Note.—Lafayette, or LaFayette, makes his first appearance in this battle. At that period “affix-names,” derived from fiefs, seigniories, or estates, long held by families, were emphasized. Hence, La villa Faya, in Auvergne, when acquired, was added to the family name Motier. In the parish register, now in the war archives of France, the name is thus recorded: “Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Rock-Gilbert Dumotier Lafayette.” He signed his name Lafayette, and his grandsons, Senators Oscar and Edmond Lafayette, followed his example. The permanent acceptance of the spelling Lafayette is therefore fully warranted, and harmonizes with its use for counties and cities in many of the States.
This gallant young volunteer in the cause of American Independence, attended by Baron John De Kalb, and nine others, came to America in the ship Victoire, chartered by himself; and on the 19th of June, Lafayette wrote to his wife of his enthusiastic welcome at Charleston, S.C. On the 27th of July, he reached Philadelphia. He was commissioned Major-General by the American Congress, and took his first seat at a Council of War, August 21st, when the movement of the American army against Howe was under advisement.
CHAPTER XIX.
WASHINGTON RESUMES THE OFFENSIVE.—BATTLE OF GERMANTOWN.
Washington marched directly to Philadelphia to refit his army and secure ammunition and provisions, and thence marched to Germantown, “for one day of rest.” His confidence was not abated. The brave soldiers who had left Philadelphia with such jubilant anticipations of victory, were conscious of having fought well against a superior force, and were never more willing to honor the confidence of their Commander-in-Chief. And Washington himself was not hurried, but systematic and constantly in motion. On the thirteenth he ordered Monsieur de Coudray to complete defensive works along the Delaware River; General Putnam, to forward fifteen hundred Continental troops; and General Armstrong, to occupy the line of the Schuylkill, as well as to throw up redoubts near its fords, in case he should find it desirable to cross that river.
The left wing of General Howe’s army demonstrated toward Reading and Philadelphia. The right wing, under Generals Grant and Cornwallis, reached Chester on the thirteenth. General Howe had taken care of the wounded of both armies, but was compelled to obtain surgeons from Washington to assist in that duty. At Wilmington, he captured the governor, and considerable coin which he proposed to use for the benefit of the wounded of both armies. Inasmuch as Grant and Cornwallis were practically in the rear of the American army, he proposed to march to Philadelphia via Germantown; and both threaten the city, and cut off Washington from retreat northward or westward. But, on the fifteenth, Washington crossed the Schuylkill at Swede’s Ford; so that Howe’s halt, even of a single day, on the battlefield, rendered it useless for him to make a forced march to the city; and his opportunity was lost.
Washington moved out on the Lancaster road as far as Warren tavern. Howe, watching his keen adversary, advanced toward Westchester, and both armies prepared for battle. Howe made a partly successful attempt to throw the American army back upon the Schuylkill River, and both armies were prepared for action; when a heavy rain which nearly ruined the ammunition of the Americans, and “directly in the faces of the British troops,” as reported by Howe, averted battle. Washington left Wayne, however, with fifteen hundred troops, in a strong position at Paoli (Wayne’s birthplace), with orders to fall upon the British rear so soon as it should break camp, and then moved to Yellow Springs and Warwick; but upon finding that Howe did not intend to attack Reading, recrossed the Schuylkill at Parkes’ Ford, and encamped on the Perkiomy, September seventeenth. On the twentieth, Wayne allowed himself to be surprised at night, through the treachery of the country people, his old neighbors; and left more than three hundred of his force as prisoners in the hands of General Gray, although saving his guns and most of his baggage. General Smallwood’s brigade, left by General Washington for Wayne’s support, and encamped but a mile distant, failed to be in time to render aid during the night attack. This disaster took all pressure from Howe’s army, and he moved on. Washington reports as to Howe’s movement: “They had got so far the start before I received certain intelligence that any considerable number had crossed, that I found it in vain to think of overtaking their rear, with troops harassed as ours had been by constant marching since the Battle of Brandywine.” Colonel Hamilton was sent to Philadelphia to force a contribution of shoes from the inhabitants, as “one thousand of his army were barefooted.”
The simplest possible recital of these days of active marching, sufficiently indicates the character of those brave troops whose confidence in Washington seemed as responsive to his will as if his nervous activities embraced theirs as well.
A small portion of the British left wing crossed at Gordon’s Ford on the twenty-second, and the main body at Flatland Ford, on the twenty-third, reaching Germantown on the twenty-fifth. On the twenty-seventh, Cornwallis entered Philadelphia. Colonel Sterling of the British army was sent to operate against the defences of the Delaware,—and the fleet of Admiral Howe was already on its way to Philadelphia.
The boldness of Washington’s attempt on the rear of Howe’s army, and all his action immediately after the Battle of Brandywine, were a striking indication of his purpose to retain the gage of battle in his own hands. He sent a peremptory order to General Putnam, who was constantly making ill-advised attempts upon the outposts of New York, to send him twenty-five hundred men without delay; and most significant of all, directed him “so to use militia, that the posts in the Highland might be perfectly safe.” Congress immediately adjourned to Lancaster,—and then to York,—after enlarging Washington’s powers; and General Gates was ordered to send Morgan’s riflemen to headquarters. This, however, he delayed to do until after the close of the northern campaign.
General Howe established his headquarters at Germantown, having been one month in marching from the head of the Elk to Philadelphia, a distance of fifty-four miles.