Monmouth order of battle


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.

British order of battle

Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton
The 1st Division was commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis and comprised 9,440 combat troops.

Artillery

The artillery was divided between the two divisions.

2nd Division

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.

American order of battle

General George Washington
The vanguard was commanded by Major General Charles Lee and comprised approximately 4,540 troops.
UnitCommanderStrengthNotes
Scott's BrigadeColonel William Grayson600
Combined 4th, 8th and 12th Virginia Regiments*Colonel William Grayson
Grayson's and Patton's Additional Continental RegimentsLieutenant Colonel John Parke
Company, Crane's Artillery RegimentCaptain Thomas Wells2 guns
Varnum's BrigadeColonel John Durkee300–350
Combined 4th and 8th Connecticut RegimentsColonel John Durkee
Combined 1st and 2nd Rhode Island RegimentsLieutenant Colonel Jeremeiah Olney
Company, Crane's Artillery RegimentCaptain David Cook2 guns
Wayne's DetachmentBrigadier General Anthony Wayne*1,000Commanded by Major General the Marquis de Lafayette during the morning attack on the British rearguard.
Livingston's BattalionColonel Henry Beekman LivingstonPicked men.
Stewart's BattalionColonel Walter StewartPicked men.
Wesson's BattalionColonel James WessonPicked men.
Company, Crane's Artillery RegimentCaptain Thomas Seward2 guns
Scott's DetachmentBrigadier General Charles Scott1,440
Cilley's BattalionColonel Joseph CilleyPicked men
Parker's BattalionColonel Richard ParkerPicked men
Butler's Battalion*Colonel Richard ButlerPicked men
Gist's BattalionColonel Mordecai GistPicked men
Artillery4 gunsUnit not known
Jackson's Detachment*Colonel Henry Jackson200–300
Jackson's Additional Continental RegimentColonel Henry Jackson
Henley's Additional Continental RegimentUnknown
Lee's Additional Continental RegimentUnknown
New Jersey BrigadeBrigadier General William Maxwell1,000
1st New Jersey RegimentColonel Matthias Ogden
2nd New Jersey RegimentColonel Israel Shreve
3rd New Jersey RegimentColonel Elias Dayton
4th New Jersey RegimentLieutenant Colonel David Brearley
Independent artillery companyCaptain Thomas Randall2 guns
New Jersey Militia Light HorseLieutenant Colonel Anthony Walton White
Somerset County Light HorseCaptain John Stryker
Middlesex County Light HorseCaptain Robert Nixon

* 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.

Other advanced forces

Main line of defenses

Forward screen

Reserve (Perrine's Hill)

Forces commanded by Lafayette shadowed the British flanking column then rested behind the main defensive line at Perrine's Hill.

Combs Hill

When the main body reached Tennent's Meeting House, some two miles 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.

Reserve (Englishtown)

Washington sent four brigades under Major General Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben back to Englishtown to form a reserve.