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BATTLE OF MONMOUTH.
337
General Lee, without giving any notice of his retreat, was marching his troops
directly upon the rear division, to the imminent hazard of throwing the whole
army into confusion, at the very moment, too, when the enemy were pressing
upon it with unimpeded force. General Washington rode immediately to the
rear of the retreating division, where he found General Lee, whom he
accosted with a warmth of language which he rarely used, and in a manner
indicative of the highest displeasure. He ordered Lee to reform his division
and bring it immediately into action, which he promptly obeyed. The fortunes of the day were to be retrieved, if possible, by instant arrangements, as
the enemy were within a few minutes' march. At this important crisis,
Washington asked for an officer to check the advance
of the enemy. Colonel Nathaniel Ramsey, of Baltimore, presented himself, and the commander-in-
chief, taking liim by the hand, said: "If you can stop
the British ten minutes, till I form, you will save my
army!" Colonel Ramsey answered: "I will stop
them or fall!" This brave and meritorious officer
then marched at the head of his men, engaged the
enemy and held them in check for half an hour. He
did not retreat until the enemy and his troops were
mingled together; and at last, in the rear of his troops, general charles lee.
fighting his way sword in hand, fell, pierced with many wounds, in sight of both
armies.1 It was not without difficulty that the order of battle could be restored
in time to check the advance of the enemy. It was near night, however, when
Patterson's division and Smallwood's brigade " had the pleasure of driving
the enemy off the field of Monmouth."3 And with the determination of
renewing the contest the next morning, the American troops were directed
to lie on their arms upon the field. Sir Henry Clinton had silently retired
in the night towards Middletown, and before he could again be attacked, had
reached Sandy Hook, where he embarked his troops on board the fleet which
lay there in readiness to receive them, aud thus were they conveyed again to
New York. The American army then took up its march, crossed the
Hudson at King's Ferry, and encamped at White Plains. The British lost
at the battle of Monmouth about three hundred killed and many wounded;
the Americans only sixty-nine killed and about. one hundred and sixty
wounded. Stung by the language Washington had used to him on the field
of Monmouth, Lee, after a disrespectful and offensive correspondence with the
commander-in-chief, demanded a court-martial, which accordingly met on the
4th of July, with Lord Stirling as president. After a prolonged and tedious
investigation, Lee was found guilty of all the charges preferred against him,
which were disobedience of orders, misbehavior before the enemy, and disrespect
1 He was a brother of David Ramsey, the historian, and died in Baltimore October 24,1817.
He was exchanged on December 14,1780, for
Lieutenant Colonel Connelly, the British spy,
and was a member of congress from Maryland
in 1785-7.
2 Captain Jacob, of the 6th Regiment, in his
Lije of Cresap.
| Title | History of Maryland - 2 |
| Creator | Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas) |
| Publisher | J. B. Piet |
| Place of Publication | Baltimore |
| Date | 1879 |
| Language | eng |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Title | 00000372 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | BATTLE OF MONMOUTH. 337 General Lee, without giving any notice of his retreat, was marching his troops directly upon the rear division, to the imminent hazard of throwing the whole army into confusion, at the very moment, too, when the enemy were pressing upon it with unimpeded force. General Washington rode immediately to the rear of the retreating division, where he found General Lee, whom he accosted with a warmth of language which he rarely used, and in a manner indicative of the highest displeasure. He ordered Lee to reform his division and bring it immediately into action, which he promptly obeyed. The fortunes of the day were to be retrieved, if possible, by instant arrangements, as the enemy were within a few minutes' march. At this important crisis, Washington asked for an officer to check the advance of the enemy. Colonel Nathaniel Ramsey, of Baltimore, presented himself, and the commander-in- chief, taking liim by the hand, said: "If you can stop the British ten minutes, till I form, you will save my army!" Colonel Ramsey answered: "I will stop them or fall!" This brave and meritorious officer then marched at the head of his men, engaged the enemy and held them in check for half an hour. He did not retreat until the enemy and his troops were mingled together; and at last, in the rear of his troops, general charles lee. fighting his way sword in hand, fell, pierced with many wounds, in sight of both armies.1 It was not without difficulty that the order of battle could be restored in time to check the advance of the enemy. It was near night, however, when Patterson's division and Smallwood's brigade " had the pleasure of driving the enemy off the field of Monmouth."3 And with the determination of renewing the contest the next morning, the American troops were directed to lie on their arms upon the field. Sir Henry Clinton had silently retired in the night towards Middletown, and before he could again be attacked, had reached Sandy Hook, where he embarked his troops on board the fleet which lay there in readiness to receive them, aud thus were they conveyed again to New York. The American army then took up its march, crossed the Hudson at King's Ferry, and encamped at White Plains. The British lost at the battle of Monmouth about three hundred killed and many wounded; the Americans only sixty-nine killed and about. one hundred and sixty wounded. Stung by the language Washington had used to him on the field of Monmouth, Lee, after a disrespectful and offensive correspondence with the commander-in-chief, demanded a court-martial, which accordingly met on the 4th of July, with Lord Stirling as president. After a prolonged and tedious investigation, Lee was found guilty of all the charges preferred against him, which were disobedience of orders, misbehavior before the enemy, and disrespect 1 He was a brother of David Ramsey, the historian, and died in Baltimore October 24,1817. He was exchanged on December 14,1780, for Lieutenant Colonel Connelly, the British spy, and was a member of congress from Maryland in 1785-7. 2 Captain Jacob, of the 6th Regiment, in his Lije of Cresap. |
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