erseded in command of the British troops by Sir Henry Clinton, who
evacuated Philadelphia, departing from that city before dawn of June 18,
and starting for New York with about 17,000 effective men. Upon being
informed of this movement, Washington hastened after the British. He
followed Clinton in a parallel line, ready to strike him at the first
favorable opportunity.

When the British were encamped near the courthouse in Freehold, Monmouth
County, New Jersey, June 27, Washington made arrangements for an attack
on the following morning, should Clinton move. General Charles Lee, who
had recently been a prisoner in the hands of the British, was in command
of the advance corps. He showed such incapacity and folly in his
directions to subordinate and far more competent generals as nearly to
wreck the army. His confused and perplexing instructions promoted
disorder, chilled the ardor of the troops, and gave the enemy
opportunities they never could have gained without this assistance from
Lee. As an apparently conclusive blow to the side he pretended to serve
Lee ordered a retreat, and the British, from being on the defensive, were
speedily in pursuit. Washington's anger, on perceiving the condition of
affairs, was terrible. He rebuked Lee with scathing severity, quickly
rallied his troops, and checked the pursuing enemy. The Americans, once
more in array, confronted their foes. A real battle then followed, with
both sides doing their best. Americans and British fought with stubborn
courage, the latter at length making a bayonet charge on which depended
the fate of the day. They were repulsed with terrible slaughter. The
British then retreated a short distance, and both armies rested, the
Americans expecting that the conflict would be renewed with dawn. Clinton
drew his men off silently under cover of darkness, and was far on his way
to New York when the Americans, in the morning, saw his deserted camp.
The British lost four officers and 245 non-commissioned officers and
privates, besides taking many of the wounded with them. They also lost
about 1000 men by desertion while passing through New Jersey. The
American loss in the battle of Monmouth was 228 killed, wounded and
missing. Many of the missing, who had fled when Lee ordered a retreat,
returned to their commands. Lee was superseded and afterward dismissed
from the army. It did not come to light until about seventy-five years
later, from a document among Sir William Howe