USA > New Jersey > The history of New Jersey, from its discovery by Europeans, to the adoption of the federal Constitution > Part 44
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The right wing was, for the day, commanded by General Greene. To expedite the march, and to prevent the enemy from turning the right flank, he had been ordered to file off by the new church, two miles from Englishtown, and to fall into the Monmouth road, a small distance in the rear of the court-house, while the residue of the army proceeded directly to that place. He had advanced on this road considerably to the right of, and rather beyond, the ground on which the armies were now engaged, when he was informed of the retreat of Lee, and of the new disposition of the troops. He immediately changed his route, and took an advantageous position on the right.
Warmly opposed in front, the enemy attempted to turn the left flank of the American army, but were repulsed, and driven back by parties of in- fantry. They then attempted the right, with as little success. General Greene had advanced a body of troops, with artillery, to a commanding piece of ground in his front, which not only marred their design of turning the right, but severely enfiladed the party which yet remained in front of the left, wing. At this moment, General Wayne advanced with a body of in- fantry in front, who kept up so hot and well directed a fire of musketry, that the British soon gave way, and withdrew behind the ravine, to the ground on which the first halt had been made.
Here the British line was formed on very strong ground. Both flanks 2 M
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were secured by thick woods and morasses, while their front could be reached, only, through a narrow pass. The day had been intensely hot, and the troops were much fatigued. Still Washington resolved to renew the engagement. For this purpose, Brigadier-general Poor, with his own and the Carolina brigade, gained the enemy's right flank, while Woodford, with his brigade, turned their left, and the artillery advanced on them in front. But the impedi- ments on the flanks of the enemy were so considerable, that before they could be overcome, and the troops approach near enough to commence the attack, it was nearly dark. Under these circumstances, further operations were deferred until morning. The brigades on the flanks kept their ground through the night, and the other troops lay on their arms in the field of battle, in order to be in perfect readiness to support them. General Wash- ington, who had, through the day, been extremely active, passed the night, in his cloak in the midst of his soldiers.
. In the mean time, the British were employed in removing their wounded. About midnight they marched away in such silence, that their retreat was without the knowledge of General Poor, who lay very near them.
As it was perfectly certain, that they would gain the high grounds about Middletown, before they could be overtaken, where they could not be at- tacked with advantage; as the face of the country afforded no prospect of opposing their embarkation ; and as the battle, already, fought had terminated favourably to the reputation of the American arms; it was thought advisable to relinquish the pursuit. Leaving the Jersey brigade, Morgan's corps, and M'Lane's command . to hover about them, to countenance desertion, and protect the country from their depredations, it was resolved to move the main body of the army to the Hudson, and take a position which should effectually cover the important passes in the Highlands.
The loss of the Americans was eight officers and sixty-one privates killed, and about one hundred and sixty wounded. Among the slain were Lieu- tenant-colonel Bonner of Pennsylvania, and Major Dickenson of Virginia, both much regretted. One hundred and thirty were missing; of whom many afterwards rejoined their regiments.
Sir Henry Clinton stated his dead and missing at four officers, and one hundred and eighty-four privates; his wounded, at sixteen officers, and one hundred and fitty-four privates. This account, so far as respects the dead, cannot be correct, as four officers, and two hundred and forty-five privates were buried on the field, and some few were afterwards found and buried, so as to increase the number to nearly three hundred. The uncommon heat of the day was fatal to several on both sides.
As usual, when a battle has not been decisive, both parties claimed the victory. In the carly part of the day, the advantage was certainly with the British ; in the latter part, it may be pronounced, with equal certainty, to have been with the Americans. They maintained their ground, repulsed the enemy by whom they were attacked, were prevented only by the night, and the retreat of Sir Henry Clinton, from renewing the action, and suffered in killed and wounded less than their adversaries.
Independent of the loss sustained in the action, the British army was con- siderably weakened in its way from Philadelphia to New York. About one hundred prisoners were made, and near a thousand soldiers, principally foreigners, many of whom had married in Philadelphia, deserted the British standard during the march.
