Situation
British forces are overrunning and securing key points in New Jersey prior to the onset of winter. The army is also tasked to destroy any Rebel forces they encounter to speed up the collapse of the Rebel cause thus ending the war. Rebel forces are retreating and securing defensive positions in Pennsylvania across the Delaware river with some units still securing supplies in New Jersey while en route to the Delaware River .
Objective
British forces under General Cornwallis are ordered by General Howe to secure supplies rumored to be gathered at Daviston, a rural farming Hamlet 16 miles to the Northwest of the British Army camp at Brunswick.
Continental
Delay the British from taking Daviston as long as possible without losing their 50% of their force.
British Order of Battle
General Lord Cornwallis
1st Brigade
Colonel Fitzhugh
2nd Battalion Light Infantry
9th Foot
New York Loyalists
2nd Brigade
Brigadier General Erskine
26th Foot
New Jersey Loyalists
Corps de Reserve
General Lord Cornwallis
45th Foot
Royal Artillery
1st Brigade one light battery attached to the 2nd Brigade
Continental Order of Battle
General Charles Lee
Stirling's Continental Brigade
Hazlett's Delaware Continentals
3rd Pennslyvania Regiment
3rd Virginia Continentals
Western Company New Jersey State Artillery
2nd Company Pennsylvania State Artillery
Chester County Regiment
Little's Regiment
1st Pennsylvania Rifles
Salem County Regiment
Morning November 24th 1776
General Cornwallis planned his attack ordering General Erskine to assault North along the road directly leading into the town drawing any rebels forces against Erskine's forces while Colonel Fitzhugh's Brigade was to perform a wide flanking maneuver to the Northeast of the town along the road which crosses Little Mossy Creek and turning the Rebel left flank in doing so.Cornwallis would support Erskine with a thrust through Big Stony Woods and across the crop fields once Erskine had drawn out any defenders to face his attack.Unknown to Cornwallis the Rebels had spotted his forces and Griffin had deployed his small force into covered positions in the middle of town and he placed the 1st Pennsylvania Rifles to the East covering the bridge across Little Mossy Creek.He then sent messengers to General Charles Lee requesting aid for his command. Lee on receiving the dispatch returned to his dinner discussing events with his staff officers over brandy. Determining that the attack was just a foraging party General Lee did nothing.The messenger left to return to Griffin disgusted by the lack of urgency by the General and his staff.The messenger rode along the countryside and by chance came upon a group of soldiers and wagons marching along the road.He was halted by a provost guard and was directed to Colonel Charles Stirling. Colonel Stirling listened to the messenger, ordered the wagons to continue moving West and turned his Brigade towards Daviston.
Meanwhile on the approach to his jump off point Colonel Fitzhugh suffering from a severe case of gout, got lost and took a unused road delaying his march critically for an hour as he counter marched his Brigade back to the original route. General Erskine led his Brigade to his jump off point and waiting an hour as ordered deployed his battle line and artillery to begin his assault on the town. Cornwallis fared no better on his approach as the terrain was thicker and more rugged than he expected with his artillery getting stuck several times in the stony ground and tree roots.His command would not clear the woods until late morning well after Erskine had attacked the town and been repulsed.
General Erskine observing no Rebel activity deployed his guns to cover the center of town and ordered the 26th Foot in column followed by the New Jersey Loyalists down the main road towards the town square.
As they approached the Salem County Regiment emerged from an apple orchard and advanced towards Erskine's men. Erskine formed the 26th into line and waited for the rebels to close. Another Rebel regiment emerged from the orchard Little's Regiment.Griffin formed his 2 regiments into line supporting each other and advanced. Erskine ordered the 26th forward to take cover behind a fence line.
The Salem County militia fired a volley at the 26th killing and wounding a few score of soldiers. Erskine ordered the 26th to return fire at the Rebels killing several men. Erskine realized his guns were unable to fire at the Rebels while the New Jersey Loyalists were blocking the road and ordered them down the road to flank the Rebels.Griffin at the same time ordered Little to move up and turn the right flank of the 26th which he attempted to do but only succeeded in a partial flanking position from which he fired volleys into the 26th.
Perplexed that Colonel Fitzhugh hadn't arrived on the Rebel flank General Erskine continued to defend the rail fence with the 26th firing rapid volleys at the Rebels massing against him.The 26th fired a devastating volley into the Salem militia who suddenly retreated back to the wood fence bordering the apple orchard.
Meanwhile the New Jersey Loyalists marched down the road attempting to turn the flank of the Salem Militia when they were flanked in turn by fire from the Chester County Regiment hidden behind the hedge of the Daviston Church killing many and forcing back the regiment in great disorder.
Under heavy pressure on both flanks with Fitzhugh nowhere in sight and seeing the New Jersey Loyalist retreating with the Chester County Regiment closely behind moving toward his open left flank. Erskine ordered the 26th to fallback behind the stonewall of the Watson farm covered by his artillery who forced the Chester County men to cease their advance and fallback with loss.Little's men continued to fire but with ammunition running low,they also fallback to the apple orchard. Erskine consolidates his position to await reinforcements and to find out where Fitzhugh is.
Fitzhugh's Folly
After blundering off track in his advance Colonel Fitzhugh is late, an hour behind schedule making him 2 hours behind his jump off time at Little Mossy Creek.To make up for lost time Fitzhugh quick marches his command in column with none of his light infantry deployed. Within a half mile of the bridge Fitzhugh hears the rattle of musketry coming from the center of town and rushes his command toward the bridge at the double quick still confident of an easy victory.
Fitzhugh runs his force right smack dab into the long rifles of the 1st Pennsylvania Rifles under Jacob Cox,a veteran of the French and Indian War and 20 years of Frontier warfare. Cox's men line the woods along the creek and pour devastating accurate rifle fire into the packed column of the 1st Light Battalion as it attempts cross the narrow bridge. Unable to deploy on the narrow span and facing withering fire from the woods all around them the Lights fallback avoiding the mass of infantry jamming the dirt road.
With the sudden departure of the lights in front of them The New York Loyalists become the unwilling target of Cox's expert riflemen who soon begin to fall from the deadly fire. Colonel Fitzhugh gallops to the head of the Loyalists and orders them to fallback behind the regulars.
The green New York Loyalists panic and turn and flee in mass disrupting the 9th Foot in the road way clamoring for the rear. Fitzhugh steadies the 9th narrowly avoiding disaster. His actions draw the attention of Cox's riflemen who fell his horse and several of their shots pierce his coat.The colonel of the 9th is shot through the chest mortally wounded as he tries to reform the regiment causing the soldiers to waver as the Light infantry flow past their right flank.
Colonel Fitzhugh freshly mounted on the 9th's late Colonels horse appraises the situation and orders his Brigade to rejoin General Erskine convinced his force is totally inadequate to force the crossing without artillery. support He reforms the Brigade and marches back to Erskine covered by the 1st Light Battalion. Fitzhugh arriving just before noon to an unhappy Erskine and destined for a new assignment supporting Cornwallis's attack effort from Big Stony Woods.
Thanks very much, I enjoyed the account and sharing your table.
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