The Drillmaster of Valley Forge by Paul Lockhart Page B

that concerned him personally and professionally. Then came the intelligence about the evacuation, passed along on the morning of June 17 to Washington’s headquarters by a Philadelphia washerwoman who laundered the uniforms of high-ranking British officers. Sir Henry Clinton’s army was going to give up its foothold in eastern Pennsylvania and retreat, possibly to New York City. That very morning, the advance elements of the British army were already in the process of crossing the Delaware into New Jersey.
    Washington had anxiously anticipated this development—he had, in fact, been planning for it from early spring. He had already sent portions of William Maxwell’s New Jersey Brigade to reinforce Jersey militia across the Delaware, to monitor any move the British might make, but this force was not strong enough todo anything more than harass Clinton’s troops—if they actually retreated in that direction. Washington would not have to do anything, really, for by crossing the Delaware, Clinton showed that he was not interested in marching on Valley Forge. But if the American commander wanted to take a chance and try to destroy part or all of Clinton’s army before it could reach the safety of New York, he would have to act now .
    Gut instinct told Washington to attack , that here was an opportunity not to be missed, but where it came to strategy Washington led by consensus. He wanted to hear what his generals had to say. On the evening of the seventeenth, Washington assembled all of his major generals—Charles Lee, Nathanael Greene, Benedict Arnold, Lord Stirling, the Marquis de Lafayette, and Steuben—and most of his brigadiers at his Valley Forge headquarters, the Isaac Potts house. The general-in-chief laid out what he knew of Clinton’s movements, gave his frank assessment of the condition of the Continental Army, and asked his generals to present their views on the strategic options. Should the army remain at Valley Forge and wait for another opportunity? Should Washington send a detachment to reinforce the brigade in New Jersey? Or should he hazard it all and send the entire army from Valley Forge to attack the British directly as they made their painfully slow exit from Philadelphia?
    Their responses could not have pleased him much. Two of his brigadiers—including, predictably, the pugnacious Anthony Wayne—favored a “general engagement,” an outright attack; Nathanael Greene supported this view, as did Lafayette, albeit with some reservations. But the rest, the majority, counselled caution. Charles Lee stated outright that the Americans were not ready for an open battle with the British, and probably never would be.
    Steuben was also circumspect. Clinton, he feared, might be trying to lure Washington into a trap. The British had done so at Barren Hill, less than a month before. Now the stakes were much higher. Washington should follow the retreat carefully, sending a substantial body of troops to cover the fords of the Delaware above Trenton and to observe Clinton’s movements. If Clinton’s objective was indeed NewYork, the Baron suggested, then Washington would be certain of it and could bring up the main army if circumstances warranted it. 2
    So the army would watch and wait. With no pressing business other than his desire to meet with the Board of War, Steuben rode out from Valley Forge for York the very next morning.
    The Baron was still on the road to York—mounted, presumably, on one of the two “fine horses” given to him by Congress three weeks before—when a courier from headquarters caught up with him. He brought new orders from Washington: Steuben must return to camp immediately. The British had completely evacuated Philadelphia and had crossed into New Jersey; Washington, in response, was sending nearly his entire army—some thirteen thousand men—in pursuit. Cutting his trip short, Steuben wheeled about and spurred