Grant, with five thousand men. Lafayette was posted about eleven miles from Philadelphia. Between him and the main body of the patriot army, flowed the Schuylkill; behind him, the road divided, leading, on the one hand, to Matson's ford, on the other to Valley Forge, by way of Sweden's ford. He had taken his position with good judgment, and no precaution was omitted to guard against surprise. The duty of guarding the road to White Marsh, was committed to six hundred Pennsylvania militia, and it was along this road that Grant's men made a night advance, intending to get to the rear of the American position. The militia, with characteristic disregard of orders, had moved to the rear, and the road was quite unguarded. Early in the morning Lafayette was apprised of the approach of the red coats, and discovered that Sweden's ford was already held by them in force. In a very short time he was certain to be hopelessly surrounded. His action in this emergency was cool and admirably well considered. He threw out bodies. of men to appear before the enemy in order of battle, as if a regular engagement were intended. Grant, preparing for such an event, checked his advance, and Lafayette drew off his main body by Matson's ford, his advanced parties followed in safety, and the British general appreciated the stratagem only in time to reach the river as the artillery was passing over, and to find Lafayette so placed upon the opposite bank as to forbid pursuit. This masterly extrication of his force from a grave peril, greatly raised La fayette in the esteem of his commander and of the people. Washington and his aides, alarmed by the firing, had hastened from Valley Forge to a hill upon the banks of the Schuylkill, and, by the aid of their glasses, were witnesses of the peril and escape of the force.

In the meantime the British peace commission had arrived at Philadel phia. It was as badly constituted as could well be imagined. A fashionable and elegant young peer-Lord Carlisle-was at its head; associated with him were William Eden, a man of strong anti-American prejudices, and George Johnstone, an opposition member of parliament, whom Irving pro

nounces to have been its most valuable member.

The commissioners reached Philadelphia on the 6th of June, and found the city in the bustle and confusion which preceded its evacuation. At this they were much chagrined, as it not only indicated that they had not been taken completely into the confidence of the cabinet, but promised to weaken their influence and put them to much personal inconvenience. Indeed, Johnstone declared that, had he known of the orders for the evacuation, he should not have undertaken the mission. As the event proved, all might as well have spared themselves the trouble. Having intended at first only to communicate to Congress an announcement of their presence and readiness to treat, they were compelled to hasten proceedings. Hence Clinton communicated with Washington, requesting a passport which should permit the secretary of the commission to visit Yorktown, and bear a letter to Con

gress. Not desiring to take this responsibility, Washington forwarded the request to Congress, and the commission, without awaiting a reply, sent to that body by post, copies of the conciliatory acts, the credentials of the commissioners, and a letter intended to forward negotiations. The latter charged France with being the secret enemy both of England and America, which charge caused great excitement, and drew forth an answer which stated that only a desire to prevent an unnecessary effusion of blood, could induce the Congress to consider a communication containing matter so disrespectful to the king of France, but announcing, as well, a readiness to treat, when Great Britain, as a pledge of her sincerity, should have withdrawn her armies and navy from America, or expressly acknowledged the independence of the United States. This, in effect, announced the failure of the commission, but the sapient men who composed it, were equal to the folly of making certain failure doubly sure, by attempting to bribe General Joseph Reed, then a member of Congress, by the offer of £10,000, for "effectual services in their behalf," and by intimating, in a letter to Robert Morris, that General Washington and the president of Congress, might be substantially remembered. by Great Britain, did the negotiation prove effectual. Reed's proud answer to the proposal, was: "I am not worth purchasing, but, such as I am, the king of Great Britain is not rich enough to do it." These offers and hints coming to the knowledge of Congress, all communication with the commissioners was broken off. The latter then turned their attention to the people, and published addresses-one day conciliatory, the next full of threatenings. and slaughter, but these had no more effect than had the appeals to Congress. Hence the agents of the king came to the wise conclusion that, where lead had failed to intimidate, words could have but little weight, and took their departure for home, much mortified at their signal failure either to corrupt or cajole America,

PEN

CHAPTER XXI.

