his attack was so judiciously conducted, must have fallen into his hands; and the loss of his rear guard, in the second place, was manifestly owing to the want of caution and dexterity in his manœuvres-General Sullivan immediately after this joined the main army, whom we left at Brandywine, preparing to receive the enemy, who had slowly advanced from the head of Elk river.

On the morning of the 11th of September by dawn, Sir William advanced with his whole army in two columns; the left under Lord Cornwallis, and the right under the command of General Knyphausen. The latter marched directly to Chadsford, on the hill near which General Maxwell was posted with one thousand men, and upon him the attack commenced. General Knyphausen, perceiving the necessity of dislodging him before his division could cross the river with safety, detached a party for that purpose, which Maxwell twice repulsed, but finding them reinforced, and that another party was sent round to attack him at the same moment on his flank, he was compelled to give way and retreat across the river, which he effected with a trifling loss. Knyphausen in the mean time kept up a constant cannonade, without crossing or attempting to pursue, intending to cooperate with Cornwallis, who had directed his column towards the fork of the river, with a view of gaining a position on the right flank of the American army. General Sullivan perceived this manœuvre, and forwarded early information of it to the Commander in Chief, who, supposing that he would have time to cripple the division of General Knyphausen, and thus prevent a junction of the two columns, before Cornwallis, who was aided by the presence of Sir William himself, could ac

complish his purpose-, ordered General Greene to the lower ford with directions, to cross and attack Knyphausen ; while General Sullivan was ordered at the same time to cross with his division and attack the enemy's left flank. This disposition of his troops would have secured success to Washington, but unfortunately false information was conveyed to Sullivan, and by him to the Commander in Chief, that the enemy were not marching in the direction of the fork of the river; and the consequence was, that General Greene's division was recalled, and Sullivan remained stationary. The last orders of Washington were scarcely obeyed, when it was found that the division of Cornwallis had actually crossed at the two fords, called Trimble's and Jeffery's, and that they were manoeuvering to turn the right flank of the Americans, which consisted of three divisions under Sullivan. The British formed in order of battle about four o'clock in the afternoon, and after a short engagement the Americans were compelled to retreat in great confusion. As soon as the firing on the right of the line was heard, General Greene was despatched with his first brigade, under General Weedon, to the aid of Sullivan, and marched the distance of four miles in forty minutes, but even this extraordinary expedition did not bring him up in time, for before his arrival the rout of General Sullivan was complete; and all that he could do was to cover the retreat of the flying troops. In the mean time General Knyphausen took advantage of the engagement of Cornwallis to cross Chadsford, and attack General Wayne, who, with his division and the light troops under Maxwell, was entrenched on the east bank of the river. He soon forced them to retire, and possessed himself of their aban

doned batteries and cannon.-Cornwallis pursued the divisions which had retreated before him for about a mile from the scene of action, where Greene had halted his covering troops in a narrow pass which he was determined to defend. Besides Weedon's Virginia brigade, he had Colonel Stewart's Pennsylvania regiment; and never did troops display more determined bravery. The enemy came up about an hour by sun, and the engagement lasted till the darkness put a stop to it, and gave General Greene an opportunity of retreating without fear of pursuit. By these troops it was, that the heat of the action was sustained. The loss in killed, wounded and prisoners, exceeded twelve hundred men-that of the enemy amounted to about eight hundred. In addition to their loss of men, the Americans lost ten small brass field pieces. Washington continued his retreat after the action towards Philadelphia.

A number of foreigners distinguished themselves in the service of the United States in this action. The Count Pulaski, who commanded a party of light horse, evinced the most intrepid valour, for which he was a few days afterwards made a Brigadier General, by Congress, and Commander of the Horse. The young Marquis de la Fayette also, who on the 31st of July had been made a Major General in the army of the United States, "in consideration of bis zeal, illustrious family and connexions," and because of his haying" at his own expense come over to offer his service to the United States, without pension or particular allowance," on this day displayed the dawning of those talents and of that undaunted bravery, which afterwards so often and so greatly distinguished him. He was in the hottest fight, and though wounded refused

to leave the field, but continued by his words and example to animate the Americans. The world has long since paid their tribute of respect to the virtues of the Marquis de la Fayette, and it cannot now be necessary to enter into his history. It is sufficient to say that he belonged to the most illustrious family in France, that he was a volunteer in the cause of human liberty, a disinterested hero; and that his many amiable qualities gained him the lasting esteem and friendship of Washington, whose constant companion he was. He had accepted the rank offered to him by Congress, on condition that he should receive neither pay nor emolument, and his was perhaps the only appointment of a foreigner to so high a rank, that did not give offence and create much dissatisfaction among the native American officers.-Several other French officers behaved with distinguished gallantry in this battle. The Baron de St. Ouary was taken prisoner.

The Cartel which had been established between General Washington and Sir William Howe, for the exchange of prisoners, was approved of by Congress early in June. On the 14th the national flag was changed to thirteen stripes, red and white, and thirteen stars in a blue field-Such as it continues to be at the present day, with the addition of one star for each State since added to the original Union. On the 20th June, Congress established a corps of Invalids, by the following resolution-a subject, the necessity of which General Washington had been long endeavouring to impress upon their minds. "Resolved, that a corps of Invalids be formed, consisting of eight companies, each company to have one Captain, two Lieutenants, two Ensigns, five Sergeants, six Corporals, two Drummers, two Fifers, and one hundred men. This corps

to be employed in garrison and for guards in cities and other places, as also to serve as a military school for young gentlemen, previous to their being appointed to marching regiments."

We have before stated that the introduction of foreigners into some of the highest situations in the army, had given great offence to a number of native American officers, who had carried their resentment so far as to threaten a resignation of their appointments and an abandonment of the cause of their country. This disposition more particularly manifested itself on the arrival of a Monsier du Coudray, who had been engaged with a number of other officers to come over, by Mr. Silas Deane, who had stipulated that Monsieur du Coudray should receive the rank of Major General, and be Commander in Chief of the Artillery and Engineers. Mr. Deane had further stipulated, that he should be under no other command but that of Congress and General Washington. All this was done by Mr. Deane without the authority of Congress, who had simply commissioned him to engage the services of four engineers. It did not, however, the less embarrass the Congress, who had already before them the correspondence of three of their Generals, Sullivan, Greene and Knox, holding out the threat above mentioned; and though they were not disposed to comply with the stipulations of Mr. Deane, they seemed to be still less disposed to humour the jealousies of their Generals. In this dilemma, they passed the two following resolutions: 1st, "That the President transmit to General Washington copies of the letters from Generals Sullivan, Greene and Knox to Congress, with directions to him to let those officers know that Congress consider the said letters as an attempt