Page:Charles Lee Papers 1873 Vol 3.djvu/20

Rh him that I had waited on him, and asked him if he had any orders? General Lee said he had none, but said we should not be disputing about rank or what part of the line we should march in.

Q. Did you hear General Washington, on the 27th of June, positively order General Lee to attack the enemy the next morning?

A. I cannot say that it was a positive order, but it did not admit of a doubt with me, but that he meant that General Lee should attack the enemy the next morning.

General Lee's question. Did you conceive General Washington's orders, or the spirit of them, were to attack the enemy at all events, whatever might be their situation or their force, whether, for instance, it consisted of such a body as General Washington's intelligence announced, that is, of a slight covering party, or whether of the greater part of the flower of their troops, as it turned out, or whether of the whole body of the British army?

A. I do not know what intelligence General Washington had, but I understood we were to have attacked the enemy at all events.

General Lee's question. Did you conceive that his Excellency's orders restricted me in my manœuvres, whether I was prohibited from manœuvring retrograde or forwards, as the face of affairs demanded, or whether I was absolutely enjoined, by my instructions, to march forward, or, at least, to remain on the very ground that the attack should happen to commence, in spight of all considerations? A. I conceived you were to proceed on, and where-ever you met with the enemy to take the earliest opportunity to attack them.

being sworn:

Q. Did you hear General Washington give General Lee any orders the 27th of June respecting his attacking the enemy?