CHAPTER V.

The Crisis-Sufferings of the army-Events and movements--Arri. val of the enemy's fleet-March of the army-Battle of Brandy. wine-Lafayette wounded-His account of the battle-Is conveyed to Bethlehem--Employment there--Domestic correspondence-Zeal, correspondence and projects, in behalf of America-Movements of the armics--Battle of Germantown-Minor operations Red Bank-Death of Count Donop-Fort Mifflin-Major Fleury.

Ir was a crisis truly trying to the Commander-in-chief, and critical for the American cause. In a letter to his brother, dated at Germantown, 5th August, 1777, General Washington said: "Since Gen. Howe removed from the Jerseys, the troops under my command have been more harassed by marching and countermarching, than by any other thing that has happened to them in the course of the campaign. After he had embarked his troops, the presumption that he would operate upon the North River, to form a junction with General Burgoyne, was so strong, that I removed from Middlebrook to Morristown, and from Morristown to the Clove, a narrow passage leading through the Highlands, about eighteen miles from the river. Indeed, upon some pretty strong presumptive evidence, I threw two battalions over the North River. In this situation we lay till about the 24th ultimo, when receiving certain information, that the fleet had actually sailed from Sandy Hook, and upon the concurring sentiment of every one, though I acknowledge my doubts of it were very strong, that Philadelphia was the object, we countermarched and got to Coryell's ferry on the Delaware, about thirty-three miles above the city, on the 27th, where I lay until I received information from Congress, that the enemy were actually at the Capes of the Delaware. This brought us in great haste to this place for the defence of the city. But in less than twenty-four hours after our arrival, we got accounts of the disappearance of the fleet on the 31st; since which, nothing having been heard of them, we have remained here in a

very irksome state of suspense; some imagining that they are gone southward, whilst a majority, in whose opinion upon this occasion I concur, are satisfied that they are gone to the eastward. The fatigue, however, and injury which men must sustain by long marches in such extreme heat, as we have felt for the last five days, must keep us quiet till we hear something of the destination of the enemy."

In the mean time, at the north, Ticonderoga and Mount Independence had surrendered to the enemy; Fort Schuy ler was invested, and the army of Burgoyne, was marching in its arrogant and hitherto victorious career, to meet its destiny upon the memorable plains of Saratoga. While upon the march with the army to recross the Delaware, on the 10th of August, Gen. Washington was informed by express, that the enemy's fleet had been seen on the 7th, off Sinepuxent Inlet, about sixteen leagues to the southward of the Capes of Delaware; and, the army was again halted for further intelligence. Up to the 21st of August, no further accounts were heard of the enemy's fleet. It was inferred, that Gen. Howe had gone far to the eastward, or southward; but the prevalent opinion was, that he designed to attack Charleston. It was therefore decided in a council of war, on the 21st, that as it was impracticable to march seasonably to the aid of Charleston, the army should move im. mediately to the North River, with a view of opposing Burgoyne, or making an attempt upon New York, as might be expedient. In this council of war, Lafayette, for the first time took part, and attended with the rank of major. general,

This decision was approved by Congress; but the very next day, the 22d August, being on the point of marching, Gen. Washington received a letter from President Hancock, informing him that an express had that moment ar. rived from Maryland, with the account that Gen. Howe's fleet, near two hundred sail, were at anchor in Chesapeake Bay. The design to attack Philadelphia was therefore apparent; and the destination of the army was changed. Orders were immediately given for calling in the several detachments. The whole army was put in motion; and. on the 24th, for the purpose of encouraging the friends of liberty and influencing the disaffected, Washington march

ed his army through the streets of Philadelphia. "Their heads covered with green branches, and marching to the sound of drums and fifes, these soldiers, (says Lafayette,) in spite of their destitution, offered an agreeable spectacle to the eyes of the citizens."

Gen. Washington encamped at Clay Creek, a few miles beyond Wilmington. The British landed near the head of Elk River; and the manœuvres and dispositions of both armies were made for the approaching and memorable battle of Brandywine. It was in this battle that Lafayette sealed with his blood his covenant with the American people. In the hottest of the contest, he had dismounted to rally the troops, who were retreating in disorder, and received a severe wound in the leg. Unmindful of this, he continued his exertions, until obliged to remount his horse by the loss of blood. Nor did he cease his efforts until the retreat as far as Chester was accomplished. A detailed account of the battle of Brandywine, which General Washington was induced to risk, in opposition to his own judgement, against a superior force and under many disadvantages, in conformity to the expectations of the country and of Congress, and indeed of Europe, will be found in almost every book of American history and biography. It may, however, be interesting to the reader of this volume, to see the description of it which Lafayette himself has given. We therefore present it as follows:

