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.

424 WASHINGTON'S WRITINGS. [iET. 46.
attacking them next morning on their march. The
main body having remained at Cranberry, the advanced
corps was found to be too remote, and too far upon
the right, to be supported in case of an attack either
upon or from the enemy; which induced me to send
orders to the Marquis to file off by his left towards
Englishtown, which he accordingly executed early in
the morning of the 27th.
The enemy, in marching from Allentown, had changed
their disposition, and placed their best troops in the
rear, consisting of all the grenadiers, light-infantry, and
chasseurs of the line. This alteration made it necessary to increase the number of our advanced corps;
in consequence of which I detached Ma jor-General
Lee with two brigades to join the Marquis at Englishtown, on whom of course the command of the whole
devolved, amounting to about five thousand men. The
main body marched the same day, and encamped within three miles of that place. Morgan's corps was left
hovering on the enemy's right flank; and the Jersey
militia, amounting at this time to about seven or eight
hundred men, under General Dickinson, on their left.
The enemy were now encamped in a strong position,
with their right extending about a mile and a half
beyond the Court-House to the parting of the roads
leading to Shrewsbury and Middletown, and their leff
along the road from Allentown to Monmouth, about
three miles on this side of the Court-House. Their
right flank lay on the skirt of a small wood, while their
left was secured by a very thick one, a morass running
towards their rear, and their whole front covered by a
wood, and, for a considerable extent towards the left,
with a morass. In this situation they halted till the
morning of the 28th. Matters being thus situated, and
having had the best information, that, if the enemy