ftill lying at German Town, a very long and populous village, about fix miles from Philadelphia, and which ftretching on both fides of the great road to the northward forms a continued street of two miles of length. -The line of encampment croffed German Town at right angles about the centre, the left wing extended on the west to the Schuylkill. That wing was covered in front by the German Chaffeurs, both mounted and unmounted; a battalion of light infantry, and the Queen's Rangers, were in the front of the right; and the fortieth regiment, with another battalion of light infantry were pofted at the head of the village. Lord Cornwallis lay at Philadelphia with four battalions of grenadiers, and as we have obferved, three regiments had been detached on the fide of Chefter. The Americans were encamped at Shippach Creek about fixteen miles from German Town. They had received fome reinforcements, and were well acquainted with the fituation of the royal forces: they knew that the army was weakened by the detachments made to Philadelphia and Chefter. Thefe circumstances induced an enterprize which was very little expected by General Howe, and which the former caution of Ge neral Washington had by no means promifed. Inftead of keeping as ufual upon the defensive, the colonists now became the affailants. They quitted their ftrong poft at Shippach Creek, at fix in the evening, and marched all night to furprise the royal army in its camp at German Town. Upon the 4th of October their approach was discovered by the patroles, and the army was immediately called to arms. They began their attack upon the 40th regiment, and the light infantry by which it was accompanied. The fe troops, after making all the refiftance they were able,

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Mufgrave, who commanded in that quarter, to ftop the impetuofity of the enemy, threw himself and fix companies of the 40th regiment into a large ftrong ftone houfe, which lay full in the front of the provincials, which put a stop to their career, and their hope of immediately taking full poffeffion of the town; which had they effected would have enabled them effectually to have feparated the right and left wings of the King's army. Mufgrave kept his fituation, and fired out at the windows, till General Grey came to his relief with three battalions of the third brigade, who attacked the enemy with vigour, fupported by Brigadier General Agnew at the head of the fourth brigade. The engagement was now for fome time very warm, and it was for a feafon doubtful how matters would turn. The King's troops had now full ufe for all the fkill and vigour they were masters of, and with difficulty stood their ground against the fierce attack of the Americans. The latter were however attacked from the oppofite fide of the village by two regiments of the right wing, which put them into diforder, and they retired out of the town with confiderable lofs. These were not the only part of the king's forces that were engaged on this occafion; the Pickets on the right fupported by the 4th and 45th regiments were warmly engaged with the left wing of the provincials. But General Grey, who had driven the right of the enemy out of the village, had now time to bring affiftance to the right, who at this time were in confiderable need of it: Upon his approach the Americans retreated, and were very gently pursued by our forces. The reafons given by bur officers why they purfued with fo little vigour, was,

that the country was woody, ftrong, and enclosed, that the purfuit they made was attended with no effect; and one thing which proves the provincials were not hard purfued, they carried their cannon clear off. It is manifeft in this engagement that the British forces were pretty closely engaged, and were made to feel that the cowards in Washington's army, were on fome occafions not fo eafily driven off. The morning being mifty, prevented fome part of the American fuccefs in this battle; for they could not improve the advantages they gained at first, on account that they did not fee the true fituation of the enemy; and before they could advance fo as to purfue their advantage with fuccefs, the king's troops were recovered from their furprize, and in a better condition to receive them. They alfo affirmed that they often could not fee their own different bodies, and were on that account unable to act in concert. It was alfo faid, that fome of their parties in the thickness of the fog, poured their fire upon each other through a blind mistake on both fides, of being engaged with the enemy. General Washington was prefent at this engagement, and paid great compliments to his troops on the right wing, for their good behaviour, but as he was not witnefs to the behaviour of the left wing, he did not pay them fo high compliments, becaufe he had not fufficient ground to found his opinion.This was a more defperate action than that of Brandywine, and the lofs of the king's troops was much more confiderable. Our accounts make our lofs only 553 killed, wounded and prifoners, and the American lofs about a thoufand, killed wounded and taken. The Americans rate our lofs confiderably more, and

their own lefs than our accounts do. Some of our braveft officers fell in this engagement; among the number of the killed were Brigadier General Agnew, and Colonel Bird, but the number of wounded officers was confiderable. The Americans loft General Nash, and several other officers. In this battle the colonists made the attack, and though they were repulted with fome lofs, fhewed themfelves formidable adverfaries, capable of charging with refolution, and retreating with good order. This action damped the hopes of our generals concerning gaining any compleat victory, even in an open and fair engagement; they found that the British forces could do little more than ftand their ground against the charge of the best troops of the coloniits, and were even put into diforder by them, though fully upon their guard. This fully convinced General Howe, that provided the Americans fhould have been confiderably reinforced, and inclined to make fuch another attack, that his whole force would not be able to withstand them, unless he could gain fome remarkable post of defence, which he was not likely foon to obtain. The American troops began now to understand their own confequence, and perceived that the impreffion they made on their enemies was feverely felt; they therefore became more daring, and confidered our forces far from being invincible. General Washington, although he was cautious in engaging, yet in all thofe actions where he was prefent and led on the troops, he either gained fome advantage, or made fuch an impreffion upon his enemies, that they severely felt the influence of his fence.

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The taking of Philadelphia was not attended with all the advantages expected from that conqueft. The American army ftill kept the field, and till the Delaware could be cleared, it was manifeft that the army could not fupport itself in Philadelphia during the winter. The whole effect of the campaign depended upon cleaning the river, and receiving fupplies from the fleet. About two weeks after the laft battle the king's troops removed from Germantown to Philadelphia, as being a more convenient fituation for the reduction of Mud-Ifland, and for joining operations with the naval force in opening the naviga tion of the river. The Americans upon the removing of the king's troops, returned to their old camp at Shepach Creek, where they continued.

General Howe, and his brother the Admiral, were employed in concerting meafures for opening the river, and removing all obftructions. This was an operation in which they found great difficulty, and which employed the utmost efforts of their military fkill and ability. The General ordered batteries to be raised on the western fhore, on the Penfylvanian fide, in hopes of affifting in diflodging the enemy from Mud-Ifland; the difficulty of accefs to which, was found to render the reduction of it much more tedious and difficult than had been expected. He also detached a strong body of Heffians across the river at Cooper's Ferry, oppofite to the town, who were to march down and force the redoubt of Red Bank, whilft the fhips and the batteries on the other fide, were to carry on their attacks of Mud-Ifland, and the enemies marine force. The Heffian detachment was led on by Colonel Donop, who had gained fome reputation in feveral actions in this war; it confifted,

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