The Battle (Continued)

A map of the battle's progression.

Scroll down to read about the rest of the battle and descriptions of the nine points below.

1. Woodlot
2. Hedgerow
3. Perrine Farm hill
4. Light Infantry flanking
5. Continental Reserves
6. Cannon on Combs Hill
7. Royal Highlanders
8. Buildings and Orchard
9. British camp

The battle resumed about 12:30 PM as the British Guards and Grenadiers pushed across the Dividing Ditch.  After brief, bloody clashes in a wood lot (1) and along the hedgerow (2), the Continentals under General Lee fell back across Spotswood Middle Brook.  As the British charged the bridge, they found the Continental Army occupying a very strong position on the Perrine Farm hill (3) behind a line of ten guns.  Exhausted from a forced march and cannonaded with case shot, the British soldiers faltered and the attack collapsed.  British light infantry (4) attempted to outflank the Continental position, but withdrew when they found Lafayette waiting for them with the Continental reserves (5).

To silence the Continental artillery commanding the bridge, the British positioned ten cannon and howitzers in front of the hedgerow.  For hours during the afternoon, the largest field artillery battle of the American Revolution raged.  The Continental artillery won the duel when in late afternoon, General Nathanael Greene brought a brigade of Virginians and four guns to the top of Combs Hill (6).  The American guns raked the hedgerow, forcing the British artillery to withdraw and their infantry to shift position.

As the British artillery fell silent and their infantry began withdrawing, Washington cautiously counterattacked.  First, two battalions of light infantry advanced along Spotswood North Brook to skirmish with the retreating Royal Highlanders (7).  Then General Anthony Wayne led three small regiments across the bridge to attack the withdrawing British Grenadiers.  After heavy, stubborn fighting, Wayne’s men were forced back into the shelter of the parsonage buildings and orchard (8).  Again raked by Continental artillery, the British pulled back across the Dividing Ditch and made camp (9).  General George Washington moved fresh troops forward should the battle resume at dawn, but shortly after 11 PM, the British forces resumed their march the New York City, thus ending the last major battle of the north.  Most of their dead and some of their wounded remained on the battlefield.

By (left and right) Richard Wilber and(center) Patricia Robinson

The Battle of Monmouth was a political triumph for the Continental Army and General George Washington.  The Continental Army had met the British in open field and forced them to retreat under cover of darkness.  British casualties were two to three times greater than those of the American troops. For more information on the battle please visit John U. Rees' site here.

By Garry Wheeler Stone