The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1778-07-08 00:00:00, page 5

SIR, Englifhtown, July i, 1778.
IE M^RACE this firft moment of leisure to give
Congress a more full and particular account of the
movements of the army under my command, iince ijs
palling the Delaware, than the situation of our affairs
would heretofore permit.
I had the honour to advise them, that on the appear
ances of the enemy's intention to march through Jer
sey becoming serious, I had detached General Max
well's brigade, in conjunction with the militia of that
State, to interrupt and impede their progress, by every
obltruftion in their power, so as to give time to the
army under my command to come up with them, and
ake advantage of any favourable circumstances that
Jght present themselves. The army having pro
ceeded to Coryell's ferry, and crossed the Delaware at
that place, I immediately detached Colonel Morgan,
with a feleCt corps of 600 men, to reinforce General
Maxwell, and marched with the main body towards
Princeton.
The flow advance of the enemy had greatly the
Ar of design, and led me, with others to fufpe& that
General Clinton, desirous ofa general action, was en
deavouring to draw us down into the lower country,
in order by a rapid movement to gain our right, and
take possession of the ffrong grounds above us. This
confederation, and to give the troops time to repose
and refresh themselves from the fatigues they had
experienced from rainy and excessive hot weather, de
termined me to halt at Hopewell township, about five
miles from Princeton, where we remained till the
morning of the 25th. On the preceding day I made a
second detachment of 1500 chosen troops, under Bri
gadier-General Scott, to reinforce those already in the
vicinity of the enemy, the more effectually to annoy
nd delay their march. The next day the army moved
Kingston ; and having received intelligence that
: enemy were prosecuting their route towards Mon
mth Court house, I dispatched 1000 feleCt men irn
.er Brigadier-General Wayne, and sent the Marquis
de la Fayette to take the command of the whole ad
vanced corps, including Maxwell's brigade and Mor
gan's light infantry, with orders to take the firft fair
opportunity of attacking the enemy's rear. In the e
vening of the fame day the whole army marched from
Kingston, where our baggage was left, with intention
to prefervea proper distance for supporting the advanc
ed corps, and arrived at Cranberry early the next morn
ing. The intense heat of the weather, and a heavy
storm unluckily coming on, made it impossible to re
mme our march that day without great inconveni
ace and injury to the troops. Our advanced corps
^eing differently circumstanced, moved from the po
rtion it had held the night before, and took post in
the evening on the Monmouth road, about five
miles from the enemy's rear, in expectation of at
tacking them next morning on their march. The
main body having remained at Cranberry, the ad
vanced corps was found to be too remote, and too
far upon the right, to be supported either in case of
an attack upon or from the enemy, which induced me
to fend orders to the Marquis to file off by his left to
wards Englifhtown, which he accordingly executed
early in the morning of the 27th.
The enemy in marching Grom Allentown had
changed their disposition, and placed their belt troops
in the rear, consisting of all the grenadiers, light in
fantry, and chaffeurs of the line. This alteration
made it necessary to encreafe the number of our ad
vanced corps; in consequence of which I detached
Major-General Lea with two brigades to join the
Marquis at Englifhtown, on whom of eburfe the
command of the whole devolved, amounting to a
bout 5000 men. The main body marched the fame
day, and encamped within three miles of that place.
Morgan's corps was left hovering on the enemy's
right flank, and the Jersey militia, amounting at this
time to about 7 or 800 men, under General Dickin
son, on their left.
The enemy were now encamped in a ffrong pofiti
or, with their right extending about a mile and an
half beyond the Court-house, in the parting of the
roads leading to Shrewfbury and Middletown, and
their left along the road from Allentown to Mon
mouth, about three miles on this fide the Court
house. Their right flank lay on the skirt of a small
wood, while their left was secured by a very thick
one, a morass running towards their rear, and their
whole front covered by a wood, and for a consider
able extent towards the left with a morass. In this
situation they halted till the morning of the 28th.
Matters being thus situated, and having had the
belt information, that if the enemy were once arrived
at the heights of Middletown, ten or twelve miles
from where they were, it would be impossible to at
tempt any thing against them with a profpedt of suc
cess, I determined to attack their rear the moment
they should get in motion from their present ground.
I communicated my intention to General Lee, and
ordered him to make Ids disposition for the attack,
and to keep his troops constantly lying upon their
arms, to be in readiness at the shortest notice. This
was done with refped to the troops under my imme
diate command.
