the whole army must be pushed into the Schuyl kill, or compelled to surrender. Tiro attack was to begin on all quarters at daybreak.* mid, pewing dog this, Scheyikill, and cater-wing, under the idea that, if it could be forced Each wing was covered by strong detachments, and guarded by cavalry. General Howe bad his head-quarters in the rear. About dusk, on the 34' of October, the army left its encampment at Matuchen fills, by its different routes. Washington zecompanied the right wing.". It had fifteen miles f weary march to make over rough roads are that it was after daybreak when the troops The main body of the British forces lay en-emerged from the woods on Chestnut in. Tha camped across the lower part of the village, morning was dark with a heavy fog. A dedivided into almost equal parts by the main tachment advanced to attack the enemy's mus street or Skippack road. The right wing, picket, stationed at Allen's Honse. The prote commanded by General Grant, was to the was led by Captain Allen McLane, a brave Me east of the road, the left wing to the west. land officer, well acquainted with the grosg and with the position of the enemy. Is in with double sentries, whom he kill? the loss of one man, The alarm, however · The advance of the army, composed of the given; the distant roll of a drum and t ad bathalies &len light-infantry, with a to arms, resounded through the mark more than two miles The picket guard, after discharging thei off, on the west of the road, six-pounders, were routed, and retreated ving piekot stationed with two the south side of Mount Airy to the „hlan's house on Mount Airy. of light-infantry who were forming of a mile in the rear of of battle. As their pursuers dearg ker creamped in a field op- the valley, the sun rose, but was foo See the 49th regiment of Wayne led the attack upon the B Masprave "They broke at first," writes plea for the at-waiting to receive us, but soon Ka right wing, when a heavy and well-directe®), fro pedipally Mary-on both sides,” of General Warno. They again garo way, by ben to fagreed it in dank, while land militia and Ver. ing a circuit by the qu ups do retorne, | by the grenadiers, return to o Mwer's North | Sullivan's division and Zolotay's Wigade Audios, and ¦ ed on the west of Ee Ford, and joined s norval Con- | attack; the rest of the troop/ were t Seippack to the north render assistance. P any the tune | fantry, per fighting bravely for a tune ennsylvania | and rau, leaving their artiflery kehtet Mensway or were hotly paraced by Wayne): Die. left and emembered the bloody 20th of and the ruthless slaughter of their "They pushed on with the bugh to Wayne, "and took ample vengaalses w night's work." The officera egahay restrain their fury towards those who' mercy, but to little purpozó." It was by melée. The fog, together with themse yzck the cannonry and musketry, det sl Haydark as night: our people mistaking k-other for the enemy, frequently tack it in the rear. Tenules of the forces ed The gress, Ahire. ET. 45.] BATTLE OF GERMANTOWN. 419 whole of the enemy's advance were driven from | each other, part of Stephen's division being their camping ground, leaving their tents standing, with all their baggage. Colonel Musgrave, with six companies of the 40th regiment, threw himself into Chew's House, barricaded the doors and lower windows, and took post above stairs; the main torrent of the retreat passed by pursued by Wayne into the village. As the residue of this division of the army came up to join in the pursuit, Musgrave and his men opened a fire of musketry upon them from the upper windows of his citadel. This brought them to a halt. Some of the officers were for pushing on; but General Knox stoutly objected, insisting on the old military maxim, never to leave a garrisoned castle in the rear. His objection unluckily prevailed. A flag was sent with a summons to surrender. A young Virginian, Lieutenant Smith, volunteered to be the bearer. As he was advancing, he was fired upon and received a mortal wound. The house was now cannonaded, but the artillery was too light to have the desired effect. An attempt was made to set fire to the basement. He who attempted it was shot dead from a grated cellar window. Half an hour was thus spent in vain; scarce any of the defenders of the house were injured, though many of the assailants were slain. At length a regiment was left to keep guard upon the mansion and hold its garrison in check, and the rear division again pressed forward. This half hour's delay, however, of nearly one-half of the army, disconcerted the action. The divisions and brigades thus separated from each other by the skirmishing attack upon Chew's House, could not be reunited. The fog and smoke rendered all objects indistinct at thirty yards distance; the different parts of the army knew nothing of the position or movements of each other, and the commanderin-chief could take no view nor gain any information of the situation of the whole. The original plan of attack was only effectively carried into operation in the centre. The flanks and rear of the enemy were nearly unmolested; still the action, though disconnected, irregular, and partial, was animated in various quarters. Sullivan, being reinforced by Nash's North Carolina troops and Conway's brigade, pushed on a mile beyond Chew's House, where the left wing of the enemy gave way before him. Greene and Stephen, with their divisions, having had to make a circuit, were late in coming into action, and became separated from arrested by a heavy fire from Chew's House and pausing to return it: Greene, however, with his division, comprising the brigades of Muhlenberg and Scott, pressed rapidly forward, drove an advance regiment of light-infantry before him, took a number of prisoners, and made his way quite to the market-house in the centre of the village, where he encountered the right wing of the British drawn up to receive him. The impetuosity of his attack had an evident effect upon the enemy, who began to waver. Forman and Smallwood, with the Jersey and Maryland militia, were just showing themselves on the right flank of the enemy, and our troops seemed on the point of carrying the whole encampment. At this moment a singular panic seized our army. Various causes are assigned for it. Sullivan alleges that his troops had expended all their cartridges, and were alarmed by seeing the enemy gathering on their left, and by the cry of a light-horseman, that the enemy were getting round them. Wayne's division, which had pushed the enemy nearly three miles, was alarmed by the approach of a large body of American troops on its left flank, which it mistook for foes, and fell back in defiance of every effort of its officers to rally it. In its retreat it came upon Stephen's division and threw it into a panic, being, in its turn, mistaken for the enemy; thus all fell into confusion, and our army fled from their own victory. In the mean time, the enemy, having recovered from the first effects of the surprise, advanced in their turn. General Grey brought up the left wing, and pressed upon the American troops as they receded. Lord Cornwallis, with a squadron of light-horse from Philadelphia, arrived just in time to join in the pursuit. The retreat of the Americans was attended with less loss than might have been expected, and they carried off all their cannon and wounded. This was partly owing to the good generalship of Greene, in keeping up a retreating fight with the enemy for nearly five miles; and partly to a check given by Wayne, who turned his cannon upon the enemy from an eminence, near White Marsh Church, and brought them to a stand. The retreat continued through the day to Perkiomen Creek, a distance of twenty miles. The loss of the enemy in this action is stated by them to be seventy-one killed, four hundred and fifteen wounded, and fourteen missing: |