Whilst the armies were traversing the Jerseys, Gates, who commanded on the North river, by a well timed and judicious movement down the Hud-
* The militia had returned to their homes immediately after the action.
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son, threatened New York, for the purpose of restraining the garrison of that place, from reinforcing Sir Henry Clinton, should such a measure be con- templated.
The conduct of Lee was generally disapproved. As, however, he had possessed a large share of the confidence of the commander-in-chief, it is. probable, that explanations might have been made, which would have rescued him from the imputations cast on him, and have restored him to the esterm of the army, could his haughty temper have brooked the indignity he be- lieved to have been offered him on the field of battle. General Washington had taken no measures in consequence of the events of that day, and, pro- bably, would have come to no resolution concerning them, without an ami- cable explanation, had he not received from Lee a letter, in very unbe- coming terms, in which he manifestly assumed the station of a superior, and required reparation for the injury sustained, from the very singular expres- sions, said to have been used, on the day of the action, by the commander-in- chief.
This letter was answered by an assurance, that so soon as circumstances would admit of an inquiry, he should have an opportunity of justifying him- self to the army, to America, and to the world in general, or of convincing them that he had been guilty of disobedience of orders, and misbehaviour before the enemy. On the same day, on Lee's expressing a wish for a speedy investigation of his conduct, and for a court-martial, rather than a court of inquiry, he was arrested,
- First. For disobedience of orders in not attacking the enemy on the 28th of June, agreeably to repeated instructions. Secondly. For misbehaviour before the enemy on the same day, in making an unnecessary, disorderly, and shameful retreat. Thirdly. For disrespect to the commander-in-chief in two letters. Before this correspondence had taken place, strong and spe- cific charges of misconduct had been made against General Lee, by several officers of his detachment, and particularly, by Generals Wayne and Scott. In these the transactions of the day, not being well understood, were repre- sented in colours much more unfavourable to Lec, than facts would justify. These representations, most probably, produced the strength of the expres- sions contained in the second article of the charge. A court-martial was soon called, over which Lord Stirling presided; and, after a full investiga- tion, Lee was found guilty of all the charges exhibited against him, and sen- tenced to be suspended for one year. This sentence was afterwards, though with some hesitation, approved, almost unanimously, by Congress. The court softened, in some degree, the severity of the second charge, by finding him guilty, not in its very words, but of misbehaviour before the enemy, by making an unnecessary, and, in some few instances, a disorderly retreat.
Lee defended himself with his accustomed ability. He suggested a variety of reasons justifying his retreat, which, if they do not absolutely establish its propriety, give it so questionable a form, as to render it probable that a public examination never would have taken place, could his proud spirit have stooped to offer explanation, instead of outrage, to the commander-in-chief.
The attention of General Washington was now turned, principally, to the North river, towards which the march of his army was directed, with the intention of continuing some time about Haverstraw. And soon after he crossed the North river to the White Plains.
After remaining a few days on the high grounds of Middletown, Sir Henry Clinton proceeded to Sandy Hook ; wheuce he passed his army over to New York, This transit was effected by means of the fleet under Lord Howe, which had arrived off the Hook on the 28th of June.
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XII. Upon the day of battle, the French fleet, under Count d'Estaing, having on board a respectable body of land forces, made the coast, oti Chincoteague inlet. Had it arrived a few days earlier, its superior. force would have shut Lord Howe, and the British fleet, in the Delaware; and the capture of the army, under Sir Henry Clinton would, probably, have follow- ed. The count proceeded to Sandy Hook, for the purpose of attacking the British fleet in port; and should this be found impracticable, to make an at- tempt on Rhode Island. The first was defeated by the shoalness of the bar, at the mouth of the harbour.
XIII. In the preceding winter, General Sullivan had been detached to command the troops in Rhode Island, and he was now directed to make such requisitions on the militia of New England, and to prepare such measures, as would enable him to attempt the town of Newport. General La Fayette joined him with two brigades; and soon after, General Greene assumed command of the whole force. On the 26th of July, the French fleet appear- ed off Newport, and cast anchor about five miles from that place, without Brenton's Ledge.
