Charles Lee’s Disgrace at the Battle of Monmouth

By Noah Andre Trudeau | MHQ  | one comment  |  Print This Post  |  Email This Post

Thanks to his own careful reconnaissance on June 27, Sir Henry Clinton knew that the Americans were being herded toward the West Morass. He hoped that they would have to make a stand and that Washington would send reinforcements to succor them. ‘Had Washington been blockhead enough to sustain Lee, I should have catched him between two defiles; and it is easy to see what must have happened,’ Clinton later declared.

This was perhaps the most confused period of the battle for the Americans. Staff officers and field commanders crisscrossed the fields, a few with information, others seeking instructions. Some believed they were moving toward a new defensive line, while others understood they were in full retreat. Indeed, one of the steadier officers on the field never forgot the chilling shouts from the rear of his column: ‘Colonel Jackson, march on! March on!’

Everyone was tramping westward without any common purpose. Lee as well as small groups or individual units tried to rally at certain points to fend off close pursuit by the 16th Light Dragoons, but always the sight of other commands retreating and the dust clouds heralding the approach of the British main body aborted such attempts. To an English officer it seemed as if the rebels were ‘never daring to wait the shock of our bayonets.’ It was approaching noon when George Washington appeared on the scene.

High on the list of Charles Lee’s failings this day was his neglecting to keep Washington informed of changing events and, more important, his plans to deal with them. As a consequence, all that Washington knew came from random sources or from members of his staff who scouted the front. Initial reports had been that the Continentals were closing with the British rear guard and would soon engage them. Things seemed encouraging until Washington’s artillery chief, Brig. Gen. Henry Knox, returned from a reconnaissance with disturbing news of confusion on the American side.

When Washington reached the Tennent Meetinghouse area, a civilian appeared, claiming that Lee’s troops were retreating, citing a nearby fifer as his source. Washington, ‘not believing the thing to be true,’ had the fifer detained. However, confirmation was close at hand as more stragglers appeared, followed by an entire regiment, worn out and uncertain who had ordered the retreat. Washington rode on and encountered a local guide (likely either Captain Wikoff or Lt. Col. David Rhea) who pointed to the heights of Perrine Ridge. Washington at once recognized the value of the position and personally directed several units there. According to one of those retreating soldiers, ?Gen. Washington on that occasion asked the troops if they could fight and that they answered him with three cheers.? Another foot soldier who saw him thought that Washington’seemed at the instant to be in a great passion; his looks if not his words seemed to indicate as much.?

The encounter that now took place between Washington and Lee on the Monmouth battlefield is the stuff of American legend, the subject of paintings and countless panegyrics. Testimony of the individuals who were present suggests that the confrontation was brief but intense, since the situation did not allow time for any courtesies. Washington found Lee on a hill just to the east of the lane leading to the Rhea farmhouse. According to later testimony by Lt. Col. John Brooks and Captain John Mercer (both members of Lee’s staff), Washington approached Lee and asked, ?What is all this?? Either because of the noise about them or his own confusion, Lee was not initially responsive. (A civilian volunteer on Washington’s staff recorded Lee’s first reply as a hesitant, ?Sir, sir.?) Washington repeated his question, asking what all that confusion was for, and why the retreat? Brooks recalled that ?General Lee blamed contradictory intelligence and his orders not being obeyed. When Washington said that he believed they were facing only ?a strong covering party of the enemy,? Lee retorted that the British were in greater numbers than Washington imagined and that he ?did not think it was proper to risk somuch.? Washington, showing ?considerable warmth,? said ?he was very sorry that General Lee undertook the command unless he meant to fight the enemy.?

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Tags: 17th - 18th Century, American Revolutionary War, Historical Conflicts, Historical Figures

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