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.

462 WASHINGTON'S WRITINGS. [APPENDIX.
from the Birmingham Meeting-house, very near the spot where the
action commenced a little after four o'clock. General Howe, in
his official account of the battle, says his whole column had passed
Jeffrey's Ford at two o'clock, and of course they must all have
been on the ground near the Meeting-house at least an hour before the action began. Meantime General Sullivan was waiting
for the intelligence of the enemy's approach to reach General Washington at Chad's Ford, and for orders to be sent back in return.
This necessary delay enabled Cornwallis to choose his ground and
prepare for the engagement, which was done by forming his men
in two lines occupying an elevated position, with a brigade in reserve, and a regiment still further in the rear. When General
Sullivan came up, therefore, with three divisions of the army, his
own, Stephen's, and Stirling's, and began to form them into a line
about half a mile in front of the enemy, Cornwallis commenced the
action before this manceuvre could be completed, threw Sullivan's
troops into confusion, and caused a precipitate and irregular retreat through the woods in their rear. Many of them were rallied
half a mile to the northward of Dilworth, and a second rencounter
ensued between this party and the troops of the enemy's left wing,
who had followed. The conflict was short and spirited, but a superior force compelled the Americans again to retire. The British
right wing got entangled in the woods, and did not come again
into the engagement after the first onset at Birmingham Meetinghouse.
As soon as Knyphausen knew by the firing, that Cornwallis was
engaged, he pushed across the Brandywine at Chad's Ford, and
commenced the attack in earnest on the American intrenchments.
He was repelled by Wayne at the head of the division lately commanded by Lincoln, and for some time the contest was warm and
well sustained.
Greene's division, with which was General Washington, advanced towards Dilworth, that it might be in a situation to render aid either to Sullivan or Wayne as occasion might require.
The action closed at a position about a mile beyond Dilworth
towards Chester, where a detachment from Greene's division took
post, and covered the retreat of Sullivan's troops. There was sharp
fighting at this place; but night came on, the enemy ceased from
their pursuit, and the whole American army found their way to
Chester.
After a due investigation, Congress acquitted General Sullivan
with honor. Deborre, a French general of thirty-five years' service.