two roads unite beyond the village in
the principal pass of the Short Hills. The enemy's troops advanced
rapidly in two compact columns, the right one by the Vauxhall road,
the other by the main or direct road. General Greene was stationed
among the Short Hills, about a mile above the town. His troops were
distributed at various posts, for there were many passes to guard.

At five o'clock in the morning, signal-guns gave notice of the
approach of the enemy. The drums beat to arms throughout the camp. The
troops were hastily called in from their posts among the mountain
passes, and preparations were made to defend the village. Major Lee,
with his dragoons and a picket-guard, was posted on the Vauxhall road
to check the right column of the enemy in its advance. Colonel Dayton,
with his regiment of New Jersey militia, was to check the left column
on the main road. Colonel Angel of Rhode Island, with about two
hundred picked men, and a piece of artillery, was to defend a bridge
over the Rahway, a little west of the town. Colonel Shreve, stationed
with his regiment at a second bridge over a branch of the Rahway, east
of the town, was to cover, if necessary, the retreat of Colonel Angel.
Those parts of Maxwell and Stark's brigades which were not thus
detached were drawn up on high grounds in the rear of the town, having
the militia on their flanks.

There was some sharp fighting at a bridge on the Vauxhall road, where
Major Lee with his dragoons and picket-guard held the right column at
bay; a part of the column, however, forded the stream above the
bridge, gained a commanding position, and obliged Lee to retire. The
left column met with similar opposition from Dayton and his Jersey
regiment. The severest fighting of the day was at the bridge over the
Rahway. For upwards of half an hour Colonel Angel defended it with his
handful of men against a vastly superior force. One-fourth of his men
were either killed or disabled: the loss of the enemy was still more
severe. Angel was at length compelled to retire. He did so in good
order, carrying off his wounded, and making his way through the
village to the bridge beyond it. Here his retreat was bravely covered
by Colonel Shreve, but he too was obliged to give way before the
overwhelming force of the enemy, and join the brigades of Maxwell and
Stark upon the hill.

General Greene, finding his front too much extended for his small
force, and that he was in danger of being outflan