My Lady of Doubt

by Randall Parrish

  CHAPTER XXVII

  THE FIGHT AT MONMOUTH

  The next day--Sunday, the twenty-eighth of June, 1778--dawned withcloudless sky, hot, sultry, the warmest day of the year. Not a breath ofair stirred the leaves, and in the tree branches above us birds sanggleefully. Before daybreak we, who had been permitted to sleep for a fewhours, were aroused by the sentries, and, in the gray dawn, partook of ameagre breakfast. A fresh supply of ammunition was brought up anddistributed among the men, and, before sunrise, we were in line, strippedfor a hot day's work, eagerly awaiting orders.

  I can make no pretence at describing in any detail, or sequence, thememorable action at Monmouth Court House, but must content myself withdepicting what little I saw upon the firing line of Maxwell's brigade. Weadvanced slowly eastward over a gently rolling country, diversified bysmall groves. In advance was a thin line of skirmishers, and to left andright were Dickinson's and Wayne's men, their muskets gleaming in thesunlight. Early the rumor crept about among us that Lee had come upduring the night with fresh troops, and assumed command.

  Who led us was of but small consequence, however, as there was now nodoubt in any mind but what battle was inevitable. Already to the southechoed a sound of firing where Morgan had uncovered a column of Dragoons.Then a courier from Dickinson dashed along our rear seeking Lee,scattering broadcast the welcome news that Knyphausen and his Hessians,the van of the British movement, were approaching. With a cheer ofanticipation, the soldiers flung aside every article possible to discard,and pressed recklessly forward. Before we moved a mile my horse became solame, I was obliged to dismount, and proceed on foot. Never have Iexperienced a hotter sun, or more sultry air. It was as though we werewithin a furnace; men struggled for breath, not a few dropped exhausted,the others straggling grimly forward, their faces streaked with dust andperspiration, their saturated clothing clinging to their bodies. Underthese conditions rapid marching was impossible, yet by nine o'clock wehad passed the Freehold Meeting House, and were halted in the protectionof a considerable wood, the men dropping to the ground in the gratefulshadow. Maxwell came along back of our line, his horse walking slowly, asthe general mopped his streaming red face. He failed to recognize meamong the others until I stepped out into the boiling sun, and spoke:

  "What is that firing to the right, General? Are the Jersey militia inaction?"

  He drew up his horse with a jerk.

  "That you, Lawrence? Can't tell anybody in this shirt-sleeved brigade.What's become of your horse?"

  "Gave out yesterday, sir. Have been on foot ever since. Is it going to bea fight?"

  The grip of his hand tightened on the saddle pommel, his eyes followingthe irregular line of exhausted men.

  "Yes, when Washington gets up; you need never doubt that. We'd be at itnow, but for Charles Lee. I'd like well to know what has come over thatman of late--the old spirit seems to have left him. Aye! it's Dickinsonand Morgan out yonder, wasting good powder and ball on a handful ofDragoons. Wayne has been ordered forward, and then back, until he is toomad to swear, and I am but little better. By the Eternal! you should haveheard Lafayette, when he begged permission to send us in. 'Sir,' saidLee, 'you do not know British soldiers; we cannot stand against them; weshall certainly be driven back at first, and must be cautious.' Returnedthe Frenchman: 'It may be so, General; but British soldiers have beenbeaten, and may be again; at any rate I am disposed to make the trial.'"

  "'T is not like General Lee," I broke in. "He has ever been a recklessfighter. Has the man lost his wits?"

  Maxwell leaned over, so his words should not carry beyond my ear.

  "'T is envy of Washington, to my mind," he said soberly. "He has opposedevery plan in council, imagining, no doubt, a failure of campaign maymake him the commander-in-chief. There comes a courier now."

  The fellow was so streaked with dust as to be scarcely recognizable, andhe wiped the perspiration from his eyes to stare into our faces.

  "General Maxwell?"

  "Yes; what is it?"

  "Compliments of General Lee, sir, and you will retire your troops towardthe Freehold Meeting House, forming connection there with General Scott."

  "Retreat! Good God, man! we haven't fired a shot."

  "Those were the orders, sir. Is that Scott, over yonder?"

  Maxwell nodded, too angered for words. Then, as the courier gallopedaway, turned in his saddle.

  "By Heaven! I suppose we must do it, Lawrence. But what folly! Whatasininity! We've got the Red-coats hemmed in, and did you ever see abetter field? Pray God, I may hear Washington when he comes up. I'drather be dead then, than Charles Lee."

  We gave the orders, and the men fell back sullenly, swearing fiercely asthey caught the rebellious spirit of their officers. Never have Isuffered more than from the heat that poured down on us from that blazingsun; the gun barrels burned to the touch, and the tortures of thirstbecame terrible. In places we sank ankle deep in the hot sand, and beyondthis came upon a broad morass almost impossible of passage. Men fellexhausted, and were dragged out by their comrades. Scarcely able tobreathe in the hot, stagnant air, caked with foul mud to the waist, weattained the higher ground, and dropped helpless. Even from here theenemy were invisible, although we could see the smoke of their guns, andhear distant crackle of musketry. I sat up, staring through the heatwaves toward the eminence on the left where Wayne's men remained, showingdimly against the trees. A group of horsemen were riding down the slope,heading toward our line. As they came into the sandy plain below, andskirted the morass, I recognized Lee in advance, mounted on a black horseflecked with foam. Twice he paused, gazing across the hills throughlevelled field-glasses, and then rode up the steep ascent to our rear.Maxwell met him not twenty feet from where I lay.

