The Army correspondence of Colonel John Laurens in the years 1777-8

28 June 1778

Battle of Monmouth

MEMOIR OF JOHN LAURENS. 23

But these relations did not keep him from the field of action, which was the province lie most preferred. He sought every opportunity for active service, and distinguished himself, on all occasions, especially at the battle of Germantown, where he was wounded in the endeavor to expel the enemy from Chew's house, where they had established themselves in a hold too strong to be wrested from them by the inadequate means provided for the occasion. He was engaged in the brilliant though capricious and indeci sive conflicts on the plains of Monmouth, where the base conduct, if not treachery, of Charles Lee, came nigh to bring about the most disastrous consequences. On this occasion he acquired large increase of repu tation for brilliant dash and determined courage. In Rhode Island he added anew to his reputation both as a sage counsellor and as a military man. In refer ence to his bravery in his campaign in the latter state "Washington wrote to his father Henry Laurens : — "Feeling myself interested in every occurrence that tends to the honor of your worthy son ; and sensible of the pleasure it must give you to hear his just plaudit, I take the liberty of transcribing a paragraph of Gene ral Greene's letter to me giving some account of the

MEMOIR OF JOHN LAURENS. 41

excited the most serious apprehensions as to its effect on our ally. His gallantry on this occasion was so conspicuous that he received from Congress a vote of thanks and a tender of a commission of Colonel, which he declined from delicacy to his brother aids. At Monmouth where every member of Geii. "W's family seemed to contend, not only for their country but for their personal reputation, as connected with their chief, he participated in all the exposure of the day — and, in the controversy between "W. & Lee which agitated the camp and Congress, such was his devotion to the former that, late in the year, he invited Gen. Lee to a rencontre, who, after receiving a slight wound, made an explana tion equally honorable to himself and satisfactory to his antagonist.

JOHN LAURENS.

I have seen the General much embarrassed this day, on the subject of those who distinguished them selves in the battle of Monmouth. To name a few, and be silent with regard to many of equal-merit wd be an injustice to the latter; to pass the whole over un noticed wd be an unpardonable slight ; indiscriminate praise of the whole wd be an unfair distribution of rewards; and yet, when men generally conducted themselves so well as our officers did, this matter is allowable and is eligible, because least liable to give offence.

CORRESPONDENCE OF JOHN LAURENS. 233

If the Marquis de Lafayette goes to Europe, it is probable that he will take a great many of his coun trymen with him. It is almost certain that many of them will be very troublesome to Congress for certifi cates. Duplessis applied to me the other day to obtain him a furlough for Philadelphia, and to give him a certificate of his having behaved well at the battle of Monmouth, that he might go and signify his design to Congress of retiring from service.