Peyton, wounded. Thirteen non-commissioned officers and sixty privates fell. The opposing enemy was severely handled; and the leading officer of one of the columns, with several others, was killed. The action closed with the day, in our defeat. CHAPTER IV. * Washington advances to meet the enemy-The armies separated by a tempest.-Sir Wm. Howe moves toward Philadelphia.-Narrow escape of Hamilton and Lee. WASHINGTON retired during the night to Chester; whence he decamped the next morning. Taking the route to Philadelphia and crossing the Schuylkill, he moved up that river, halted one day at Germantown, then recrossed it near Swedesford, and gained the Lancaster road. On the 15th he advanced to meet the enemy, who, after three days' repose on the field of battle, quitted the Brandywine, pointing his march to the upper fords of the Schuylkill. A violent storm, accompanied by a deluge of rain, stopped the renewal of battle on the following day, near the Warren tavern on the road from Philadelphia to Lancaster; for which the two armies were arrayed, and in which the van troops were engaged. Separated by the tempest, the American general exerted himself to replenish his ammunition, destroyed by the fall of water, from the insecurity of our cartouch boxes and artillery tumbrels; while the British general pursued his route across the Schuylkill, directing his course to the American metropolis. Contiguous to the enemy's route lay some mills stored with flour, for the use of the American army. *It is worthy of remark that Howe was but eighteen miles from Philadelphia; and Washington, who reached Chester on the night of the battle was sixteen miles distant, the Delaware on his right, the Schuylkill in his front, and his enemy on his left. Was it not surprising that the British general did not perceive and seize the advantage so plainly before him, by a forced march as soon as his troops had snatched food and rest? Among the many and afflicting disadvantages imposed on the American general, the insufficiency of the implements covering our powder, was not the least. There existed another ground of disparity, which continued nearly to the end of the war-inferiority of arms. Some of our musketry were without bayonets, and not a single brigade had muskets of the same calibre; by which means, a corps expending its ammunition, could not use that of an adjoining corps. The latter deficiency is imputable to our poverty, as arms in that stage of the war could only be procured by purchase from abroad; but the former is justly to be ascribed to the criminal supineness of our contractors, as we abounded in leather and good workmen. More probably twenty-five miles.-NOTE BY THE ED, Their destruction was deemed necessary by the commander-in-chief; and his aid-de-camp, Lieutenant-Colonel Hamilton,* attended by Captain Lee, with a small party of his troop of horse, were dispatched in front of the enemy, with the order of execution. The mill, or mills, stood on the bank of the Schuylkill. Approaching, you descend a long hill leading to a bridge over the mill-race. On the summit of this hill two vedettes were posted; and soon after the party reached the mills, Lieutenant-Colonel Hamilton took possession of a flat-bottomed boat for the purpose of transporting himself and his comrades across the river, should the sudden approach of the enemy render such retreat necessary. In a little time this precaution manifested his sagacity: the fire of the vedettes announced the enemy's appearance. The dragoons were ordered instantly to embark. Of the small party, four with the lieutenant-colonel jumped into the boat, the van of the enemy's horse in full view, pressing down the hill in pursuit of the two vedettes. Captain Lee, with the remaining two, took the decision to regain the bridge, rather than detain the boat. Hamilton was committed to the flood, struggling against a violent current, increased by the recent rains; while Lee put his safety on the speed and soundness of his horse. The attention of the enemy being engaged by Lee's push for the bridge, delayed the attack upon the boat for a few minutes, and thus afforded to Hamilton a better chance of escape. The two vedettes preceded Lee as he reached the bridge; and himself with the two dragoons safely passed it, although the enemy's front section emptied their carbines and pistols at the distance of ten or twelve paces. Lee's apprehension for the safety of Hamilton continued to increase, as he heard volleys of carbines discharged upon the boat, which were returned by guns singly and occasionally. He trembled for the probable issue; and as soon as the pursuit ended, which did not long continue, he dispatched a dragoon to the commander-in-chief, describing, with feelings of anxiety, what had passed, and his sad presage. His letter was scarcely perused by Washington before Hamilton himself appeared; and ignorant of the contents of the *The celebrated Alexander Hamilton. Henry Lee, afterward Lieutenant-Colonel Lee, of the Legion cavalry. The fire of cavalry is at best innocent, especially in quick motion, as was then the case. The strength and activity of the horse, the precision and celerity of evolution, the adroitness of the rider, boot-top to boot-top, and the keen edge. of the sabre, with fitness of ground and skill in the leader, constitute their vast power so often decisive in the day of battle. paper in the general's hand, renewed his attention to the ill-boding separation, with the probability that his friend Lee had been cut off, inasmuch as instantly after he turned for the bridge, the British horse reached the mill, and commenced their operations upon the boat. Washington with joy relieved his fears, by giving to his aid-de camp the captain's letter. Thus did fortune smile upon these two young soldiers, already united in friendship, which ceased only with life. Lieutenant-Colonel Hamilton escaped unhurt; but two of his four dragoons, with one of the boatmen, were wounded. CHAPTER V. Sir Wm. Howe marches to Philadelphia.-Cornwallis at Germantown.-Washington moves to Skippack Creek.