About five in the morning General Dickinson sent
an express, informing that the front of the enemy had
SUPPLEMENT to the New-Jersey Gazette, No. yr.
began their march, I instantly put the army in mo
tion, and sent orders by one of my Aids to General
Lee to move on and attack them, unless there ihould
be very powerful reasons tothe contrary ; acquaint
; ing him at the fame time, that I was marching to sup
port him, and for doing it with the greater expediti
. on and convenience, ihould make the men difencum
. ber themselves of their packs and blankets.
After marching about five miles, to my great fur
: prise and mortification, I met the whole advanced
corps retreating, and, as I was told, by General Lee's
:orders, without having made any opposition, except
one fire given by the party under the command of
: Col. Buttler, on their being charged by the enemy's
,cavalry, who were repulsed. I proceeded immediate
: ly to the rear of the corps, which I found closely
pressed by the enemy, and gave directions for form
ling part of the retreating troops, who, by the brave
; and spirited conduct of the officers, aided by feme
pieces of well served artillery, checked the enemy's
, advance, and gave time to make a disposition of the
: left wing and second line of the army upon an emi
. nence, and in a wood a little in the rear, covered by
, a morass in front. On this were placed some bat
[ teries of cannon by Lord Stirling, who commanded
; the left wing, which played upon the enemy with
: great effect, and seconded by parties of infantry, de
[ tached to oppose them, effectually put a stop to their
, advance.
: General Lee being detached with the advanced
: corps, the command of the fight wing, for the occa
ifion, was given to General Green. For the expediti
. on of the march, and to counteract any attempt to
, turn our right, I had ordered him to file off by the
new church, two miles from Englifhtown, and fall
into the Monmouth road, a small distance in the rear
: of the Court-house, while the rest of the column
. moved directly on towards the Court-house. On in
. telligence of the retreat, he marched up, and took a
; very advantageous p'ofition on the right.
. The enemy, by this time, finding themselves
. warmly opposed in front, made an attempt to turn
• our left flank, but they were bravely repulsed and
. driven back by detached parties of infantry. They
i also made a movement to our right, with as little fuc
-Icefs, General Green having advanced a body of
. troops, with artillery, to a commanding piece of
. ground, which not only disappointed their design of
rturning our right, but severely enfiladed those in
. front of the left wing. In addition to this, General
. Wayne advanced with a body of troops, and kept up
ifo severe and well directed a fire, that the enemy were
.soon compelled to retire behind the defile, where the
1 firft stand in the beginning of the action had been
: made.
In this situation, the enemy had both their flanks
: secured by thick woods and morasses, while their
. front could only be approached through a narrow
> pass. I resolved, nevertheless, to attack them; and
f for that purpose ordered General Poor, with his own
: and the Carolina brigade, to move round upon their
. right, and General Woodford upon their left, and the
I artillery to gall them in front; but the impediment
in their way prevented their getting within reach be
[ fore it was dark. They remained upon the ground
; they had been directed to occupy during the night,
with intention to begin the attack early the next
. morning, and the army continued lying upon their
arms in the field of action, to be in readiness to sup
port them. In the mean time the enemy were em
!ployed in removing their wounded, and about twelve
: o'clock at night marched away in such silence, that,
though General Poor lay extremely near them, they
: effected their retreat without his knowledge. They
. carried off all their wounded, except four officers and
; about forty privates, whose wounds were too danger
; ous to permit their removal.
The extreme heat of the weather—the fatigue of
the men from their march, through a deep sandy
,country, almost intirely destitute of water —and the
i distance the enemy had gained by marching in the
:night, made a pursuit impracticable and fruitlefs. It
. would have answered no valuable purpose, and would
have been fatal to numbers of our men, several of
whom died the preceding day with heat.
Were I to conclude my account of this day's tranf
aCtions without expressing my obligations to the of-
F ficers of the army in general, I Ihould do injustice to
their merit, and violence to my own feelings. They
seemed to vie with each other in manifefting their zeal
and bravery. The catalogue of those who distinguish
ed themselves is too long to admit of particularifing
individuals. I cannot, however, forbear mentioning
Brigadier-General Wayne, whose good conduct and
bravery, through the whole action, deserves particu
lar commendation.
The behaviour of the troops in general, after they
recovered from the firtt furprize, occasioned by the re
treat of the advanced corps, was such as could not be
surpassed.
All the artillery, both officers and men, that were
engaged, distinguished themselves in a remarkable
manner.
Inclofed Congress will be pleased to receive a re
turn of our killed, wounded and miffing: Among the
firft were Lieut. Col. Bunner, of Pennsylvania, and
Major Dickinson, of Virginia, both officers of diftin
guilhed merit, and much to be regretted. The ene
my's (lain left on the field and buried by us, accor
ding to the return of the perlons assigned to that du
ty, were four officers and two hundred and forty
five privates ; in the former number was the honour
able Col. Monckton. Exclusive of these they buried
some themselves, as there were several new graves
near the field of battle. How many men they may
have had wounded, cannot be determined ; but from
the usual proportion, the number must have been con
fiderable —There were a few prisoners taken.
