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.

MARQUIS DE LAFAYETTE. 53
enemy should reach the high grounds of Middletown, determined to attack their rear the moment they should move
from the ground. This determination was immediately
communicated to General Lee, and corresponding orders
were also given to the rear division of the army.
In the mean-time, Clinton, seeing the enemy so near, and
a battle inevitable, withdrew all his baggage from the rear,
and passed it into the charge of the van, commanded by
general Knyphausen, so that, while he endeavoured with the
rear guard to keep the Americans in check, it might be
conducted to a place of safety upon the hills of Middletown: he therefore retained in his encampment at Freehold several battalions of English infantry, both heavy and
light, the Hessian grenadiers, and a regiment of cavalry;
while Knyphausen, at daybreak on the morning of the
twenty-eighth of June, descended into the valley with his
convoy on his way toward Middletown. About eight
o'clock Clinton also descended from the heights of Freehold, and took up his line of march in the rear of the front
division. Washington, being promptly informed of all his
motions, and apprehensive that the English would succeed
in posting themselves in the mountains of Middletown, the
distance being only a few miles, in which case it would have
been impracticable to interrupt their retreat to New-York,
despatched orders to General Lee to move on and attack the
rear, "unless there should be powerful reasons to the
contrary;" while Morgan and Dickenson were directed to
descend into the valley upon the enemy's flanks in order to
attempt the column of Knyphausen, encumbered with its
long train of carriages and pack horses. Lee, having made
the necessary dispositions to effect these orders, appeared
on the heights of Freehold soon after the enemy had left
them, and. following the British into the plain, gave directions to general Wayne, to attack their covering party in
the rear so as to halt them. In the meantime, he proposed
to gain their front by a shorter road on their left, and entirely intercepting their communication witl the line, to