The Pictorial Field-Book of the Revolution, Vol. 2 (of 2): or, Illustrations, by Pen And Pencil, of the History, Biography, Scenery, Relics, and Traditions of the War for IndependenceLossing, Benson John
History
The Pictorial Field-Book of the Revolution, Vol. 2 (of 2): or, Illustrations, by Pen And Pencil, of the History, Biography, Scenery, Relics, and Traditions of the War for Independence
Lossing, Benson John
United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783
eighty men, including several subordinate officers, a great number of
small-arms, two pieces of cannon, and eight wagons loaded with baggage
and stores. The loss of the British was inconsiderable; only one captain
of light infantry and three privates were killed, and four men wounded.
General Smallwood was only a mile distant at the time of the engagement,
and made an unsuccessful attempt to march to the relief of Wayne. His
raw militia were too deficient in discipline to make a sudden movement,
and, before he could reach the scene of conflict, Grey had completed
his achievement, and was on his way towar'd the British camp. Falling
in with a party of the enemy retiring from the pursuit of Wayne,
Smallwood's militia instantly fled in great confusion, and were not
rallied until a late hour the next day.
The dead bodies of fifty-three Americans were found on the field the
next morning, and were interred upon the spot, in one grave, by the
neighboring farmers. For forty years their resting-place was marked by
a simple heap of stones, around which the plow of the agriculturist made
its furrows nearer and nearer every season. At length the "Republican
Artillerists" of Chester county patriotically resolved to erect a
monument to their memory,
* General Smallwood was advancing with 1150 Maryland militia, and
Colonel Gist, with 700.
** A Hessian sergeant, boasting of the exploits of that night,
exultingly exclaimed, "What a running about, barefoot, and half clothed,
and in the light of their own fires! These showed us where to chase
them, while they could not see us. We killed three hundred of the rebels
with the bayonet. I stuck them myself like so many pigs, one after
another, until the blood ran out of the touch-hole of my musket."
[[[Chaplain David Jones.--' His Address to the Troops at Tieonderoga.]]]
{371}and on the 20th of September, 1817, the fortieth anniversary of the
event, through the aid of their fellow-citizens, they reared the memento
delineated in the engraving. *
[Illustration: 8381]
It is com-
* On that occasion the Reverend David Jones, an eminent Baptist
clergyman, who was Wayne's chaplain, and with him at the time of the
massacre, was present and made an address. He was then past eighty years
of age.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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