THE ARMIES UNDER HOWE AND CLINTON (1777). Source.—Gentleman’s Magazine. Vol. xlvii. (1777), pp. 573 et seq.

An Historical Account of the Proceedings of the Armies under General Howe and Maj. Gen. Clinton, extracted from the Gazette Extraordinary, dated Tuesday, December 2.

These advices were brought by Maj. Cuyler, first aide-de-camp to General Sir William Howe, and are dated German Town, Oct. 10, 1777.

On the 30th of August the army under Gen. Howe landed on the West side of Elk river, and divided into two columns; one under the command of Lord Cornwallis, the other commanded by Lieut. Gen. Knyphausen.

On Sept. 3 (Major-General Grant, with six battalions, remaining at the head of Elk to preserve the communication with the fleet) the two columns joined on the road to Christien bridge. The Hessian and Anspach chasseurs defeated on their march a chosen corps of one thousand men from the enemy’s army, with the loss of only 2 officers wounded, 3 men killed, and 19 wounded, when that of the enemy was not less than 50 killed, and many more wounded.

On the 6th Major-General Grant joined the army.

The whole marched on the 8th by Newark, and encamped that evening within four miles of the enemy, who moved early in the night, taking post on the heights on the eastern side of Brandywine creek.

On the 9th Lieut. Gen. Knyphausen marched with the left, as did Lord Cornwallis with the right, and both joined the next morning at Kennett’s-square.

On the 11th the army advanced in two columns, that under Gen. Knyphausen to Chad’s Ford, and arrived in front of the enemy about 10 o’clock; while the other column, under Lord Cornwallis &c., having marched 12 miles round to the forks of the Brandywine, crossed both branches, taking from thence the road to Dilworth in order to turn the enemy’s right at Chad’s Ford.

Gen. Washington, having intelligence of this movement, detached Gen. Sullivan to his right, with near 10,000 men, who took a strong position, with his left near to the Brandywine, both flanks being covered by very thick woods, and his artillery advantageously disposed.

About 4 o’clock the King’s troops advanced, and Ld. Cornwallis having formed the line, the light infantry and chasseurs began the attack; the guards and grenadiers instantly advanced from the right, the whole under a heavy fire of artillery and musquetry: but they pushed on with an impetuosity not to be sustained by the enemy, who falling back into the woods in their rear, the King’s troops entered with them, and pursued closely for near two miles.

After this success, a part of the enemy’s right took a second position in a wood, from whence the 2d light infantry and chasseurs soon dislodged them; and from this time they did not rally again in force.

The 2d light infantry, 2d grenadiers and 4th brigade, moved forward a mile beyond Dilworth, where they attacked a corps of the enemy, strongly posted to cover the retreat of their army, which corps not being forced until after it was dark, the enemy’s army escaped a total overthrow.

From the most correct accounts, the strength of the enemy’s army was not less than 15,000 men, a part of which retired to Chester, and remained there that night; but the greater body did not stop until they reached Philadelphia. They had about 300 men killed, 600 wounded, and near 400 made prisoners.

The loss on the side of his Majesty’s troops amounted to about 100 killed, and 488 wounded. Eight pieces of cannon, and a great quantity of military stores were taken from the enemy.

The army lay this night on the field of battle, and on the 12th Maj. Gen. Grant, with the first and second brigades, marched to Concord. Lord Cornwallis, with the light infantry and British grenadiers, joined him next day, and proceeded to Ash-Town within five miles of Chester.

On the same day Major M’Donell made Mr. McKinley, the new appointed President of the Lower Counties on Delaware, his prisoner.

Lieut. Col. Loos, with the combined battalion of Rhall’s brigade, escorted the wounded and sick to Wilmington on the 14th.

On the 16th intelligence being received that the enemy were advancing on the Lancaster road, it was immediately determined to push forward and attack them; but a most violent fall of rain setting in, the intended attack became impracticable.

The enemy, apprised of the approach of the army, marched the whole night, and got to Yellow Springs, having, as is since known, all their small ammunition damaged by the rain. In their retreat they lost about 18 men killed, and some wounded.

On the 18th a detachment of light infantry was sent to the Valley Forge upon Schuylkill, where the enemy had a variety of stores, and a considerable magazine of flour, and were joined on the 20th by the guards.

Upon intelligence that Gen. Wayne was lying in the woods with a corps of 1,500 men, and four pieces of cannon, Maj. Gen. Grey was detached on the 20th to surprize him; and having, by the bayonet only, forced his pickets, he rushed in upon his encampment, killed and wounded not less than 300 on the spot, taking between 70 and 80 prisoners, including officers, their arms, and eight waggons loaded with baggage and stores. One captain of light infantry and three men were killed in the attack, and four men wounded. Gallantry in the troops, and good conduct in the General, were fully manifested upon this critical service.

