A complete history of the Marquis de Lafayette, major-general in the American army in the war of the revolution. Embracing an account of his tour through the United States, to the time of his departure, September, 1825. By an officer in the late army.

39 HISTORY OF THE
lect troops, by a forced night march, to turn the marquis' leftand gain his rear, while General Gray, moving In
concert by the Ridge Road, was to take possession of
the heights near the falls of Schuylkill, and prevent his
escape by fording the river at that place. About eight
o'clock in the evening of the nineteenth of May, General
Grant marched out of Philadelphia on the Germantown
road, turned off at the Rising Sun tavern on the old York
road, thus diverging from Barren Hill, and after passing
Plymouth Meeting House, and White Marsh, he arrived at
the position he was directed to occupy, about a mile in the
rear of the marquis, between him and Valley Forge. He
reached this point of destination about sunrise, and now believed that he had got the marquis in a cul de sac, and had
nothing more to do but spring the net.
Captain ML'Lane, who was posted in advance, and ever
on the alert, could discover no indication of the enemy's
movement on the eighteenth, nor before the night of the
nineteenth. The British General, to mask his enterprise,
had, by double guards, strictly interdicted all communication with the country; but the silence which this precaution occasioned, caused M'Lane to increase his vigilance.
On the morning of the nineteenth, M'Lane was joined by
Captain William Parr, of Morgan's rifle corps, an officer of
distinguished bravery. With eighty men, and after night
fall as was his custom, he advanced towards the enemy's
lines, his evening patrole having reported every thing quiet;
but, in crossing the country, he fell in with two of the enemy's grenadiers, who pretended to be deserters, from whom
he learned that general Grant had marched at twilight with
the grenadiers and light infantry on the Old York road, and(
that a body of Germans were preparing to march up the
Schuylkill. These combined movements leaving no doubt
on his mind that the marquis was the object of attack, he
immediately set out for head quarters by the shortest route,
after despatching Captain Parr across the country with the