Sir Henry Clinton, apprehensive for the safety of his troops at Newport, had reinforced Major-general Pigot, who commanded on Rhode Island, and the garrison, now, amounted to six thousand effectives. Their main body lay at Newport; and the American army, under Sullivan, about the town of Providence. A plan for the reduction of Newport, was concerted between D'Estaing and Sullivan, in pursuance of which, the latter landed a force of near nine thousand men, on the island. But having, as the count supposed, improperly, taken preference of the French, he became offended, and some delay occurred in the co-operation of the French forces. In the mean time, a reinforcement to the British fleet arrived from Europe, under Admiral Byron, who came out to relieve Lord Howe. This circumstance determined the latter, though still superior in force, to attack the French fleet before Newport. Having approached that town, D'Estaing, with the weather gage, left the harbour to give battle. Howe deemed this an advantage in addition to numerical superiority, too great to encounter, and immediately put to sea, followed by the French. Two days were spent in fruitless manœuvres; and on the third, the fleets were separated and dispersed, by a storm. In a shattered condition, the English vessels sailed for New York, and the French for Rhode Island. D'Estaing, alleging his instructions to repair to Boston, should a superior British force reach America, refused to renew the attempt on the island, and lett the American army there, to contend alone with the British in their entrenchments. Against this measure, all the general ofli- cers, except La Fayette, warmly protested. But thus deserted, the siege of Newport was broken up, on the night of the 28th of August; the army re- tiring, unobserved, to the northern end of the island. The British followed in two columns, and a smart action was fought, in which the American troops showed great firmness and courage. The battle ended with the day; both parties claiming the victory. Sullivan retreated from the island on the 30th, just in season to save his army; for on the next day, Sir Henry Clinton ar- rived with a force which would have rendered it impracticable. The con- duct of the general was highly approved by Congress. But an unfortunate expression, in his general orders, seemingly, reflecting on the conduct of the French, gave the officers of their fleet and army some offence, which induced a representation from D'Estaing to the national council. The inhabitants of New England, generally, were so much discontented with the conduct of the fleet, that fears were entertained, lest the means of repairing the ships, could not be procured. These dangerous and irritating dissentichs were appeased
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by the interference of Washington, Hancock, Greene, and other American patriots, who justly dreaded their effect on the fate of the country.
'The English fleet had suffered less from the storm than the French; and Lord Howe, after refitting at New York, sailed for Boston, in hope of inter- cepting D'Estaing; but failing in this, and finding him safely moored in the harbour, he returned to New York, where receiving such additions to his force, as rendered him decidedly superior to his adversary, he resigned the command to Admiral Gambier, until the arrival of Admiral Byron, daily expected from Halifax.
XIV. On his way from Rhode Island to New York, Sir Henry Clinton prepared to make a descent on New London; but the winds proving adverse, he left the troops and transports, under Major-general Gray, to conduct an expedition to the eastward, as far as Buzzard's Bay. Gray destroyed a number of privateers, with their prizes, and some merchant vessels in Acush- net river, and reduced, on the 5th of September, great part of the towns of Bedford and Fairhaven, where a considerable quantity of provisions, military and naval stores, were reduced to ashes. At Martha's Vineyard, several vessels and salt works were destroyed, and a heavy contribution of live stock, levied on the inhabitants.
XV. Apprehensive that a combined attack of the land and naval force of the British, would be made on the French, fleet, General Gates was directed with three brigades to proceed as far as Danbury, in Connecticut, there to await orders. And with a view, both to the passes of the Highlands, and the eastern States, the camp at White Plains was broken up, and the main body of the army took a position further north, at Fredericksburg; while General Putnam was detached with two brigades, to the neighbourhood of West Point, and General M'Dougal with two others to Danbury, to join General Gates.
