FREEHOLD MEETING-HOUSE.
While Washington was bringing order out of the confusion elsewhere, and disposing properly of Greene’s forces, and the left wing under Stirling, Lee vigorously carried out his orders; but the force of the enemy was too overwhelming. After a vigorous fight, he brought them under cover of a fire by Ogden, detailed for that purpose, he being “the last to leave the field,” and forming them in line on the slope, reported to Washington for further orders. Washington seeing the men were worn out, ordered him to arrange them at Englishtown, while he attacked with the main body. The action now became hot all along the line, and was pursued with varying success, until at length, towards sunset, the British army, badly worsted, fell back upon the heights held by Lee in the morning. It was a strong position, flanked by forest and morass, but Washington prepared to attack it. The darkness coming on, the men were ordered to sleep on their arms, and to move at daylight.
BATTLE-GROUND AT MONMOUTH.
But this was unneeded. At midnight, Clinton silently stole off; and when dawn came he was so far away towards New Brunswick, that pursuit was useless. The Americans lost in the battle sixty-seven killed, one hundred and sixty wounded, and one hundred and thirty missing; but a number of the last had been merely prostrated by the extreme heat, and afterward rejoined their commands. There were two hundred and forty-nine of the British left dead on the field, of whom fifty-nine died of sunstroke. The number of their wounded is unknown.
BATTLE OF MONMOUTH.
Four-and-eighty years are o’er me; great-grandchildren sit before me;
These my locks are white and scanty, and my limbs are weak and worn;
Yet I’ve been where cannon roaring, firelocks rattling, blood outpouring,
Stirred the souls of patriot soldiers, on the tide of battle borne;