General Sir William Howe, upon receiving this intelligence, despatched Major-General Charles (afterwards Earl) Grey with a body of troops in the middle of the night of the 20th of September to surprise the detachment of the enemy. The light company of the FORTY-SIXTH regiment was engaged in this enterprise, which was conducted with singular address and intrepidity. The troops advanced in profound silence to the outposts of the enemy, which were surprised and secured without the least noise. It was then between twelve and one. The main body of the American army, unapprised of its danger, had retired to rest. Directed by the light of the camp fires, the party under Major-General Grey proceeded undiscovered to the enemy's encampment, and rushed upon the foe with their bayonets. Three hundred Americans were killed and wounded, and a great number taken prisoners, with most of their arms and baggage. Obscurity saved those that escaped, as it had before at Brandywine Creek. The British had only one officer, one serjeant, and one private soldier killed, and a few men wounded, in this attack. It was this affair which gave the FORTY-SIXTH regiment _Red Feathers_, which it has ever since worn. The origin of the distinction is as follows:-- The Americans having vowed vengeance for the above attack, and that they would give no quarter, the soldiers of the _light battalion_ on this declared, that to prevent any one not engaged in the action from suffering on their account, they had stained their feathers _red_, as a distinguishing mark. The British army advanced upon Philadelphia, took possession of that city, and occupied a position at _Germantown_. The Americans attempted to surprise the British troops early on the morning of the 4th of October, and at first gained some advantage, but were speedily repulsed with severe loss. [Sidenote: 1778] The regiment passed the winter in quarters at Philadelphia, and in the spring of 1778, it furnished several detachments, which ranged the country in various directions to open communications for obtaining provisions. At this period General the Honorable Sir William Howe had returned to England, and resigned the command of the army to General Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. The regiment also took part in the fatigues and difficulties of the march of the army from Philadelphia, through the Jerseys, in order to return to New York, and the flank companies were engaged on the 28th of June in repulsing the attack of the enemy on the rear of the column at _Monmouth Court-House_, near _Freehold_, in New Jersey.