XVI. Soon after the return of Gray, a large British force from New York, in two columns, ascended the North river, by either bank. That on the west, of five thousand men, was commanded by Cornwallis, and that on the east, of three thousand, by Knyphausen. Their principal object was conjectured to be forage. The west corps surprised the cavalry regiment of Colonel Baylor, at Taupan, or Harrington. The British troops, on the 27th of September, rushed upon them in a barn where they slept, and refusing quarter, used the bayonet with savage cruelty. Of one hundred and four privates, sixty-seven were killed, wounded or taken-Colonel Baylor and Major Clough, both wounded, the former dangerously, the latter mortally, were among the pri- soners. Some militia in the same neighbourhood, apprized of the approach of Colonel Campbell, who was sent against them, made their escape. The cruelty exercised on this occasion was, by the request of Congress, establish- ed by an inquisition instituted by Governor Livingston. This affair was in some degree balanced by one which occurred three days after. Colonel Richard Butler, assisted by Major Lee, with part of his cavalry, fell in with a party of fifteen chasseurs, and an hundred yagers, under Captain Donop, on whom they made so rapid a charge, that, without the loss of a man, they killed ten of the enemy on the spot, and took the officer commanding the chasseurs, and eighteen of the yagers, prisoners.
This movement had been, in part, designed to favour an expedition against Little Egg Harbour. Count Pulaski had been appointed general of the American cavalry, but the dissatisfaction of the officers induced him to resign his commission. He obtained permission to raise a legionary corps, consist- ing of three incomplete companies of horse, and the like number of foot, officered by foreigners, among whom was one Juliet, a deserter from the enemy. The Count had been ordered from Trenton to Little Egg Harbour,
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and was lying eight or ten miles from the coast, when his position was bo. trayed by Juliet. The plan to surprise him was successful, with respect to his infantry, who were put to the bayonet. The British account represents the whole corps to have been destroyed; but the Count admitted a loss of about forty only-and averred, that with his cavalry, he drove the enemy from the ground.
- XVII. Admiral Byron assumed the command of the British fleet at New York, in September, and in October, appeared before Boston, for the purpose of blocking up D'Estaing, and availing himself of any circumstance which might favour an attack on the French fleet. But a furious storm driving him to sca, and essentially injuring him, he was compelled to put into Rhode Island, to refit. The French admiral, improving the favourable opportunity, sailed on the 3d of November, for the West Indies. Thus terminated, with- out material advantage, an expedition, of whose success the most sanguine expectations had been entertained.
Upon the same day, a detachment of five thousand men, from the British army, sailed from New York, under Major-general Grant, with the like des- tination ; and towards the close of the month, another under Colonel Camp- bell, embarked, to act.offensively, against the southern States.
XVIII. As there yet remained in New York a force sufficient for its de- fence, the American army retired, in December, into winter quarters. The main body was cantoned in Connecticut, on both sides of the North river, about West Point, and at Middlebrook. The troops again wintered in huts, to which they had become accustomed; and though far from being well clad, their condition was in this respect, so much ameliorated, by supplies from France, that they bore every inconvenience without repining.
The errors of the first years of the war had produced some useful reforms. The insufficiency of the provision for the support of the military officers, had caused the resignation of many, to the great injury of the service. From the convictions of justice and policy, and from respect to the earnest and dis- interested recommendation of General Washington, Congress allowed half pay, for seven years after the expiration of service; which was subsequently extended to the end of their lives, but was finally commuted for full pay, for five years. Resignations were afterwards rare, and the States reaped the benefit of experienced officers, until the war was ended. A system of more regular discipline was introduced into the army, by Baron de Steuben, who had served under the King of Prussia. . A very important amelioration was effected in the medical department, by appointing different officers to dis- charge the directing and purveying business of the military hospitals, which had been before united in the same hands. The merit of this change is due to Dr. Rush. And the ordinances limiting prices, being found utterly im- practicable, were abolished.
