best under the circumstances. He afterwards said that the Continentals were retreating." Istated that it had been his purpose, after he passed Carr's house and after consultation with Wikoff (one of the guides), who knew the country, to place a battery on Combs' Hill, which attracted his attention. Wikoff showed him that he could take fence rails and make a crossing of the morass, and that the British army could not attack him without making a circuit of three or four miles to the south ; but he said there was no time for that, and continued his retreat. While demanding the reason for the disposition which he found of the troops on the hill near the west morass, he was informed that Washington had himself made that disposition. Regarding this as virtually superseding him in command, he thereupon rode forward to find Washington and report to him for further orders. lle soon met the chief, who, aroused to a fury of wrath by the conviction that the cause of his country and the safety of his army had been willfully imperiled by the disobe- dience-if not treachery-of his lieutenant, sternly demanded of Lee an explanation of his conduct ; and the manner, tone and words of Washington at this meeting were such that Lee (as he afterwards stated before a court-martial) was " disconcerted, astonished and confounded," so that he was " unable to make any coherent answer." It was a well-established fact that on this occasion the Father of his Country did (perhaps for the first and last time in his life) use some profane expressions, which have been variously reported by different witnesses and writers, as will be more fully noticed in sueceed- ing pages.

This colloquy between the two generals was closed by Washington asking Lee if he would take command at the front while he (Washing- ton) was forming the main body. " When Gen- eral Washington asked me," said Lee after-

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wards, " whether I would remain in front and which half an hour before had seemed to be on retain the command, or whether he should take the verge of destruction, panie-stricken and withont order, was now drawn up in battle ar- ray and prepared to meet the enemy with a bold and well-arranged front.

it, I answered that I undoubtedly would, and that he should see that I myself should be one of the last to leave the fieldl. Colonel Hamil- ton, flourishing his sword, immediately exclaimed and we will all die here on the spot.' . . . I answered, 'I am responsible to the General and to the Continent for the troops I have been en- trusted with. When I have taken proper measures to get the main body in a good posi- tion, I will die with you on the spot if you please.'" He spoke in terms of ridicule of right of Stirling.

Washington rode back in haste to the main . That's right, my dear General, and I will stay, army, and with wonderful expedition formed their confused ranks into battle order on the eminences on the western side of the morass. Lord Stirling was placed in command of the left wing, while General Greene, on receiving intelligence of Lee's retreat, had marched back, and now took an advantageous position on the

Hamilton'- " flustrated manner and frenzy of

In the conflict that followed the retreat from valor," and gave it as his opinion that " the the court-house, General Lee displayed all his position was not one to risk anything further skill and courage in obedience to Washington's than the troops which were then halted on it." " order to "check the enemy." When the com-

The commands of Ramsey and Stewart had been (as already noticed) placed in a command- ing position on the high ground, supporting the two pieces of Oswald's artillery, with the solemn charge from Washington to hold their

mander-in-chief recrossed the morass to form and bring up the main army, Oswald's guns on the right of Stewart and Ramsey had opened a vigorous cannonade on the enemy, whose artil- lery replied with equal energy, while the Brit- ground, stop the British pursuit, and so give ish light-horse charged furiously upon the him time to bring up the main body and save , right of Lee's division, and finally the Ameri- eans gave way before the fierce onset and over- whelming numbers of the attacking enemy. As the day. They performed well the duty as- signed them. The fire from Oswald's guns was well directed, and told with such effect on the 'they emerged from the woods the combatants troops of Cornwallis that for the first time since seemed completely intermingled. they had been faced to the rear at Briar Hill The next assault of the British was on Var- num's brigade and Livingston's regiment, who lay behind the hedge-row that stretched across the open field in front of the causeway over the morass. Several artillery pieces, posted on a an effective fire on the enemy's line and for a time the conflict raged furiously, until a heavy body of British infantry and horse made a charge with bayonet and sabre, broke the American ranks, and the troops of Varnum and Livingston, with the two sections of Oswald's battery, retreated across the morass by orders of General Lee, their crossing being covered by Colonel Ogden's troops, who were partially sheltered in a wood near the causeway. Lee was the last to leave the position, bringing off Ogden's regiment, as a rear-guard to the retreat- their advance was checked, and they found their way barred by the firm front and deter- mined courage of their antagonists. The fugi- tive troops of Lee's division had been inspired with confidence by the presence of the com- rise of ground in the rear of the fence, delivered mander-in-chief, and within ten minutes after he appeared before them the retreat was suspended, the troops rallied and order soon came out of the midst of the utmost confusion. Stewart and Ramsey had formed in the cover of the wood and co-operated with Oswald in keeping the enemy at bay. While the British grenadiers were pouring their destructive fire upon the ranks of the Americans the voice of Washington seemed omnipotent with the inspiration of courage; it was the voice of faith to the despairing soldiers. Fear- lessly he rode in the face of the iron storm and ing forces of Varnum, Livingston and Oswald, gave his orders. The whole patriot army, in excellent order, and instantly forming them

