$778. Lee having also ordered to the right the three regiments in Wayne's detachment, Wesson's, Stewart's and Livingston's, rode toward Ofwald's artillery and reconnoitred the enemy, who appeared in full view marching back again toward the Court-house, and in greater numbers than was expected, so that Lee said, he believed he was mistaken in their strength.

Let us now advert to the manœuvres of Sir Henry Clinton. Soon after he had begun with his column to follow gen. Knyphaufen, reconnoitring parties of the Jersey militia appeared on his left flank. The queen's rangers fell in with, and dispersed forme detachments among the woods in the same quarter. His rear guard having defcended from the heights above Freehold into the plain, fome American columns appeared likewise defcending into it, and began the cannonade on his rear, which was returned by a fuperior fire. At this inftant, intelligence was brought to Sir Henry, that the enemy were discovered marching in force on both his flanks. He conjectured, that the object of the Americans was the baggage, which at that juncture was engaged in defiles that continued for miles. He conceived that the only means of parrying the apprehended blow was by facing about, attacking the corps which haraffed his rear, and preffing it fo hard, as to oblige the detachments to return from his flanks to its assistance. Thinking that the measure might possibly draw on a general action, he fent for a brigade of British, and the 17th light dragoons from Knyphausen's division, and at the same time gave directions, that on their arrival they should take a position for covering his right flank. He then made a

disposition and advanced in a direction toward the right 1778. of the Americans.

This happened while Lee was reconnoitring. The American column to the left of him under gen. Scott, quitted the wood, croffed a morass, and formed in the plain field about a hundred yards in front of Maxwell; who expected an opportunity to form his brigade, by Scott's moving to the right as there was a vacancy between the latter and the troops with Lee. These were at that moment moving to the right, and every step they gained came nearer to the royal forces, who were alfo pushing to the right of the Americans. Lee's difcernment led him immediately to fend off one of his aids, with orders to Scott, whom he supposed to be in the wood on the other fide of the morass, to halt his column in the wood, and continue there till further orders: that there might be no possible misconception, another aid was speedily dispatched with fimilar orders. Before these could be delivered, Scott had mistaken the movements on his right for a retreat; and apprehended danger to his own column in case of its remaining where he was, notwithstanding his detachment, and Maxwell's brigade with the other troops to the left made full twothirds of Lee's whole command, and though the enemy appeared to bend their course from the left to the right of the Americans. Under fuch apprehenfion, Scott recroffed the morafs, re-entered the wood, and retreated: Maxwell and the others did the like of course. When the first aid reached that part of the wood to which he had been directed, and found that Scott had marched off the ground, he rode back: while returning, he met the second aid, and acquainted him with what had taken

1

1778. place: upon their coming to Lee, and communicating. their information, the general discovered much surprise, and expressed his disapprobation of Scott's conduct in strong terms; but immediately upon the intelligence, directed a light horse officer to carry orders to the marquis de la Fayette to retreat to the Court-house. A general retreat now commenced on the right, till the troops reached Freehold and a neighbouring wood. When these were quitted, the British pursued as far as the village, where they halted. Mean while the Americans marched on and passed the next morass in front of Carr's house, about half a mile from the village. The retreats and advances which took place were attended with cannonadings on each side. The halt of the British, on account of the intense heat of the weather, and their having fuffered severely from fatigue, admitted of the Americans halting also for a confiderable space, which heat and fatigue had rendered equally necessary for them. But upon the advance of the British from Freehold, and Lee's difcerning that the position he at first meant to occupy with the design of receiving the enemy and baffling their attack, was not fuitable; the whole of of his command, Scott, Maxwell, and the others having now joined the corps which before formed the right, were ordered to retreat from the neighbourhood of Carr's house toward a wood and eminence behind the morass they had crossed in the morning, which had been pointed out to him as a defirable and proper spot. Before they had wholly left the ground about Carr's house, the British cavalry made a fudden and rapid charge upon fome parties of the American horse, who were in the rear reconnoitring. It was expected they would have attempted

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

Soon after Lee with his columns: issued 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. Expecting from the information brought him, that the van of Lee's command and the rear of the British 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 support him. While this disposition was making, he learned, to his great surprise, from a countryman, that the continental troops were retreating. Though the account was confirmed by two or three persons 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 morass, which he had just crossed, 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 proposed making a stand against the enemy. Washington was exceedingly alarmed at finding the advanced corps fall ing back upon the main body, without the least notice given him. He defired one of the retreating colonels to march his men over the morass, 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 proposed certain

questions that implied cenfure. Lee felt it, and anVOL. III.

1778. swered with warmth and unsuitable language. Hard and irritating words passed 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 secretary, 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 fo briskly. He remained there till the extreme rear of the retreating troops got up, when looking about, and judging the ground to be an advantageous spot for giving the enemy the first check, he ordered col. Stewart's and lieut. col. Ramsay'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, answered, "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 said, "Your orders shall 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 utmost expedition on the eminence with the morass in front. Immediately upon his riding off, a warm cannonade commenced between the British and the American artillery on the right of Stewart and Ramsay; between whom and the advanced troops of the British army a heavy fire began foon after