XIX. Throughout all the borders of the land, a barbarous war was carried on by the savages, in which the usual restraints on the worst passions of our nature were abandoned. The American tories and refugees, who had fled to the wilds, under the disguise of Indians, indulged an unbounded lust for rapine. These tutored savages acted as guides to the war parties, leading them into the richest and undefended settlements, and enabling them fre- quently to escape with impunity. Any reverses they might occasionally suffer, were amply compensated by the British agents, whose inhuman po- licy had armed the murderers' hands, and daily urged them to action. Whilst the war was distant from the Indian country, the Indians experienced none of its evils. It produced only the pleasure of adventure, and of sudden and extraordinary acquisition. A particular detail of the devastations of property, of the distress of all sexes, ages and conditions, who were driven from their
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conflagrated homes, and wasted farms, to seek precarious shelter in the forest, and to subsist upon the spontaneous productions of the earth, and an account of the barbarous murders, would exceed our limits, and be but repetitions of dis- gusting scenes of horror. We will dwell only on the massacre at Wyoming, in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, perpetrated under Colonel John Butler, a Connecticut tory, and an inhabitant of that charming valley, which in atro- city has never been surpassed. Early in July, 1778, a party of one thousand one hundred, of whom nine hundred were Indians, entered this new settle- ment. One of the forts, which had been constructed for the security of the inhabitants, being garrisoned by concealed tories, was surrendered, without opposition. Another was taken, part of the garrison having retired. The two principal forts, however, were Kingston and Wilkesbarre, near cach other, on opposite sides of the Susquehanna river. The first contained Co- lonel Zebulon Butler, a cousin of the tory chieftain, with the greatest part of the armed force of the country, and a number of women and children. After rejecting a summons to surrender, he agreed to a parley at some distance from the fort, and marched to the appointed spot, with four hundred men. No person was, there, visible; but at a greater distance a flag was seen, which retired towards the mountain as he advanced, until it led him into an am- bush, where, almost enveloped, he was suddenly attacked by the enemy. His troops, with great presence of mind and courage, instantly returned the fire, and were gaining the advantage in the combat, when some one, either coward or traitor, cried out, " the Colonel has ordered a retreat!" upon which immediate confusion was succeeded by a total rout. The troops en- deavoured to cross the river to Wilkesbarre, but twenty only escaped from slaughter. Fort Kingston was immediately invested, and, to increase the terror of the garrison, the green and bleeding scalps of their wounded countrymen were sent in for their inspection. Colonel Zebulon Butler having withdrawn himself and family down the river, Colonel Dennison, the commanding officer, went out with a flag, to inquire what terms would be allowed the garrison. He received for answer, two words, uniting Spartan brevity with cannibal ferocity-" The hatchet." . This condition, so merciless, he, unhappily, be- lieved would not be inflicted, and surrendered at discretion. But the threat was in execution, more barbarous than in the letter. After selceting a few prisoners, the great body of the captives were enclosed in the houses, fire was applied to them, and they were consumed together.
Wilkesbarre surrendered without resistance, in the vain hope to mollify the fury of the invaders. The continental soldiers, amounting to about seventy, were hacked to pieces. The remaining men, with the women and children, shared the fate of the sufferers in Kingston; they perished in the flames. Although all show of resistance had terminated, the ruin was not yet com- plete. Near three thousand persons had escaped. Flying without money, clothes, or food, they sought safety in the interior country. To prevent their return, every thing remaining was destroyed. All the dwellings, and other improvements which the labour of years had provided, as well as every living animal which was discovered, was extirpated. The settlements of the tories, alone were preserved; an oasis amid the desert .* Some particular in- stances of barbarity occurred in this expedition, which stain only civil wars. Parents were murdered by their children, and brothers and sisters fell by the hands of brothers.
A repetition of these scenes, was attempted by a body of about five hun- dred men, composed of Indians, tories, and a few regulars, who broke into the Cherry Valley settlement, in the state of New York, where Colonel -
* Marshall, Ramsay, Gordon."
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Alden was posted with a continental regiment. A serjeant, with a small pa- trole, was cut off; in consequence of which, the colonel was completely sur- prised, and, while endeavouring to regain the fort, was killed, with ten of his soldiers; and the lieutenant-colonel, and two subaltern-officers, were made prisoners. The fort was assaulted, but a resolute defence being made, and the assailants having intelligence that relief was approaching the garrison, the enterprise was abandoned, and the party, after repeating the horrors practised in Wyoming, departed from the settlement.
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