BATTLE OF MONMOUTH-COURT-MARTIAL OF LEE,

ENDING the negotiation of the commissioners, Clinton had very much reduced his force in Philadelphia. A large detachment had gone to the West Indies for service against the French; another had been sent to Florida; a large number of troops had proceeded to New York by water, accompanying the stores and baggage, and somewhat less than ten thousand. of the effective line remained. On the 17th of June, Washington called a council of war to consult as to the plan of operations to be adopted in connection with the evacuation now evidently imminent. General Charles Lee had been exchanged by the British for General Prescott, and took part in the council. Washington was decidedly in favor of an attack upon Clinton. His own force was numerically greater than that of the British and he could not conceive that a better time for striking an effective blow would ever come. Lee was strongly opposed to any attack, holding that it was very unwise to run risk of defeat, when the co-operation of France might soon be looked for. Greene, Wayne, and Cadwalader held with Washington, while Lafayette took a middle course, and advised a partial, but not a general, engagement. Early in the morning of the 18th, Clinton began the evacuation, and by 10 o'clock his rear had crossed the Delaware, and was in New Jersey. Washington at once detached a force to annoy the enemy's rear, and another, under Arnold, to take possession of Philadelphia. Clinton's line of march lay directly up the Delaware to a point beyond Trenton, and Washington was obliged to make an extensive circuit, crossing the river at Coryell's ferry, in order to gain the high ground of New Jersey, where he might choose a policy of action or defense. On the 25th of June, the British army was moving toward Monmouth court house, and Washington determined to risk an engagement upon his own judgment. Detachments, amounting in the aggregate to about four thousand men, were already hanging upon the flanks and rear of the enemy. These he reinforced with one thousand picked men under Wayne. The advance thus amounted to five thousand Washington decided to place it under the command of a major-genThe duty belonged of right to Lee, as the ranking major-general, but he, having opposed an action, was seized with a fit of the sulks, and volun

men.

eral.

tarily resigned the command to Lafayette, much to the satisfaction of the commander in chief. Lafayette proceeded, with orders to join the advance, to give the enemy every practicable annoyance, and to attack his left flank and rear in force or by detachment, as seemed best. Scarcely had Lafayette set out, when Lee, seeing that there was to be serious duty, earnestly requested the command. Washington, desiring to do justice to Lee's claims, without hurting the feelings of Lafayette, ordered the former forward with a reinforcement of two brigades. His rank would of course give him command, but he was expressly instructed not to interfere with any plan which Lafayette might have already formed. In the meantime Washington moved his main body forward, that he might be ready to support the advance in the case of necessity. Night fell; the enemy encamped near Monmouth court house, and Lee five miles distant, at Engletown. Washington rode forward to reconnoitre, and, seeing that, if Clinton were given time to march but ten miles, he would be in a position to make an attack extremely difficult, gave distinct orders to Lee to attack him early in the morning. In the morning Washington learned that the enemy was in motion and repeated his former orders to Lee. Skirmishing began early, and Lee advanced to the support of the skirmishing parties, leading about four thousand men. Reaching Freehold, he saw what he took to be a British covering party, marching through the woods. He detailed Wayne to engage it, while he should made a circuit with the main body, and cut it off from the British column. He had made a mistake; it was not a covering party, but the whole rear division of the British army. Washington was moving along the road toward Freehold, when he was apprised, by the sound of cannonading, that the battle had begun, and immediately made disposition to support his advance.

Before making the attack, Lee had sent word to Washington that he was about to engage a covering party of the enemy. Judge, then, of the surprise of the latter, when he met terrified stragglers, then entire regiments, in full retreat. He was dumfounded, and, ordering the officers, as he passed, to rally their men, spurred on at the top of his speed. Arrived at a rising ground near Freehold, he met Lee, retreating, with the main body. Let Irving tell what ensued:

"What is the meaning of this, sir?" demanded he in the sternest, and even fiercest tone, as he rode up.

Lee, for a moment, was disconcerted and hesitated in making a reply, for Washington's aspect, according to Lafayette, was terrible.

"I desire to know the meaning of this disorder and confusion," was again demanded, still more vehemently.

Lee, stung by the manner, more than the words of the demand, made an angry reply, which provoked still sharper expressions, that have been variously reported. He attempted a hurried explanation. His troops had