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

on a slope on the west side of the morass. He then reported to Washington, "Sir, here are my troops ; how is it your Excellency's pleasure that I should dispose of them." The men, who had been on the march and in the battle since the early morning, were worn out with hunger, thirst and fatigue, and therefore Washington ordered them to be withdrawn and posted in the rear of Englishtown, while he prepared to engage the enemy himself with the fresh divi- sions of the main army, which were formed in line of battle on the wooded eminence on the west side of the morass, Washington command - ing the centre in person, while the right and left wings were, respectively, as before mentioned, under command of Greene and Stirling.

General Wayne, with an advanced corps, was posted in an orchard on the high ground a little south of the parsonage, and a five-gun battery was, by order of General Greene, posted on Combs' Hill, to pour an enfilading fire on the British columns in their advance against the American lines. This battery, which was under the immediate eye of General Knox, did most excellent service during the ensuing en- gagement, for which it received the special commendation of Washington.

The British, finding themselves warmly op- posed in front, made a desperate attempt to turn the American left flank, but were repulsed. Then they moved against the right in heavy force, but were driven back with severe loss, being enfiladed by Knox's guns on Combs' Hill. In the mean time Wayne's position in the orchard was repeatedly attacked by the enemy, but each time he drove them back in disorder, and poured a destructive fire into their central position. Finally, the British- apparently resolved to carry Wayne's position at whatever cost-prepared for a still more determined assault, and one which proved to be the most desperate and bloody of the day. It was made by Lieutenant-Colonel Monckton, with his battalion of Royal Grenadiers,-a vet- eran corps, and the finest one in Clinton's army. Preparatory to the charge they were harangued by their brave commander in a clear, ringing voice, plainly heard above the uproar of the battle by the troops of Wayne's command.

Then came the order "Forward!" and the grenadiers advanced in solid array, rapidly, but steadily, as if on parade, and with such preci- sion of movement that (it was said) a shot from one of Knox's guns on Combs' Hill, "enfilad- ing a platoon, disarmed every man."

Awaiting the assault, "Mad Anthony" or- dered the men of his brigade to stand firm, and under no circumstances to pull a trigger until the signal was given. When the grenadiers had reached the proper point, the word was given, a terrific volley blazed out from Wayne's whole line, and three-fourths of the officers of the British battalion fell, among them its brave commander, the gallant Monckton.1 The spot where he fell is said to be about eight rods northeast of the site of the old parsonage.

1 Lieutenant-Colonel the Honorable Henry Monckton was one of the bravest and most honorable officers in the British service,-accomplished, gallant, of irreproachable moral character and splendid personal appearance. He was in the battle of Long Island in August, 1776, and was there shot through the body, from which wound he lay many weeks apparently at the point of death. On his re- covery he was, for his gallantry on that occasion, pro- moteit from the Fifth Company, Second Grenadiers, to be lieutenant-colonel, and was in command of the battalion at the battle of Monmouth, in which the First Grenadiers also took a conspicuous part. The charge of his battalion and the death of the brave Monckton are thus mentioned by Lossing : "At the head of his grenadiers on the field of Monmouth he kept them silent until they were within a few rods of the Americans, when, waving his sword, he shouted,-' Forward to the charge!' Our General Wayne was on his front. At the same moment ' Mad Anthony' gave the signal to fire. A terrible volley poured destruc- tion on Monckton's grenadiers, and almost every British officer fell. Amongst thei was their brave leader. Over his body the combatants fought desperately, until the Americans secured it and bore it to the rear."

