On Monmouth's Fields, Part Ii

...He reformed the routing patriots, formed a line atop a rise, Perrine’s Hill, brought in General Knox and the artillery, commanding the mass through sheer force of will. He needed to buy time for the main force to march on and join up in the battle, the British kept coming, soon to attack, convinced they still had the patriots rattled. Before in battle the Redcoats just had to flash their bayonets in the bright sun, that was enough to scare Continentals and assure them the battle was won. But they were no longer facing such men, the Americans had learned Europe’s game, they did not flee at the sight of steel, gave hard volleys once the foe was in range. Britain’s field commander, General Cornwallis, made several attacks to break up the line, only to run into fire and rage, with his Redcoats turned back every time. They he tried to turn Washington’s left flank, the boldest maneuver of the fight yet, but the main force had come, and pushed forwards, striking hard under young Lafayette. Seeing there would be no quick victory the British withdrew there forces back, both armies in defensive positions, the fight would become a long slugging match. Soldiers hunkered down as across the fields artillery thundered and cut loose, both sides trying to break up the other, their foe’s ranks they sought hard to reduce. The heat was such that many of the men, suffered and even died from heat stroke! One man passed out and his wife manned his gun, fighting on alongside all the blokes. Then Washington sent Nathaniel Green with artillery up towards Comb’s Hill, a high position on the British left, from which the guns could enfilade and kill. The British saw their hopeless position, and quickly began an ordered retreat, marching north towards Clinton’s main force, having blown their opportunity. Washington saw his enemy leaving, and sent Mad Anthony Wayne forward, to harangue the British as they marched off, cutting down men despite their good order. And through the battle ended as a draw, for the nation it was victory, they’d kept the field in an open battle, and matched the Redcoats in soldiery. This changed the calculus of the whole war, all knew battles would be more costly now, England would no longer campaign in the north, hoping for easier prey down south…