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a charge on the whole rear, but they did not venture 1778. upon it.

Soon after Lee with his columns iffued out of the woods below the Court-house into the plain, gen. Washington was advancing with the main body of the army between English-town and Freehold meeting. Expect ing from the information brought him, that the 'van of Lee's command and the rear of the Britifh would ere long engage, he ordered the right wing under gen.. Greene to go to the right to prevent the enemy's turning his right flank; and then prepared to follow with the left wing directly in Lee's rear to fupport him.' While this difpofition was making, he learned, to his great furprise, from a countryman, that the continental troops were retreating. Though the account was confirmed by two or three perfons whom he met on the road, after moving a few paces forward, yet he appeared to difcredit it, having not heard any firing except a few cannon a confiderable time before. He rode on, and between Freehold meeting and the morafs, which he had juft croffed, met the retreating troops marching toward the fame, as Lee meant that they should re-pass it, and then occupy the ground behind it, where he propofed making a stand against the enemy. Washington was exceedingly alarmed at finding the advanced corps fall ing back upon the main body, without the leaft notice given him. He defired one of the retreating colonels to march his men over the morafs, halt them on the eminence, and refresh them. Seeing Lee at the head of the next column, he rode up to him with a degree of aftonishment and indignation, and propofed certain questions that implied cenfure. Lee felt it, and an

1778. fwered with warmth and unfuitable language. Hard and irritating words paffed between them for a short space, when Washington rode on toward the rear of the retreating troops. He had not gone many yards before he met his fecretary, who told him that the British army were within fifteen minutes march of that place, which was the first intelligence he received of their pushing on so brifkly. He remained there till the extreme rear of the retreating troops got up, when looking about, and judging the ground to be an advantageous fpot for giving the enemy the first check, he ordered col. Stewart's and lieut. col. Ramfay's battalions to form, and incline to their left, that they might be under cover of a corner of woods, and not be exposed to the enemy's cannon in front. Lee having been told by one of his aids, that Washington had taken the command, anfwered, "Then I have nothing further to do;" turned his horse, and rode after his excellency in front. Washington on his coming up asked, "Will you command on this ground or not? If you will, I will return to the main body, and have them formed upon the next height." Lee replied, "It is equal with me where I command." Washington then told him, "I expect you will take proper meafures for checking the enemy." Lee faid, "Your orders fhall be obeyed, and I will not be the first to leave the field." Washington then rode to the main army, which was formed with the utmoft expedition on the eminence with the morafs in front. Immediately upon his riding off, a warm cannonade commenced between the British and the American artillery on the right of Stewart and Ramfay; between whom and the advanced troops of the British army a heavy fire began foon after

in the fkirt of the woods before mentioned. The British 1778. preffed on close, their light horse charged upon the right of the Americans, and the latter were obliged to give way in fuch hafte, that the British horfe and infantry came out of the wood feemingly mixed with them. The action then commenced between the British and col. Livingston's regiment, together with Varnum's brigade, which had been drawn up by Lee's order, and lined the fence that stretched across the open field in front of the bridge over the morafs, with the view of covering the retreat of the artillery, and the troops advanced with them. The artillery had timely retired to the rear of the fence, and from an eminence discharged feveral grapes of fhot at the British, engaged with Livingston's and Varnum's troops; these were foon broken by a charge of the former and retired. The artillery were then ordered off. Prior to the commencement of the last action, Lee fent orders to col. Ogden, who had drawn up in the wood nearest the bridge, to defend that post to the last extremity, thereby to cover the retreat of the whole over the bridge. Lee was one of the last that remained on the field, and brought off the rear of the retreating troops. Upon his addreffing gen. Washington after paffing the morafs with-" Sir, here are my troops, how is it your pleasure that I should dispose of them ?” -he was ordered to arrange them in the rear of English

town.

The check the British received, gave time to make a difpofition of the left wing and second line of the main army in the wood, and on the eminence to which Lee had been directed and was retreating. On this were placed fome batteries of cannon by lord Stirling, who

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1778. commanded the left wing, which played upon the British with great effect, and feconded by parties of infantry, detached to oppose them, effectually put a stop to their advance. Gen. Greene, who had early filed off to the right, on intelligence of the retreat of the advanced corps, marched. up, and took a very advantageous pofition on the right of Stirling. The British finding themselves warmly opposed in front, attempted to turn the American left flank, but were repulfed. They alfo made a movement to the American right with as little fuccefs, Greene having advanced a body of troops with artillery to a commanding piece of ground, which not only disappointed their defign, but feverely enfiladed those in the front of the left wing. In addition to this, Wayne advanced with a body of troops, and kept up fo fevere and well directed a fire, that the British were foon compelled to give way. They retired and took the pofition about Carr's houfe, which Lee had before occupied. Here their flanks were fecured by thick woods and moraffes, while their front could be approached only through a narrow pafs. Washington however refolved to attack them; and for that purpose ordered gen. Poor with his own and the Carolina brigade, to move round upon their right; and gen. Woodford to their left; and the artillery to gall them in front: but they were prevented getting within reach before dark. They remained upon the ground, which they had been directed to occupy, during the night, with an intention to begin the attack early the next morning; and the main body continued lying upon their arms in the field of action, to be in readiness for fupporting them. During the action, Washington animated his forces by

his gallant example; and by expofing his perfon to every 1778.: danger common to the meaneft foldier, taught them to hold nothing too dear for the good of their country. At night he laid down, and reposed himself in his cloak under a tree, in hope, as may be fuppofed, of a general action the enfuing day; for it appears from several circumstances, that he was all along rather defirous of that event, notwithstanding the prevailing contrary opinion of the general officers whom he confulted. In the mean time Sir Henry Clinton's troops were employed in removing their wounded; and about twelve o'clock * at night they marched away in fuch filence, that though Poor lay extremely near them, their retreat was effected without his knowledge. They left behind them four officers and about forty privates, whofe wounds were too dangerous to permit their removal.

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The extreme heat of the weather, the diftance Sir Henry had gained by marching in the night, and the fatigue of the Americans, made a pursuit on the part of gen. Washington impracticable and fruitless. It would only have been

* In the London Gazette extraordinary, Aug. 24, 1778, Sir Henry Clinton is represented as writing in his official letter-" Having repofed the troops till ten at night, to avoid the exceffive heat of the day, I took advantage of the moon-light to rejoin lieut. gen. Knyphaufen." Poor Will's Almanack, printed at Philadelphia for Jofeph Crukshank, tells the public, that the new moon was on June 24th, at ten in the morning, and that on the 28th of June it fet 59 minutes after ten at night. Sir Henry could have had little advantage from the light of a moon but four days old, and that was to fet in an hour's time, had he marched off his troops precisely at ten; but if at about twelve, as gen. Washington writes, and which is moft likely to have been the cafe, the moon-light below the horizon could not have been of any advantage.

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