  "What does this mean, sir?" Lee thundered hoarsely. "Why are your menlying strewn about in this unsoldierly manner, General Maxwell? Are youunaware, sir, that we are in the presence of the enemy?"

  Maxwell's red face fairly blazed, as he straightened in the saddle, butbefore his lips could form an answer, a sudden cheer burst out from thecrest of the hill, and I saw men leaping to their feet, and waving theirhats. The next instant across the summit came Washington, a dozenofficers clattering behind, his face stern-set and white, as he rodestraight toward Lee.

  "What is the meaning of this retreat, General Lee? My God, sir, how doyou account for such disorder and confusion?" he exclaimed, his voiceringing above the uproar, his angry eyes blazing into Lee's face. "Answerme."

  The other muttered some reply I failed to catch.

  "That is not true," returned Washington, every word stinging like a whip."It was merely a covering party which attacked you. Why did you acceptcommand, sir, unless you intended to fight?"

  "I did not deem it prudent, General Washington, to bring on a generalengagement."

  "You were to obey my orders, sir, and you know what they were. See! Theyare coming now!"

  He wheeled his horse about, pointing with one hand across the valley.

  "Major Cain, have Oswald bring up his guns at once; Lieutenant McNeill,ride to Ramsey and Stewart; have their troops on the ridge within tenminutes--General Maxwell, these are your men?"

  "They are, sir."

  "Hold this line at any cost, the reserves will be up presently."

  As he drew his horse about he again came face to face with Lee, who sathis saddle sullenly, his gaze on the ground. Washington looked at him amoment, evidently not knowing what to say. Then he asked quietly:

  "Will you retain command on this height, or not, sir?"

  "It is equal to me where I command."

  "Then I expect you will take proper means for checking the enemy."

  "I shall not be the first to leave the ground; your orders shall beobeyed."

  What followed was but a medley of sight and sound. I saw Washington rideto the left; heard Lee give a hurried order, or two; then I was at therear of our own line strengthening it for assault. There was littleenough time left.

  Under th
e smoke of several batteries, whose shells were ripping open theside of the hill, the British were advancing in double line, the sungleaming on their bayonets, and revealing the uniforms of differentcorps.

  "Steady men! Steady!" voice after voice caught up the command. "Hold yourfire!"

  "Wait until they reach that fallen tree!" I added.

  Every man of us had a gun, officers, all. Coatless as though we came fromthe haying field, the perspiration streaming down our faces, we waited.The rifle barrels glowed brown in the sun, as the keen eyes took carefulsight. We were but a handful, a single thin line; if the reserves failedwe would be driven back by mere force of numbers, yet before we went thatslope should be strewn with dead. Crashing up from the rear came Oswaldwith two guns, wheeling into position, the depressed muzzles spoutingdestruction. Yet those red and blue lines came on; great openings wereploughed through them, but the living mass closed up. They were at thefallen tree, beyond, when we poured our volleys into their very faces. Wesaw them waver as that storm of lead struck; the centre seemed to giveway, leaving behind a ridge of motionless bodies; then it surged forwardagain, led by a waving flag, urged on by gesticulating officers.

  "The cavalry! The cavalry!"

  They were coming around the end of the morass, charging full tilt uponthe right of our line. I saw that end crumble up, and, a moment later,scarcely realizing what had occurred, we were racing backward, firing aswe ran, and stumbling over dead bodies.

  Maxwell rallied us beyond the causeway, swearing manfully as he drove usinto position behind a low stone wall. Again and again they charged us,the artillery fire shattering the wall into fragments. Twice we came tobayonets and clubbed guns, battling hand to hand, and Wayne was forced sofar back upon the left, that we were driven into the edge of the wood forprotection. But there we held, our front a blaze of fire. It seemed to methe horror of that struggle would never end. Such heat, such thirst, theblack powder smoke in our nostrils, the dead under foot, the cries of thewounded, the incessant roar of the guns. Again and again it was hand tohand; I could scarcely tell who faced us, so fierce the _melee_, sosuffocating the smoke; I caught glimpses of British Grenadiers, ofHessians, of Queen's Rangers. Once I thought I heard Grant's nasal voiceamid the infernal uproar. Stewart and Ramsey came to our support; Oswaldgot his guns upon an eminence, opening a deadly fire; Livingston'sregiment charged, and, with a cheer, we leaped forward also, mad with thebattle fever, and flung them back, back down that deadly slope. It wasnot in flesh and blood to stand; we cut the centre like a wedge, anddrove them pell-mell to where Lee had been in the morning. Here theyrallied, flanked by thick woods and morasses. Too exhausted to follow,our men sank breathless to the ground.

  It was already sunset, and our work done. The artillery still already,and I could see long lines of troops--Poor's and the Carolinabrigade--moving to the right. Night came on, however, without morefighting, and, as soon as we had recovered sufficiently, we devotedourselves to the care of the wounded.