The Life of George Washington, Vol. 3: Commander in Chief of the American Forces During the War; which Established the Independence of his Country and First; President of the United StatesMarshall, John
History
The Life of George Washington, Vol. 3: Commander in Chief of the American Forces During the War; which Established the Independence of his Country and First; President of the United States
Marshall, John
Generals -- United States -- Biography; Presidents -- United States -- Biography; Washington, George, 1732-1799
About eleven in the morning of the 29th of August, this work was
discovered by Major Par, who commanded the advance guard of the army;
upon which, General Hand formed the light infantry in a wood, about
four hundred yards distant from the enemy, and stood upon his ground
until the main body should arrive. In the mean time, a continual
skirmishing was kept up between Par's rifle corps, and small parties
of Indians who sallied from their works, and suddenly retreated,
apparently with the hope of being incautiously pursued.
Conjecturing that the hills on his right were occupied by the savages,
Sullivan ordered General Poor to take possession of that which led
into his rear, and, thence, to turn the left, and gain the rear, of
the breast-work; while Hand, aided by the artillery, should attack in
front. These orders were promptly executed. While the artillery played
on the works, Poor pushed up the mountain, and a sharp conflict
commenced, which was sustained for some time, with considerable spirit
on both sides. Poor continued to advance rapidly, pressing the
Indians before him at the point of the bayonet, and occasionally
firing on them. They retreated from tree to tree, keeping up an
irregular fire, until he gained the summit of the hill. Perceiving
that their flank was completely uncovered by this movement, and that
they were in danger of being surrounded, the savages abandoned their
breast-work, and, crossing the river, fled with the utmost
precipitation.
[Sidenote: Victory of General Sullivan at Newtown.]
This victory cost the Americans about thirty men. The ascertained loss
of the Indians was also inconsiderable. But they were so intimidated,
that every idea of farther resistance was abandoned. As Sullivan
advanced, they continued to retreat before him without harassing his
main body, or even skirmishing with his detachments, except in a
single instance.
He penetrated far into the heart of their country, which his parties
scoured, and laid waste in every direction. Houses, corn-fields,
gardens, and fruit trees, shared one common fate; and Sullivan
executed strictly the severe but necessary orders he had received, to
render the country completely uninhabitable for the present, and thus
to compel the hostile Indians, by want of food, to remove to a greater
distance.
The objects of the expedition being accomplished, Sullivan returned to
Easton in Pennsylvania, having lost only forty men by sickness and
the enemy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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