On the 22d the army crossed the Schuylkill, at Fat Land Ford, without opposition; and on the 25th marched in two columns to German Town. Lord Cornwallis, with the British grenadiers, and two battalions of Hessian grenadiers, took possession of Philadelphia the next morning.

In the evening of the 26th, three batteries were begun, to act against the enemy’s shipping that might approach the town. These batteries were unfinished when they were attacked by a number of gallies, gondolas, and other armed vessels; and the largest frigate, the Delaware, mounting 30 guns, anchored within 500 yards of the town. About ten in the morning they began a heavy cannonade; but the tide falling, the Delaware grounded, and was taken possession of by the marine company of grenadiers, commanded by Capt. Averne.

The smaller frigates and armed vessels were forced (except a schooner that was driven on shore) to return under the protection of a fort, where there were two floating batteries, with three range of sunken machines, to obstruct the passage of the river, the lowest row being three miles below the fort.

The enemy had a redoubt upon the Jersey shore at Billing’s Point, with heavy guns in it, to prevent these machines from being weighed up, which 300 men posted there evacuated on the 1st of October; and Capt. Hammond immediately opened the navigation at that place, by removing a part of the chevaux de frize.

The enemy having received a reinforcement of 1,500 men from Peek’s Kill, and 1,000 from Virginia, and presuming on the army being much weakened by the detachments to Philadelphia and Jersey, thought it a favourable time for them to risk an action. They accordingly marched at six in the evening of the 3d from their camp near Skippach-creek to German-Town, (about 16 miles,) where the bulk of the army was posted.

At three in the morning of the 4th the patrols discovered the enemy’s approach, and the army was immediately ordered under arms.

About break of day the enemy began their attack; but the light infantry, being well supported, sustained the same with such determined bravery, that they could not make the least impression on them; and Major-Gen. Grant advancing with the right wing, the enemy’s left gave way, and was pursued through a strong country between four and five miles: but such was the expedition with which they fled, that it was not possible to overtake them.

The enemy retired near twenty miles by several roads to Perkiomy-creek, and encamped upon Skippach-creek.

They saved all their cannon by withdrawing them early in the day.

By the best accounts, their loss was between two and three hundred killed, about 600 wounded, and upwards of 400 taken. Among the killed was Gen. Nash, with many other officers of all ranks, and 54 officers among the prisoners.

Since the battle of Brandywine 72 of their officers have been taken, exclusive of 10 belonging to the Delaware frigate.

On the 19th the army removed from German-Town to Philadelphia, as a more convenient situation for the reduction of Fort Island, which at present is an obstruction to the passage of the river, as the upper chevaux de frize cannot be removed until we have possession of that post; near which the enemy having intrenched about 800 men upon the Jersey shore, Col. Donop, with three battalions of Hessian grenadiers, the regiment of Mirback, and the infantry chasseurs, crossed the Delaware on the 21st instant, with directions to proceed to the attack of that post. Col. Donop led on the troops in the most gallant manner to the assault. They carried an extensive out-work, from whence the enemy were driven into an interior intrenchment, which could not be forced without ladders. The detachment, in moving up and returning from the attack, was much galled by the enemy’s gallies and floating batteries.

Col. Donop and Lieut. Col. Minningerode being both wounded, the command devolved upon Lieut. Col. Linsing, who, after collecting all the wounded that could be brought off, returned with the detachment to camp.

There were several brave officers lost upon this occasion, in which the utmost ardour and courage were displayed by both officers and soldiers.

On the 23d, the Augusta, in coming up the river with some other ships of war, to engage the enemy’s gallies near the fort, got aground, and, by some accident taking fire in the action, was unavoidably consumed. The Merlin sloop also grounded, and the other ships being obliged to remove to a distance from the explosion of the Augusta, it became expedient to evacuate and burn her also.

His Excellency concludes his letters with requesting additional cloathing for 5,000 Provincials, which, by including the new levies expected to be raised in that and the neighbouring countries, will certainly be wanting.

While these important services were transacting in Pennsylvania, Lieut. Gen. Clinton meditated an incursion into Jersey: his principal motive was to attempt a stroke against any detached corps of the enemy, if one offered; or, if not, to collect a considerable number of cattle, which would at the same time prove a seasonable refreshment to the troops, and deprive the enemy of resources which they much depended on.

The result of this expedition, after a little skirmishing with small parties of the enemy, was the collecting about 400 head of cattle, including 20 milch cows for the use of the hospital, 400 sheep, and a few horses, with the loss of about 40 men, killed, wounded, prisoners, and missing.

