The Battle of Monmouth on June 28, 1778, saw a colonial American army under Major General George Washington fight a British army led by Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton. After evacuating Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 18, Clinton intended to march his 13,000-man army to New York City. Washington sent 6,400 troops commanded by Major General Charles Lee to attack the British column of march near Monmouth Court House, New Jersey. When Clinton counterattacked, Lee ordered his badly deployed troops to fall back immediately. Washington brought up 7,000 men to support Lee's withdrawing wing and held his ground against repeated British assaults. That evening Clinton retreated from the field and continued his march to Sandy Hook, where the British fleet waited to ferry his army to New York. Both armies' casualties were about even in the last major battle in the northern colonies. Lee was court martialed for his behavior during the battle.
Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton (est. 18,000âÂÂ19,000)
The 1st Division was commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis and comprised 9,440 combat troops.
The artillery was divided between the two divisions.
The 2nd Division was commanded by Lieutenant General Wilhelm von Knyphausen and comprised 8,229 combat troops and 1,394 noncombatants. While the 1st Division fought at Monmouth Court House, the 2nd Division proceeded with the 1,500 wagons of the baggage train towards Middletown. It endured only light harassment from American militia along the way.
General George Washington (est. 15,000âÂÂ16,000) <br>{Curly Brackets indicate Brigade/Regimental/Battalion Strength}
The vanguard was commanded by Major General Charles Lee and comprised approximately 4,540 troops.
<nowiki>*</nowiki> Lee reshuffled his troops before launching his attack on the British rearguard, and put Wayne in charge of a detachment comprising Grayson's combined Virginia regiments, Butler's battalion and Jackson's detachment. Lafayette took over command of Wayne's original detachment.
Forces commanded by Lafayette shadowed the British flanking column then rested behind the main defensive line at Perrine's Hill.
When the main body reached Tennent's Meeting House, some two miles (three kilometres) east of Englishtown, Washington ordered Major General Nathanael Greene to take a brigade to cover the right flank. Greene was guided to Combs Hill by Lieutenant Colonel David Rhea of the 2nd New Jersey Militia.
Washington sent four brigades under Major General Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben back to Englishtown to form a reserve.