to
give the enemy battle. Despite some opposition on the part of General
Lee and other officers, Lafayette and Greene agreed with General
Washington in his opinion that the time to strike had come, and soon
orders were given which led to the battle of Monmouth.

Lafayette was detached with a strong body of troops to follow up the
British rear and act, if occasion presented. Other riflemen and
militia were in advance of him and on his flanks, making a strong body
of picked troops. To protect his twelve-mile baggage-train from these
troops, Sir Henry Clinton placed them with a large escort under
Knyphausen, while he united the rest of his force in the rear to check
the enemy, if they came too close. The distance between Knyphausen's
force and that which brought up the rear suggested the idea to
Washington to concentrate his assault on the rear force, and to hasten
the attack before the British should reach the high ground of
Middletown, about twelve miles away, where they would be comparatively
safe.

At once General Lee was sent forward to join Lafayette, with
instructions to engage the enemy in such action as was possible until
the remainder of the troops should arrive. Lee carried out his part of
the command in such a half-hearted way as to bring severe censure on
him later, and when General Greene arrived on the scene of action, Lee
and his men were in retreat.

A sharp reproof from General Washington brought Lee partially to his
senses; he turned about and engaged in a short, sharp conflict with
the enemy, and retired from the field in good order. At that time
Greene's column arrived, and as a movement of the British threatened
Washington's right wing, he ordered Greene to file off from the road
to Monmouth and, while the rest of the army pushed forward, to fight
his way into the wood at the rear of Monmouth Court-House. Greene was
obeying orders when, foreseeing that by the flight of Lee Washington
would be exposed to the whole weight of the enemy's attack, he
suddenly wheeled about and took an advantageous position near the
British left wing.

As he hoped, this diverted the enemy's attention from the fire of the
American army. A furious attack followed, but was met by a cool
resistance which was the result of the army's discipline at Valley
Forge.

The artillery of Greene's division, well posted on a commanding
position, was in charge of General Knox, and poured a most destructive
fire on the enemy, seconde