e selection from the eastern regiments, who
had been skirmishing with an advanced party, came in, and informed the
general that a body of British were under cover of a small eminence at
no considerable distance. His excellency, willing to raise our men
from their dejection by the splendor of some little success, ordered
Lieutenant-colonel Knowlton, with his rangers, and Major Leitch, with
three companies of Weedon's regiment of Virginians, to gain their
rear; while appearances should be made of an attack in front. As soon
as the enemy saw the party sent to decoy them, they ran precipitately
down the hill, took possession of some fences and bushes, and
commenced a brisk firing at long shot. Unfortunately, Knowlton and
Leitch made their onset rather in flank than in rear. The enemy
changed their front, and the skirmish at once became close and warm.
Major Leitch having received three balls through his side, was soon
borne from the field; and Colonel Knowlton, who had distinguished
himself so gallantly at the battle of Bunkerhill, was mortally wounded
immediately after. Their men, however, undaunted by these disasters,
stimulated with the thirst of revenge for the loss of their leaders,
and conscious of acting under the eye of the commander-in-chief,
maintained the conflict with uncommon spirit and perseverance. But the
general, seeing them in need of support, advanced part of the Maryland
regiments of Griffith and Richardson, together with some detachments
from such eastern corps as chanced to be most contiguous to the place
of action. Our troops this day, without exception, behaved with the
greatest intrepidity. So bravely did they repulse the British, that
Sir William Howe moved his _reserve_, with two field-pieces, a
battalion of Hessian grenadiers, and a company of chasseurs, to succor
his retreating troops. General Washington not willing to draw on a
general action, declined pressing the pursuit. In this engagement were
the second and third battalions of light infantry, the forty-second
British regiment, and the German Chasseurs, of whom eight officers,
and upward of seventy privates were wounded, and our people buried
nearly twenty, who were left dead on the field. We had about forty
wounded; our loss in killed, except of two valuable officers, was very
inconsiderable. An advantage so trivial in itself produced, in event,
a surprising and almost incredible effect upon the whole army. Amongst
the troops not engaged, w