The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

iET. 45.] LIFE OF WASHINGTON. 259
In a word, it was a bloody day. Would to Heaven I
could add, that it had been a more fortunate one
for us."
General Howe reported his loss to be seventy-one
killed, four hundred and fifty wounded, and fourteen
missing. The American loss, as stated by Dr. Gordon
on the authority of the Board of War, was one hundred and fifty killed, five hundred and twenty-one
wounded, and about four hundred prisoners. In the
midst of the action, six companies of the fortieth British
regiment, commanded by Colonel Mulgrave, took possession of Chew's House, a strong stone building, which
they barricaded and defended with so much obstinacy,
as to retard for some time the advance of the second
line of the Americans, intended to support the centre;
and, during this delay, Sullivan's division, which had
been closely engaged in front, having mostly expended
its ammunition, began to retreat, and, falling back upon
the second line, threw it into disorder. This circumstance, added to the dense fog, is supposed to have
contributed much to the unfortunate issue of the day.
But the battle of Germantown was not without its
good effects. It revived the hopes of the country by
proving, that, notwithstanding the recent successes of
the enemy, neither the spirit, resolution, and valor of
the troops, nor the energy and confidence of the Commander had suffered any diminution. They were as
prompt and eager to meet their adversaries in battle, as
at the beginning of the campaign. Considered in its
political relations, the event was not less important.
When the American Commissioners in Paris had their
first interview with Count de Vergennes to converse
on a treaty of alliance, after complimenting them on thefavorable prospects in America, and the conduct of the
American troops, he added, "that nothing struck him