Revolutionary War Historical Article
The American Revolution Month-by-Month June 1778
By Compatriot Andrew "Andy" Stough
Editor's Note: This article was reprinted by Permission of the Gold Country Chapter No. 7 of the CSSAR and was slightly edited by the Sons of Liberty Chapter of the CSSAR
June is probably the most interesting month of the year; not because of battles lost or won, but because it was the only battle fought between the two major forces in the entire year. In fact Monmouth was the last decisive battle until Yorktown. It is debated if it was a battle lost or won by either side as both sides claimed victory. It is certain that General George Washington personally considered it a battle lost as it allowed Clinton to safely return to New York with his van intact. It cost Clinton 358 men to save his army while Washington lost 360 men and gained only the satisfaction of knowing that the Continentals under a competent leader could and would hold their own against Europe's finest.
It was a bitter pill for Washington to swallow. He had seen this as an ideal opportunity to defeat Clinton whose army was forced to protect a wagon train stretched out over 16 miles of the countryside. The two armies were almost equal in size; Washington's force magically increased to almost 14,000 men, most of whom were superbly trained by General von Steuben. These were men who were confident and spoiling for a fight; needing only the right man to lead them to a smashing victory and an end to the war.
Victory eluded them most distinctly because of one man; General Charles Lee, English born and formerly a successful officer in King George III's army, on this day failed the test of leadership. Had Washington known more about Lee he might never have allowed him to spearhead the attack. Lee had recently been released from imprisonment by the British. Having been captured earlier in the war when he abandoned his command to spend the night unguarded in a nearby tavern where he was captured by a British roving patrol from a unit in which he had formerly served. Upon his exchange he had been welcomed by Congress and returned by them to be Washington's 2nd in command. Little did the Americans know that while he lived well in captivity, and perhaps to curry favor with his captors, that he conspired with the British to betray the American army. Whether his actions at Monmouth were in keeping with his earlier scheming or were merely the honest actions of a single day will never be known. However, it is certain that his actions that day tipped the scales in favor of Britain.
Clinton departed Philadelphia on June 18th with 17,000 soldiers and an uncounted number of displaced Tories and camp followers. Afraid to stay in Philadelphia under Patriot rule, Loyalists were escaping with as much of their worldly goods as they were allowed to carry. This additional burden on Clinton's wagon train was a plus for Washington who would have to fight only a limited number of Clinton's army at any one time. To Washington, it was an opportunity to destroy a major army piecemeal. If Clinton could be defeated it might well mean the end of the war; rewarding the Americans with victory and eventually independence.
Clinton did two things to to protect his retreat from Philadelphia. Originally planning to go to New Brunswick and then to New York, he altered his route to Sandy Hook thence to New York. The change of route gave him a more defensible route, requiring Washington to march farther from Valley Forge to catch up with the train. Secondly, he placed British Lt. General Wilhelm von Knyphausen's German division in the lead to protect the less vulnerable front of the train. The center was less heavily guarded while Cornwallis with his British division guarding the rear was mobile enough to move to any other point of attack.
The Continental Army began breaking camp on June 19th to leave Valley Forge and attack Clinton, however the 14,000 man army did not catch up with Clinton until the night of the 27th. Clinton, having arrived at Monmouth (now Freehold, New Jersey) a day earlier, had stopped his long train for 40 hours to rest and wait out a heavy rain that ended late in the night of June 27th.
Washington, after encamping for the night, called in his officers to plan the next day's activity. He assigned LaFayette with 2,000 men to reconnoiter and attack any weak spot near the rear of the van. General Charles Lee protested that he, as 2nd in command and the more experienced officer should have the privilege of the first strike but with more men as became a general's rank. He was given a total of 5,000 men with instructions to engage and hold the enemy until Washington could come up with the main force.
During planning sessions Lee had advised Washington that the army should wait for French reinforcements to arrive before attacking a British main force. It has since been claimed that Lee at Monmouth never intended to do anything more than to reconnoiter as he did not think that Continentals could stand against British regulars. In any event, he found a lightly protected part of the train and was performing an elaborate maneuver to encircle defenders when British General Charles Earl Cornwallis appeared. He then called for a retreat on his right without notifying the left flank or anyone else including Washington. The unit on the left discovering that they were jeopardized by the retreat on their right also began a hasty retreat. Some of the retreating forces linked up with "Mad" Anthony Wayne who had taken up a position behind a thick hedge. From this position they threw off a cavalry attack, followed by three fierce assaults by British grenadiers.
The main patriot force appeared later; Washington, finding the advance force in disorderly retreat, was furious and immediately ordered Lee to the rear. Forming a line of battle Washington charged into the fray, rallying the retreating troops as he went forward into the battle. The disorderly retreat had been the result of lack of leadership by General Lee but given leadership by Washington von Steuben's training paid off as the Continentals turned to fight. The battle raged on for hours in sweltering heat that may have killed more men from heatstroke than battle wounds. It was in this engagement that we find Mary Ludwig Hays (or Heis) carrying water to the cannoneers and earning the name of Molly Pitcher. When her husband John was wounded and fell beside his cannon Molly stepped in to help man the cannon through the hours long engagement.
Molly Pitcher at the Battle of Monmouth - 1778
While Cornwallis battled with Washington in the rear the wagon train was moving steadily on leaving the battle behind. As the day waned and light began to fade Cornwallis began an orderly retreat with three brigades of Continentals pressing him on until darkness fell. The battle was over and more than 200 men in the two armies had died of heat or exhaustion on that hot and steamy day. Total losses were 358 British, 360 Americans, with the Americans reporting the burial of 249 British dead who were left on the battlefield.
The battle may have been a draw; neither side actually victorious but it was an important lesson for the Continentals; given competent training and leadership an American made a first class fighting man. The army had been blooded in battle and found solid as a rock! From now on militia might run before British bayonets but Continentals would stand and fight! The army was jubilant - they had met the British and driven them from the field - they had fit the fight and won!
During the night Cornwallis eluded the Continental outposts and slipped away. By morning he had joined Clinton on a well defended hill near Middletown where the redcoats were secure from attack.
Washington, realizing there was nothing to be gained by further combat, gave up the pursuit and set off for the Hudson river to join with Gates' command. Clinton continued on to Sandy Hook to await fleet transports to continue on to New York City.
After the battle, Lee wrote an insulting letter to Washington in which he requested a court martial, which he was duly granted. Found guilty and denied further command he resigned from the army.
From now on the war would move to the South with disastrous results until Greene, Marion and Morgan could contain the British ; leading finally to Yorktown.
On the political front, a British Peace Commission arrived in Philadelphia on June 6th to treat with the Continental Congress. It was unsuccessful as Congress stood adamantly for total independence and recognition as a separate nation. The present day "Secret Service" was initiated in June as the "Headquarters Secret Service" with Aaron Burr in charge.
References: Christopher Ward's "War of the Revolution";Arthur Meier Schlesinger’s “Almanac of American History"; James Thomas Flexner's "George Washington, The Indispensable Man"; Encyclopedia Britannica "The Revolutionary Years".
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