An Inspiring Commander in Chief

At the Battle of Monmouth on 26 June 1778, General George Washington rode back and forth along this hill for hours through shot and shell, encouraging his men, seeing to the care of the wounded, and directing the counterattack as the British began withdrawing. Major General Nathanael Greene wrote on 2 July 1778 that the commander in chief was everywhere, that his presence gave spirit and confidence, and that his command and authority soon brought everything into order and regularity. An onlooker, Dr. William Read, recalled seeing Washington riding to and fro along the line, sometimes at full speed, calling loudly to the troops as brave boys, and coolly standing in his stirrups even after a cannonball struck the side of a hill near him. Monmouth was a much-needed victory for Washington and his army after defeats at Brandywine and Germantown and the loss of Philadelphia, silencing doubts in Congress and the Continental Army about his leadership and helping set him on the way to becoming the first President and Father of the Country.

New Jersey · United States