By a letter from Brig.-Gen. Campbell to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Staten Island, Aug. 23, it appears, that the enemy effected almost a total surprize of two battalions of the Jersey Provincials on that island; but that they had suffered severely for their temerity in making the descent, Col. Dongan having come up with their rear at the very instant when the rebels were using the greatest diligence in transporting their troops to the Jersey shore; and being joined by Brig.-Gen. Campbell with cannon, who took them in flank, about 150 surrendered themselves prisoners of war; and the remainder, of nearly the same number, retreating towards the extremity of the island, found means to cross over near Amboy.

Col. Buskirk’s battalion being ordered to attack a party left to cover the enemy’s boats, they did it with charge of bayonet, and obliged the party to retreat to the Jersey shore.

It further appears, that this descent was carried on by select and chosen troops, formed from three brigades, Sullivan’s, Smallwood’s, and De Bore’s, and headed by their respective Generals, besides Drayton’s and Ogden’s battalions. There were taken in all 259 prisoners, among whom are 1 Lieut.-Colonel, 3 Majors, 2 Captains, and 15 inferior officers. Their loss in killed cannot be ascertained, but must have been considerable.8

In a letter from Lieut.-Gen. Sir Henry Clinton to Gen. Sir William Howe, dated Fort Montgomery, Oct. 9, an account is given of an attack upon Fort Clinton, Montgomery, &c. which reflects the greatest military honour on the conquerors.

The difficulties of the march over mountains, every natural obstruction, and all that art could invent to add to them, being surmounted, General Vaughan’s corps was ordered to begin the attack on Fort Clinton, and dislodge, if possible, the enemy from their advanced station behind a stone breastwork, having in front, for half a mile, a most impenetrable abbatis. This the General, by his good disposition, obliged the enemy to quit, tho’ supported by cannon, got possession of the wall, and there waited till Lieut.-Col. Campbell began his attack. The Colonel waited a favourable moment to attack Fort Clinton, which was a circular height, defended by a line for musquetry, with a barbet battery of three guns in the center, and flanked by two redoubts; the approaches to it thro’ a continued abbatis of 400 yards, defensive every inch, and exposed to the fire of ten pieces of cannon. A brisk attack on the Montgomery side; the gallies with their oars approaching, firing, and even striking the fort; the men of war that moment appearing; the extreme ardour of the troops; in short, all determined the General to order the attack: Gen. Vaughan’s spirited behaviour and good conduct did the rest. Having no time to lose, he particularly ordered that not a shot should be fired; in this he was strictly obeyed, and both redoubts &c. were stormed. Gen. Tryon advanced with one battalion to support Gen. Vaughan in case it might be necessary, and he arrived in time to join the cry of Victory!

A summons was sent to Fort Constitution; but the flag meeting with an insolent reception, unknown in any war, the General determined to chastise, and therefore an embarkation was ordered; but they found the fort evacuated in the greatest confusion, the storehouses burnt, but the cannon left unspiked.

Major-Gen. Tryon was detached to destroy the rebel settlement called the Continental Village, who burnt barracks for 1,500 men, several storehouses, and loaded waggons, this being the only establishment of the rebels in that part of the highlands, and the place from whence any neighbouring body of troops drew their supplies.

Sir James Wallace was ordered up the river at the same time, to find a passage through the chevaux de frize between Polypus Island and the Main, having under his protection a large detachment from the army, headed by Major Gen. Vaughan, from whose report, dated on board the Friendship off Esopus, Oct. 17, Gen. Howe takes occasion to applaud a very spirited piece of service performed by those two officers, who attacked the batteries, drove the rebels from their works, spiked and destroyed their guns; and Esopus “being a nursery for almost every villain in the country,” the General landed and reduced every house to ashes, while Sir James Wallace burnt their shipping and small craft.

Return of Cannon, Stores, Ammunition, etc., taken and destroyed on this Expedition.

Cannon 67, from six to two pounders. Two frigates built for 30 and 36 guns were burnt by the rebels on the forts being taken. The guns aboard them, and two gallies, which were likewise burnt, amounted to above 30. One sloop with 10 guns fell into our hands. The whole loss above 100 pieces.

Powder, cartridges fitted, cannon and musquet shot, immense quantities.

Every article belonging to the laboratory in the greatest perfection. Other stores, such as portfires, match, harness, spare gun-carriages, tools, instruments, &c. &c. in great plenty. A large quantity of provisions. The boom and chain which ran across the river from Fort Montgomery to St. Anthony’s Nose is supposed to have cost 70,000l. Another boom which was destroyed near Fort Constitution must likewise have cost the rebels much money and labour. Barracks for 1,500 men were destroyed by Major-Gen. Tryon at Continental Village, besides several storehouses and loaded waggons, of the articles contained in which no accounts could be taken.