The Battle of Monmouth ? ? 28 June 1778

— 12:00 PM - 12:15 PM —

On this hill, an angry George Washington, Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Armies, met his second-in-command, Major-General Charles Lee, and demanded "What is all this? What all that confusion was for, and retreat?"

Washington had sent Lee with twelve cannon and 5,000 men to stage a hit-and-run attack on the rear of the British Army. However, the British had counter-attacked with 10,000 men - forcing Lee to retreat.

As Washington led the main body of the Army towards the Spotswood Middle Brook bridge, he encountered a disorganized retreat. The frustrated officers leading the withdrawing battalions had no idea why they were retreating. There had been little fighting, merely a skirmish and some artillery fire. One complained, "By God! They are flying from a shadow." The failed attack on the British rear was turning into a political disaster.

With the British only fifteen minutes away, Washington acted decisively. He sent Brigadier General Anthony Wayne to fight a delaying action and asked Lee to further slow the enemy advance. Then Washington rode back across the bridge to organize the main army on the Perrine Farm.

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