° The peculiar situation of General Lee at this time,
requires that! Ihould fay nothing of his conduct. He
is now in arrest. The charges against him, with such
sentence as the court-martial may decree in his case,
shall be transmitted for the approbation or difappro-
I bation of Congress, as soon as it shall be passed.
Being fully convinced by the gentlemen of this
; country, that the enemy cannot be hurt of injured in
their embarkation at Sandy Hook, the place to Which
they are going, and unwilling to get too far removed
from the North River, I put the troops in motion
early this morning, and shall proceed that way, leav
ing the Jersey brigade, Morgan's corps, and other
p light parties (the militia being all dismissed) to hover
about them—countenance desertion, and to prevent
' their depredations as far as possible. After they em
bark, the former will take post in the neighbourhood
of Elizabethtown—the latter rejoin the corps from
which they were detached.
I have the honour to be, with the greatest refped,
1 Sir, your most obedient servant,
-' G. WASHINGTON.
I The honourable Henry Laurens, Esq.
President of Congress.
1 RETURN of the killed, wounded and miffing of the
American army in the battle of Monmouth, on the
1 28th day of June, 1778.
Killed: i Lieut. Col. 1 Major, 3 Captains, 2 Lieute
; nants, 1 Serjeant, 52 Rank and File.
! Wounded : 2 Colonels, 8 Captains, 4 Firft-Lieute-
Inants, 2 Second-Lieutenants, 1 Ensign, 1 Adjutant,
r 8 Serjeants, 1 Drum, 120 Rank and File.
Mining : 5 Serjeants, 126 Rank and File. Many
sos the miffing dropped through fatigue, and have
f since come in.
f ARTILLERY. Killed: x First-Lieutenant, 7 Ma
-1 troffes, i Bombadier.
I Wounded: 1 Captain, 1 Serjeant, 1 Corporal, r
> Gunner, 10 Matroffes.
• Miffing : 1 Matrofs.
-Six horses killed and two wounded.
'CTRAYED or STOLEN, from the fubferiber at
, ° the artillery park, on the 30th of June, while
the army lay at Engiifh-Town, viz. two HORSES
, and one MARE. One bay horse with a bald face,
13 and a half hands high, about ten years old, brand
ed on the near buttock Me ; a chefnut-forrel ditto
! 15 hands high, about 12 years old, branded on the
near buttock Me; and the mare is white, about 14
and a half hands high, near 11 years old, branded
Me. Whoever takes up and secures the above men
tioned horses and mare, and delivers them to Mr.
Cornelius M' Cafkey at Trenton, to Mr. William
' Covenhoven at Engiifh-Town, or to the fubferiber
;at the artillery park, shall have Eight Dollars for
each, and all reasonable charges paid by
ANDREW COLDELUGH, F. M.
30* Park of Artillery.
TO BE SOL D,
A HOUSE and LOT, situate in Kingsbury,
Nottingham township, Burlington county, the
house is well calculated for any kind of publick bu
siness, with some very convenient out-buildings.
Any Gentleman inclining to purchase the fame, may
'know the terms by applying to the fubferiber, at
Otter-Hall, about two miles from Trenton.
3 w§ WILLIAM WATSON.
TO BE SO L D,
At publick vendue on Saturday the 18th day of this
instant at Pitts-Town,
A CONSIDERABLE number of CAST HORSES,
belonging to the Continental Army. The sale
to begin at ten o'clock in the morning.
Pitts-Town, 7 MOORE FURMAN,
July 6, 1778. J D. Q^M. Gen, of N. jersey.
r I'AKEN thro' a mistake, from the house of Mr
I William M'Clane, living in Horfham township,
Philadelphia county and State of Pennsylvania, by a
Doctor belonging to General Maxwell's brigade, on
their march from Head-Quarters to the State of
New-Jersey, the beginning of May last, a knapfatk
with the following articles in it : A brown cloth coat,
with polished steel buttons ; one pair white summer
breeches, mark'd B A inside the waistband ; a white
summer jacket, mark'd B A inside lapel; two white
stocks, mark'd B A; one coarse shirt ; a pair pumps
very little worn ; a buckle brush; and half a quire
of white paper. 'Tis expected that the Doctor who
carried off the above knapsack and cloaths, will bring
or fend word to the proper owner where he shall get
them, living at Mr. Christopher Howel's, near Maid
enhead, about four miles from Trenton.
July 3, 1778. 3w§ BENJAMIN ARMITAGE.