The flag of the Second Grenadiers, which went down in the charge in which their brave leader tell, was taken by a Peunsylvanian,-William Wilson, who was afterwards judge of the Northumberland (Pa.) court. The flag fell into possession of his grandson, Captain William Wilson Potter, of Bellefonte, Centre County, Pa., and is still (or was recently) to be seen at his house. It is of heavy, corded silk, lemon-colored, with the usual blue nuion, bearing the combined crosses of St. George and St. An- drew. Its size is five feet four inches by fonr feet eight inches. "The flag has the appearance of having been wrenched from its staff, and has a few blood-stains on the device ; otherwise it looks as bright and new as if it had just come from the gentle fingers that made it, though a century has rolled away since its golden folds drooped in the sultry air of that June day's battle."

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He was buried in the yard of the old Tennent Church, a few feet from the west end of the ancient edifice, where his grave is marked by a wooten tablet, erected many years later, by a school-teacher of Monmouth County,-William Wilson,-whose remains also lie in the same inclosure.

The rout of the grenadiers by Wayne, vir- tually closed the battle of Monmouth. For a short time afterwards the conflict was continued at different points along the opposing lines, and the artillery fire was continued on both sides, (save those of the dead and wounded) could be seen on the heights and plains of Freehold.

but the British made no more attempts to ad- vance against the strong positions of the Americans, and they soon withdrew to the heights above Carr's house,-the same ground which Lee had occupied in the morning. Here they took a strong position, where both flanks were secured by thick woods and morasses, and there was only a narrow way of approach in front.

The sun was now near the horizon ; the long summer day, then drawing to its close, had been one of the hottest ever known, and the troops were worn down with fatigue; yet Washington immediately resolved to pursue the advantage he had gained, and attack the forces of Clinton in their new and strong position. Accordingly, he ordered General Poor, with his own and the Carolina brigade, to gain their right flank, while Woodford with his brigade was directed to do the same on their left ; and the artillery was ordered to take post and open fire on their front. These orders were obeyed promptly and with enthusiasm ; but the obstacles on the British flanks were so many, on account of the woods and roughness of the ground, that before these could be overcome, so that the troops could approach near enough to attack, darkness began to come ou and rendered further operations impractica- ble. Very unwillingly, Washington then re- linquished his plan of renewing the engagement that night, but being resolved to do so at day- light on the following morning, he ordered that the brigades of Poor and Woodford should keep their places on the British flanks during the night, to be ready for the assault at dawn, and that the other troops should lie on their arms on the field in readiness to support them.

The commander-in-chief, who had been in the saddle during nearly the whole day, regard- less of fatigne or danger, lay down on the field wrapped in his cloak, and passed the night in the midst of his sokliers. The conflict of the day, disastrous enough at first, had ended with a decided advantage 10 the American arms, and he felt confident of a decisive victory on the morrow. But the returning daylight dispelled all his hopes, for the bivonac-ground of the royal troops was vacant, and not a scarlet uniform

" The fires were bright in Clinton's camp, But long ere morning's dawn His beaten host was on the tramp And all the foes were gone. Never again may cannon sweep Where waves the golden grain, And ne'er again an army sleep Upon old Monmouth plain."

The troops of Sir Henry Clinton had stolen away from the field in the early part of the night,' and so silently and secretly had the move-

1 Most of the accounts of the battle of Monmouth say that Clinton left the field at abont twelve o'clock. Lossing says : " At midnight, under cover of darkness, Sir Henry Clinton put his weary host in motion. With silent steps column after column left the camp, and hurried toward Sandy Ilook." But Clinton himself said : " Having reposed the troops till ten at night, to avoid the excessive heat of the day, I took advantage of the moonlight to rejoin Lieutenant- General Knyphausen." (The italies are not so indicated in Sir Henry's report.) On the night of June 28, 1778, the moon (which had made its change to the new on the 24th, at 10 A.M.) was only four days old, and the time of its setting was 10,55 P.M. So, if Sir Henry mnoved his troops from the field at ten o'clock, as he stated, he thus secured about an hour of moonlight to facilitate the march through the woods, over the morasses, hills and unfamiliar ground that intervened between the battle-field and the Middletown road. That hour of moonlight was invaluable to him for that purpose, and there is no reason to doubt that he marched from the field at about ten, as he stated. The different accounts which place the time of his departure at midnight are based on Washington's statement, nearly to that effect. But it is to be borne in mind that Washing- ton could only guess at the time the British left, for he did not even know that they had left at all until the daylight of the following morning revealed the fact. On learning that such was the case he sent out scouts to ascertain their position ; and when these returned with the intelligence that the enemy was already more than half-way from the court-house to Middletown, he knew that they must have heen several hourson the march, and it was natural enough

