The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-10-08

the chief attack upon its right, to which the APP
proach was easy and lor that purpose, to Greene,
in whom of all his generals he most condded, he
gave the command OF his left wing, composed OF
the divisions OF Greene and of Stephen, and anked
by Macdougalps brigade. These formed about two
thirds of all his effective force. The divisions
of Sullivan and Wayne, fanked by COnways
brigade, and followed by Washington with the
brigades of Nash and Maxwell, under Lord
Stirling, as the reserve, assumed the more dlth-
cult task of engaging the British left. To dis
tract attention, the Maryland and New Jersey
militia were to make a circuit and come upon
the rear of the British right, while on the oppo-
site side Armstrong, with the Pennsylvania
militia, was to deal heavy blows on the Hessian
yagers.
The different columns received orders TO con-
duct their march of about fourteen miles so as to
arrive near the enemy In time to rest, and to
begin the attack on all quarters at daybreak.
Accordingly. the right wing, after marching all
night, halted two miles in front OF the British
outpost. and took retreshment. Then, screened
by fog and marching in silence, the advance
party surprised the British picket The battalion
of light infantry offered gallant resistance; but
when WaSne's men, whom suilivans division
closely followed, rushed on with the terrible
cry:-"Have at the bloodhounds! Revenge
revengep the bugle sounded retreat. The
cannon woke Cornwallis in philadelphia, who
instantly ordered his British grenadiers aud
Hesslans to the scene OF action; Howe, in like
manner startled from his bed, rode up just in
time to see the battalion running away. "For
shame, light infantry y he cried IN anger; 81
y
is only a scouting party" But the cutting
grapeshot from three of the American cannon
rattling about HIM showed the seriousness of
the attack, and he rode off at full speed TO pre-
pare his camp for battle; while Musgrave de-
taChlng part of his regiment to support the
lugitives, threw himself with six companies into
Chew's house, and Oarricaded its lower windows
and doors.
Greene should by this time have engaged
the British right but nothing was heard from
any part OF his wing. In consequence, as
the the divisions OF sullivan and Wayne approached
Chew's house together, Sullivan directed
Wayne to pass to the left of it, while he
advanced on its right. In this manner they
were separated. The ADVANCE was slow, for
1t was made not in column, but IN line,
while the troops kept up an incessant fire at
every house and hedge where the pursuit was
checked. Washington, with MaXwell's part of
the reserve, summoned Musgrave to surrender;
but the officer who earned the white flag was
fired upon and killed; the brave Chevalier Du-
plessIs Maudut, who, with John Laurens, of
South Carolina, forced and mounted the window
on the ground-foor to set the house on fire. was
not supported by men with combustibles, and,
incredible as it may SEEM the two gallant and
adventurous youths Petlred slowly and safely
under a fire from both stories of the house. The
cannon was TOO light to breach the walls.
Driven forward by bis own anxiety and the zeal
OF the young officers of his staff, Washington
left single regiment to watch the house, and
with the rest of the reserve advanced 10 the
front of the battle and remained there to the
last.
And where was Greene? From some cause
which he never explained, he reached the
British outposts three-quarters of an hour later
than the troops with Washington; then,
at very great distance from the force
which he was to have attacked he formed
his whole wing, and thus in line of battle
attempted to advance two miles or more
through marshes, thickets and strong and
numerous post and rail fences. Irretrievable
disorder was the consequences; the divisions be-
came mixed, and the line was broken Macdou-
| 6phf. Ua
| left with only the brigades of Scott and Mullen
berg. These entered the village and at
tackled the British right, which had had
| ample time for preparation. They were
| outianked, and after about fifteen minutes
| of heavy firing were driven back; and the regi-
| ment which had penetrated iurthest was cap
| tured Stephen with one of his brgades came up
| with the left of Waynes Division; WoOdford who
| commanded the other, and was on the extreme
| right Of the wing under Greene strayed to
Chew's house, which he found watched by
single regiment, halted there with his whole
brigade, and took no part in the battle except
to order his light feld-pieces to play upon It's
walls. This new and unexpected cannonade
was exactly in the rear of Wayne's division;
they imagined it to be the fire of the British
right and throwing off all CONTROL they retreated
in disorder. Armstrong, with his militia on the
extreme right, considered it his duty rather to
divert the foreigners than to come in contact
with them;" so he did no more than ''cannonade
them from the heights on the Wissahiccon.n
Sulivan's men, with the eagerness of young
troops, ana against Une OrQer OF washington,
had expended their ammunition often without
an object. The battalons from Philadelphia,
advancing on run, were close at hand. In
the fog, parties Of Americans had repeatedly
mistaken each other for British At about half
past eight, Washington, who ''in his anxiety
exposed himself to the hottest fire. seeing that
| the day was lost, gave the word to retreat, and
| sent it to every division. Care was taken for
| the removal of every piece of artillery. "Bri-
tish officers of the first rank said that no retreat
| was ever conducted in better order,n and they
| and the German officers alike judged the attack
| to have been well planned.
Greene on that day 'fell under the frown" of
| the commanderin-chief Had the forces in
| trusted to him, and the militia with Armstrong,
| acted as efficiently as the troops with Washing
ton, the day might have been fatal 10 HoWe's
| army. The renewal of an attack so soon after
| the defeat at the Brandywine, and its partial
| success, inspiTited Congress and the army. In
| Europe, it convinced the Cabinet of the King of
| France that the independence of America was
assured.
We have received from Mr.. j. S. Claxton, No.
4 1914 Chestnut street, number of childrens
works, all pleasantly written, and Of interest to
| the little ones. Among them are "Nettie Wal
| lace" "Charity Helstone" Duties and Difficult.
ties" Also, a fresh primer by Magill, which,
| from a cursory examination, recommends itself
to us both because of its fulness and its practi-
cality.
-Messrs. 7. B. Peterson & Brothers, No. 306
Chesnut street, send us "The Story of Eliza
oeth'" oy Miss Mackay. 1t is pleasantly writ
ten ana touching story, and will find admirers
among those who love the true, while they
dislike the sensational, 1t is pure in its teach