-Battle of Germantown. SIR WILLIAM HOWE, having passed the Schuylkill on the 23d, pursued by easy marches his route to Philadelphia. On the 26th he took a position in the village of Germantown, seven or eight miles distant from the city, which was on the following day possessed by Lord Cornwallis with one division of the army. The position of Germantown has some advantages, mingled with many disadvantages. Its right is accessible with ease; and its centre presents no obstruction from superiority of ground to the assailIts chief, if not sole advantage, consisted in the safety of the left, and its proximity to Philadelphia, which city it was necessary to secure. A few miles more remote is Chestnut Hill, which Sir. William might have occupied, and where he might have defied annoyance. This ground probably did not escape his observation; but it was not so near to Philadelphia, and, what was more to be regarded, too remote to permit him to give his undivided exertions toward the opening of the Delaware to his fleet, on whose propinquity depended the safety of his army. The possession of Philadelphia, however anxiously desired, and highly rated by the British ministry, did not produce any of those advantageous results so confidently expected: nor indeed could the discriminating statesman have justly calculated upon extensive benefit from the achievement. The American nation is spread over a vast region; the great body of whose population live upon their farms, pursuing exclusively the occupations of agriculture. The loss of a town, though the first, is not felt by a people thus situated as it is in Europe, where whole countries resemble a continued village; and where the commercial and manufacturing interests have spread and ramified themselves to a considerable extent. However the loss of Philadelphia may have advanced the hopes of the British nation and government, it was slightly regarded by the States and Congress. This body of virtuous sages had discerned, by deep examination of the resources of the United States, that the nation's safety was not endangered by such fleeting occurrences; they placed, under God, their confidence in the fidelity of their fellow-citizens, in the courage of their armies, in the purity and wisdom of their general-in-chief, and in the fiscal ability of the nation:* on all of which they had a right to count with certainty, dreadfully as the last failed from the imbecility of the government. Experience too had not withheld its chastening admonition. New York had before fallen, after having been held too long, from the influence which, in a free country, the public wish will ever possess even over the stern soldier. By obedience to the impulse flowing from this cause, the main body of the American army had been risked improvidently in the bold attempt to hold that city; and with much difficulty and much loss did the commander-in-chief extricate his army from the perils in which it had been consequently involved.+ Washington, following Sir William Howe with a view to place himself in a strong position at a convenient distance, ready to seize the first fit opportunity to measure swords with his antagonist, encamped on the western side of Skippack Creek, about sixteen miles from Germantown. Both generals now turned their attention to the river impediments; the one, to open a passage for his fleet, which, after disembarking the army, had returned to sea, destined for the Delaware; * The Congress was composed of deputies from the several States, and resembled more a diplomatic corps executing the will of the sovereign, than the sovereign commanding the execution of its will. It cannot excite surprise to the reflecting reader that our finances, under such auspices soon sunk. + It is natural for the inhabitants of the same country to feel for the losses and injuries of any portion of their countrymen from the operations of a common enemy. This influence is accompanied by a disposition to criminate him who may be intrusted with the direction of the means of protection, sharpened by an indisposition to retribute those who lose by not receiving that protection however strongly called for by equity. To save New York, our second, if not first town, was the wish of all; and Washington, sharing in this feeling with his fellow-citizens, seems to have indulged his inclination too far upon this occasion. After various marches and manoeuvres, and some loss, the erroneous plan was concluded by the fall of Fort Washington, with a numerous garrison, whose aid in the field could ill be spared. the other, to impede, as long as was practicable, this much-desired junction. The American general had neglected no means within his power to stop the advance of the fleet, by preparing to maintain the defence of the various obstructions fixed in the channel of the river. With this view, two fortresses had been erected: one on Mud Island, denominated Fort Mifflin, after General Mifflin, since governor of Pennsylvania; and the other at Billingsport, on a point of land opposite to the lower line of chevaux-de-frise, of which three rows, formed of the heaviest timber, strengthened and pointed with iron, had been sunk across the channel. Billingsport was abandoned on the approach of a detachment under Colonel Stirling, sent to dislodge the American garrison; and a high bluff on the same side of the river, opposite to Mud Island, called Red Bank, was fortified, which with Fort Mifflin protected the two upper lines of chevaux-de-frise. Above, and near to these, was stationed our maritime force, consisting of row-galleys, floating batteries, fire ships, and rafts. The fortification of Red Bank consisted of an intrenchment and redoubt, called Fort Mercer, in commemoration of Brigadier-General Mercer, of Virginia, who died of his wounds received at the battle of Princeton, nobly sustaining his beloved commander in consummating the masterly movement made by him from his position in front of Lord Cornwallis at Trenton; by which single stroke was liberated nearly the whole State of New Jersey. Officers were selected to command at these particular posts, high in the confidence of the commander-in-chief; and the naval force was committed to Commodore Hazelwood. Great were the exertions of Sir William Howe to restore the navigation; and equally great were the efforts of Washington to hold it closed. Aware that the necessary operations to reduce the forts, Mercer and Mifflin, would call for considerable detachments from the British army, the American general continued in his position at Skippack Creek, within reach of his enemy, still encamped in the village of Germantown, patiently watching for the opportune moment to strike his meditated blow. Cautious as Washington undoubtedly was, his caution was exceeded by his spirit of enterprise. He resembled Marcellus rather than Fabius, notwithstanding his rigid adherence to the Fabian policy during our war. Ardent and impetuous by nature, he had, nevertheless, subjected his passions to his reason; and could with facility, by his habitual self-control, repress his inclinations whenever |