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

ment been executed that the officers and men of General Poor's brigade, which lay near the right of the British position, knew nothing of their departure. Washington was greatly surprised and somewhat chagrined to find that the British had eluded him, but he knew that it was useless to attempt any further movement against them, In the account of the battle of Monmouth given by Sir Henry Clinton, in his official re- port, he states that General Knyphausen, with the corps having charge of the trains, moved ont on the road to Middletown at daybreak ; that the rear division of Cornwallis, accompa- nied by Sir Henry in person, having remained for it was perfectly certain that they would reach . some hours longer on the high grounds in the vicinity of the court-house, also marched away on the Middletown road, and he then proceeds :

hope of success. No idea of pursuit was there- heights above Freehold into a plain, about three

the "heights of Middletown " before they could be overtaken, and in that almost impregnable position they could not be attacked with any fore entertained, though orders were given to Morgan to press forward and annoy the British rear, if opportunity should offer, and the Jersey brigade was detailed for the same duty ; but neither of these corps were able to accomplish anything of importance. \ scouting-party, which had been sent out on the 29th to observe Clinton's movements, returned to Englishtown enemy have continued their march very pre- cipitately. The roads are strewn with knap- sacks, firelocks and other implements of war. To-day they are at Sandy Hook, from

in the evening of the 30th, reporting that " the this juncture engaged in defiles which continued

· whence it is expected they will remove to New York." Clinton's forees, on reaching Sandy Hook Bay, found there the fleet of Admiral Howe, who, having sailed from Delaware Bay for the purpose, took the wearied and defeated troops of the British army on board his ships and transported them to New York.1

to suppose that they had left about midnight. for it would be hard to believe that the Americans were all so soundly asleep at the early hour of ten as to make it possible for the British to escape undiscovered, as they did. Doubtless Sir Henry hurried his departure for the very reason that there was but an hour of moonlight left, which was barely sufficient to light his troops over the rough and difficult ground which they had to pass to reach the Middletown road. Having reached that point, the most difficult and dangerous part of the movement was accomplished, for they then had before them a tolerably good road and an unoh- structed way to rejoin Knyphansen's corps.

1 Following is a British account (from the Annual Regis- ter, London, 1778) of Clinton's arrival and embarkation at Sandy Hook Bay :

" The rear-guard having descended from the miles in length and about one mile in breadth, several columns of the enemy appeared like- wise, descending into the plain, and about ten o'clock they began cannonading our rear. In- telligence was at this instant brought to 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 at for some miles, no means occurred of parrying the blow but attacking the corps which har- assed our rear, and pressing it so hard as to oblige the detachments to return from our flanks to its assistance. 1 had good informa- tion that Washington was up with his whole army, estimated at about twenty thousand ; but as I knew there were two defiles between him

ceding day. It had happened in the preceding winter that the peninsula of Sandy Hook had been eut off from the continent, and converted into an absolute island. by a violent breach of the sea,-a circumstance then of little moment, but which now might have been attended with the most fatal consequences. By the happy arrival of the fleet at the instant when its assistance was so critically necessary, the ability of the noble commander and the extraordinary efforts of the seamen, this impediment was speedily removed, a bridge of boats being completed with such expedition that the whole army was passed over this new channel on the 5th of July, and were afterwards con- veyed with ease to New York, neither army nor navy yet knowing the circumstances or danger and ruin in which they had so nearly been involved," the last remark hav- ing reference to the fact that the French fleet under D'I'staing had arrived on the American coast (as lowe learned on the day after his arrival at New York). and it it haud appeared at Sandy Hook before the embarkation, it · would probably have been extremely disastrous to the Brit- ish army. The French Heet, consisting of twelve heavy ships, and having on board a land force of eleven thousand men, did appear at the Hook on the 11th of July, but their

"In the mean time the British army arrived at the High- lands of Navesink, in the neighbourhood of Sandy Hook, on the last day of June, at which latter place the fleet from the Delaware under Lord Howe. after Being detained in that river by calms. had most fortunately arrived on the pre- | opportunity was gone, and the British safe in New York.

