“I thought then as now I had never beheld so superb a man.” -Marquis de Lafayette

Last week was the 250th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord. These battles were the opening events of what evolved into the United States. Many more battles occurred before the United States gained independence from Great Britain. There were some significant victories like Boston, Trenton, and Saratoga. However, the British defeated Washington's army at Long Island, Brandywine, and Germantown. The British also managed to capture Philadelphia, the capital of the Thirteen Colonies. The Continental Army started out as a group of rag-tag soldiers without professional training. They looked to their commanding officers like George Washington, Horatio Gates, and Marquis de Lafayette for leadership.

This thinking changed during the army's time at Valley Forge with the disciplinarian instruction of Frederick von Steuben. He was a Prussian officer who served under Frederick the Great during the Seven Years' War. He taught the Continental Army discipline and provided proper military training. It was much needed, considering the colonials lost their capital to the British and Washington lost the close-fought battle of Germantown. Yet, the British fared no better because they could not seem to destroy or capture the pesky colonial forces that eluded their grasp. Secondly, the British had to come to terms with the French and Dutch, who joined the war against Great Britain after the Americans won the Battle of Saratoga. Therefore, Henry Clinton withdrew from Philadelphia, prioritizing important colonial possessions like New York City. At this time, Washington seized the initiative to strike Clinton's retreating column.

The Continentals were outnumbered, but on the scorching hot day of 28 June 1778, Washington ordered Charles Lee to watch British movements and attack when they were moving. All other plans were left up to Lee to determine how and when to attack. Washington originally sent Lee ahead of the rest of the army to engage the British rearguard and harass the enemy army until he could bring up the whole force. Lee followed these instructions to the best of his ability but did not reconnoiter the terrain ahead of him. The skirmish line and Lee's force drew the attention of the rest of the British army. Clinton ordered a counterattack on Lee's right flank, where they were vulnerable. That counterattack was conducted by Charles Cornwallis. With no sign of Washington or the main army, Lee conducted an orderly retreat, losing few men. After four hours of being pressed by the British and falling back to different lines, Washington arrived with the main army, taking over the situation from Lee.

Lee had attempted to send out messengers to make Washington aware of his withdrawal, but by then, Washington had already seen troops falling back. In a most infamous scene near the Wickoff House, where Lee tried to establish a defensive line, Washington lost his temper, with Lee rebuking him for losing control of his men. Washington's temper most likely stemmed from Lee's disagreement with attacking Clinton's force, while men like Anthony Wayne and Marquis de Lafayette encouraged them to strike the British rearguard. Lee, now publicly disgraced, headed by friendly lines as Washington began rallying the soldiers in preparation to meet the British. Wayne took over Lee's men while Lord Stirling was on the left and Nathanael Greene on the right. Lafayette remained in reserve. The British launched multiple attacks against Washington's position at Perrine's Hill, but all were repulsed. Many men fell to heat exhaustion, with temperatures above 100 degrees that day. The British position became untenable when Greene managed to outflank the enemy with his artillery. In a moment of clarity, Washington ordered forward the army. Seeing this, Cornwallis ordered a 'phased withdrawal,' but the men did not follow orders, with the entire military beginning their withdrawal. The extreme heat played a significant role in the battle, causing many casualties due to heat exhaustion and impacting the British soldiers' ability to follow orders.

The British rearguard abandoned the field and went back to camp. Washington stayed on the field, planning to fight the next day. Clinton had enough; he ordered the army to move out that night on their continued withdrawal to New York City. Strategically, the British managed to carry out their previous orders, concentrating on New York City and abandoning Philadelphia. The Battle of Monmouth was a turning point, marking a shift in the balance of power. Washington had finally gained a much-needed tactical victory, showing the prowess of his newly trained army. Each side suffered roughly 360 casualties; of the 720 casualties, 56 died of heat stroke. More impressive for the Americans was that they attacked a large army with inferior manpower. The British military was not engaged, but carrying out Washington's intended plan was a resounding tactical success. On a grand scale, this battle ensured the British remained idle for the next year before going on the offensive again in the Thirteen Colonies.

Finally, this battle proves Washington was an able commander. He was not the greatest tactician in our history, but this battle proved his competency and aggressiveness. Washington's temper has many similar stories of officers arriving at a battle that seems lost but somehow rallies the men to change the day's outcome. There were doubts about Washington's abilities as a commander based on his defeats at Brandywine and Germantown. For a moment, it seemed that Horatio Gates, the victor of Saratoga, was about to lead all Continental forces. However, the Battle of Monmouth, with its tactical success and the way Washington handled the situation, secured his rank in the Thirteen and prevented his removal.