most exposed, suffered most. Of the twenty men led by Lieutenant Gibbons of the sixth Pennsylvania regiment, seventeen were killed or wounded. Wayne's own escape on this occasion was of the hair-breadth kind. Struck on the head by a musket-ball, he fell; but immediately rising on one knee, he exclaimed, "March on, carry me into the fort; for, should the wound be mortal, I will die at the head of the column." The enemy's loss in killed and captured, amounted to six hundred and seven men. * This affair, the most brilliant of the war, covered the commanding general with laurels. In reporting it to Congress, Washington, whose good taste as well as good sense forbade all prodigality of praise, says of Wayne; "To the encomiums he has deservedly bestowed on the officers and men under his command, it gives me pleasure to add, that his own conduct throughout the whole of this arduous enterprise merits the warmest approbation of Congress. He improved on the plan recommended by me, and executed it in a manner, that does honor to his judgment and bravery." Congress was not less sensible to his merits; and, in addition to that "cheap defence For the official letters and other particulars respecting this enterprise, see Sparks's edition of Washington's Writings, Vol. VI. pp. 287-304, 537. of nations unanimous vote of thanks), they directed that a gold medal, emblematical of the action, should be presented to him. Of the many complimentary letters written to Wayne on this occasion by distinguished men, we shall but make a quotation from that of General Charles Lee. "What I am going to say, you will not I hope consider as paying my court in this your hour of glory; for, as it is at least my present intention to leave this continent, I can have no interest in paying iny court to any individual. What I shall say therefore is dictated by the genuine feelings of my heart. I do most sincerely declare, that your assault of Stony Point is not only the most brilliant, in my opinion, throughout the whole course of the war on either side, but that it is the most brilliant I am acquainted with in history; the assault of Schweidnitz by Marshal Laudon, I think inferior to it. I wish you, therefore, most sincerely, joy of the laurels you have deservedly acquired, and that you may long live to wear them. With respect and no small admiration, I remain, &c." * * See Casket, No. IX. p. 236. We are told by Mr. Marshall (Life of Washington, Vol. IV. p. 70), that General McDougall, with two brigades designated for the attack of the British fort on Verplanck's Point, commanded by Colonel Webster, was stationed on the eastern side of the river, and entirely prepared for exe Small districts of country separating hostile armies and covered on their flanks by rivers and marshes, are generally seized by the retainers of cuting the project; which was only prevented by an omission, on the part of Wayne, to inform McDougall of the successful issue of his attack on Stony Point. We are compelled to say, that the whole of this statement is incorrect. First, McDougall was not at any time designated to the command of this enterprise. His agency in the business was limited to the transmission, from West Point to the eastern bank, of the two brigades destined to this service. Secondly, this transmission was not made till the morning of the 17th, and in consequence of an order sent on the 16th by General Washington. Thirdly, General Howe, the officer appointed to take charge of these troops and to direct the assault, did not reach their place of rendezvous (the Continental Village) till the evening of the 16th. Fourthly, on the 17th the division moved to Peekskill, and was halted there until a reconnoissance, made of the fort and directed by the General, should be reported. And, fifthly, the engineer performing this service reported, that any attempt to carry the fort by assault would be ineligible. From these facts we think ourselves authorized to conclude, that the favorable moment of "first impressions,” supposed to be made upon Webster and his garrison by Wayne's success, was not lost by any omission of the last named officer, but by the fact, that the two brigades destined to the attack were not in a position, that enabled them to make the assault, on the morning of the 16th; and that, on the 17th, this mode of attack was deemed ineligible by the engineer, and by the general commanding the enterprise.- Washington's Letter, of the 16th of July, to General McDougall; and Howe's Letter, of the 17th, to General Washington. one of the parties to the war, as depositories of the plunder taken from the adherents of the other. Such a position during the revolution was found by British banditti on a neck of land lying between the Hudson and the Hackinsac; on which, the better to secure the proceeds of theft and robbery, was constructed a large and strong blockhouse, covered on its rear by te Hudson, and on its front and flanks by an abatis and stockade with ditches and parapets, serving as covered ways. To break up this lawless and mischievous establishment, to withdraw from the isthmus supplies of cattle and horses intended for the use of the enemy, to decoy into the defiles near Fort Lee any British detachment sent for the protection of the blockhouse, and, lastly, to make such demonstrations, as might detain in port for a few days an armament known to be destined against the French fleet and army then at Rhode Island, formed the objects of an enterprise projected by Wayne and approved by Washington. The former marching accordingly, on the 20th of July, 1780, with the two Pennsylvania brigades, a small detachment of artillery with four six-pounders and Moylan's regiment of dragoons, arrived as intended at daybreak of the 21st at Fort Lee. Placing here two regiments in ambuscade, near the defile through which any detachment coming to the aid of the banditti must necessarily pass, he gave to the second brigade a sustaining position in the rear, detached the dragoons down the Neck to collect and bring off the cattle and horses, while, with the first brigade and the artillery, he proceeded to the blockhouse. Here, after a short reconnoissance, he gave to the artillery a position within sixty yards of the work, and opened upon it a brisk and well-directed fire, kept up for somewhat more than an hour; when two expresses, in rapid succession, brought him information, that a number of boats filled with British troops were apparently in movement for the landing. As this circumstance gave reason to expect, that the primary object of the expedition might now be accomplished, Wayne hastened to withdraw the assailing troops, when unfortunately the rank and file of the first regiment, indignant at the idea of being foiled in the attack, made a rush on the blockhouse, broke through the abatis, attempted an escalade of the stockade, and were only recalled from their object by the remonstrances of their officers and a peremptory order of the general.* * Wayne's Report, dated 22 July, 1780.— Writings of Washington, Vol. VII. p. 116, |