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and the corps at which I meant to strike, I General Knyphausen, who had advanced to judged that he could not have passed them with Nut Swamp, near Middletown." a greater force than what Lord Cornwallis' The American loss in the battle of June 28th was, (according to the original report of (ien- eral Washington) eight officers and sixty-one non-commissioned officers and privates killed, eighteen officers and one hundred and forty-two non-commissioned officers and privates wounded, -total, two hundred and twenty- nine killed and wounded. The missing were five sergeant- and one hundred and twenty-six privates,-total killed, wounded and missing. three hundred and sixty ; but many of the missing, having dropped out on account of the excessive fatigue and heat of the day, afterwards reported for duty. The British had taken about fifteen prisoners division was well able to engage. The enemy's cavalry, commanded, it is said, by M. La Fay- ette, having approached within 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 npou their own in- fantry. Thinking it possible that the event might draw to a general action, I sent for a brigade of British and the Seventeenth Light Dragoons, from Lieutenant-General Knyphaus- en's division, and having directed them on the march to take a position effectually covering our right flank, of which I was most jealous, I made a disposition of attack upon the plam ; (among them being Colonel Ramsey), but had but before I could advance, the enemy fell back left them all behind on parole. and took a strong position on the height- above Freehold Court-Ilouse. . . . The British gren- adiers, with their left to the village of Free- hold, began the attack with so much -pirit that the enemy gave way immediately. The second line of the enemy, on the hill east of the west ravine, stood the attack with great obstinaey, but were likewise completely routed. They then took a third position, with a marshy hol- low in front, over which it would have been scarcely possible to have attacked them. How- ever, part of the second line made a movement to the front, occupied some ground on the en- emy's left flank, and the light infantry and Queen's Rangers turned their left. By this time our men were so overpowered by fatigue that I could press the affair no farther, especially as I was confident that the end was gained for which the attack had been made. I ordered the light infantry to join me; but a strong de- tachment of the enemy [Wayne] having pos- sessed themselves of a post which would have annoyed them in their retreat. the Thirty-third

Sir Henry Clinton reported four officers and one hundred and eighty-four enlisted men of his command killed and missing, and sixteen officers and one hundred and fifty-four privates wounded .- total, three hundred and fifty-eight. But Marshall remarks that this account, so far as respects the British killed, cannot be correct,' as four officers and two hundred and forty-five privates were buried on the field by the Ameri- cans. This is the report of the burial-parties to the commander-in-chief ; and some few were afterwards found and buried. The British also buried some of their own dead, and they took many of their wounded with them, though nearly fifty of the latter were left by them at the court-house in the night after the battle. " Fifty-nine of their soldiers perished by the heat, without receiving a wound ; they lay under the trees and by rivalets, whither they had crawled for shade and water." Early in the morning after the battle, General Poor's brigade of the American army advanced to Monmouth Court-House, in which they found Regiment made a movement toward the enemy, five wounded British officers and more than forty which, with a similar one made by the First Grenadiers. immediately dispersed them. Ī 1 . It is evident that a great error was made in the re- port of Sir Henry Clinton to the Government, from which this statement is copied, as four officers and two hundred and forty-five privates were buried by the Americans, be- sides those who had been buried by the enemy."-General Washington to the President of Congress, July Ist. and Joseph Clarke's diary, June 28th. took the position from whence the enemy had been first driven after they had quitted the plain ; and having repo-ed till ten at night, to avoid the excessive heat of the day. I took ad- vantage of the moonlight to rejoin Lieutenant-

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History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 33

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Swan, Norma Lippincott. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Philadelphia, R. T. Peck & co. Number of Pages: 1148

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Swan, Norma Lippincott. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia, R. T. Peck & co.
Number of Pages: 1148