"After having advanced as far as Wilmington, the general [Washington] had detached a thousand men under Maxwell, the most ancient brigadier in the army. At the first march of the English, he was beaten by their advance guard near Christiana Bridge. During that time the army took but an indifferent station at Newport; they then removed a little south, waited two days for the enemy, and, at the moment when these were marching upon their right wing, a nocturnal council of war decided that the army was to proceed to the Bran. dywine. The stream bearing that name covered its front; the ford called Chad's Ford, placed nearly in the centre, was defended by bat, teries. It was in that hardly examined station that, in obedience to a letter from Congress, the Americans awaited the battle. The evening of the 10th of September, Howe advanced in two columus, and by a very fine movement, the left column (about 8000 men under Lord Cornwallis, with the grenadiers and guards) directed themselves to. wards the fords of Birmingham, three miles on our right; the other column continued its road, and about nine o'clock in the morning it appeared on the other side of the stream. The enemy was so near the skirts of the wood that it was impossible to judge of his force; some

time was lost in a mutual cannonading. General Washington walked along his two lines, and was received with acclamations which seemed to promise him success. The intelligence that was received of the movements of Cornwallis was both confused and contradictory; ow ing to the conformity of name betwixt two roads that were of equal length and parallel to each other, the best officers were mistaken in their reports. The only musket shots that had been fired were from Maxwell, who killed several of the enemy, but was driven back upon the left of the American army, across a ford by which he had before advanced. Three thousand militia had been added to the army, but they were placed in the rear to guard some still more distant militia, and took no part themselves in the action. Such was the situation of the troops when they learnt the march of Lord Cornwallis towards the scarcely known fords of Birmingham: they then detached three divisions, forming about five thousand men, under the generals Sula livan, Stirling, and Stephens. M. de Lafayette, as volunteer, had always accompanied the general. The left wing remaining in a state of tranquillity, and the right appearing fated to receive all the heavy blows, he obtained permission to join Sullivan. At his arrival, which seemed to inspirit the troops, he found that, the enemy having crossed the ford, the corps of Sullivan had scarcely had time to form itself on a line in front of a thinly wooded forest. A few moments after, Lord Cornwallis formed in the finest order: advancing across the plain, his first line opened a brisk fire of musketry and artillery; the Americans returned the fire, and did much injury to the enemy; but their right and left wings having given way, the generals and several officers joined the central division, in which were M. de Lafayette and Stirling, and of which eight hundred men were commanded in a most brilliant manner by Conway, an Irishman in the service of France. By separating that division from its two wings, and advancing through an open plain, in which they lost many men, the enemy united all his fire upon the centre; the confusion became extreme; and it was whilst M. de Lafayette was rallying the troops that a ball passed through his leg; at that moment all those remaining on the field gave way. M. de Lafayette was indebted to Gimat, his aid-de-camp, for the happiness of getting upon his horse. General Washington ar. rived from a distance with fresh troops; M. de Lafayette was prepar. ing to join him, when loss of blood obliged him to stop and have his wound bandaged; he was even very near being taken. Fugitives, cannon, and baggage, now crowded without order into the road lead. ing to Chester. The general employed the remaining daylight in checking the enemy: some regiments behaved extremely well, but the disorder was complete. During that time the ford of Chad was forced, the cannon taken, and the Chester road became the common retreat of the whole army. In the midst of that dreadful confusion, and during the darkness of the night, it was impossible to recover: but at Chester, twelve miles from the field of battle, they met with a bridge which it was necessary to cross; M. de Lafayette occupied himself in arresting the fugitives; some degree of order was re-estab. lished; the generals and the Commander-in-chief arrived; and he had leisure to have his wound dressed,

"It was thus, at twenty-six miles from Philadelphia, that the fate of

that town was decided, (11th September, 1777.) The inhabitants had heard every cannon that was fired there; the two parties, assembled in two distinct bands in all the squares and public places, had await-` ed the event in silence. The last courier at length arrived, and the friends of liberty were thrown into consternation. The Americans had lost from 1000 to 1200 men. Howe's army was composed of about 12,000 men; their losses had been so considerable that their surgeons, and those in the country, were found insufficient, and they requested the American army to supply them with some for their prisoners."

The morning after the battle, Lafayette was conveyed by water to Philadelphia, where he received the greatest sympathy and attention. Many of the inhabitants however, abandoned the city and their possessions the same day. Congress repaired precipitately to Bristol, and thence to York, beyond the Susquehanna, where they remained eight months, until Philadelphia was evacuated by the British army. To Bristol Lafayette was taken by water; thence, he was conveyed by Mr. Laurens, President of Congress, in his carriage, to Bethlehem, and left in the care of the Moravian Society, "where (he says) the mild religion of the brotherhood, the community of fortune, education, and interests, formed a striking contrast to scenes of blood, and the convulsions occasioned by a civil war.'

In this quiet and romantic retreat, Lafayette was detained, and for the most tine confined to his bed for about six weeks, suffering less from his wound than from an inactivity hostile to his nature, and impatience to rejoin the army. He employed himself, however, in correspondence, and in forming plans to aid the cause of America. In the letters to Madame Lafayette, he spoke playfully of the injury he had received, showing that he regarded his wound as a badge of honor, rather than a misfortune to be regretted; mingling with the tributes of affection, so honorable to him as a man, a husband and a father, the details of intelligence, and the proofs of his devotion to the glorious cause which he had espoused. The day after the battle, (September 12th,) from Philadelphia, he wrote:

"I must begin by telling you that I am perfectly well, because I must end by telling you that we fought seriously last night, and that we were not the strongest on the field of battle. Our Americans, after having stood their ground for some time, ended at length by being routed; whilst endeavoring to rally them, the English honored me with a musket ball, which slightly wounded me in the leg, but it is