Page:Charles Lee Papers 1873 Vol 3.djvu/209

190 them in your front, alline them with your main body, or draw them up in the rear?" He answered that I should arrange them in the rear of English Town.

So far at this time from conceiving ourselves as beaten or disgrac'd, that I really thought, taking into consideration all circumstances, the various contradictory and false intelligence, disobedience or mistakes in some officers, precipitancy in others, ignorance of the ground, want of cavalry,—that it was the flower of the British army we had to deal with—Considering all these circumstances, I repeat, so far was I from conceiving ourselves as beaten or disgrac'd, that I really thought the troops entitled to the highest honor; and that I myself, instead of the thundering charges brought against me, had merited some degree of applause from the General and from the Public. And I solemnly protest, that at this instant when I address'd the General, I was totally ignorant that a man of my corps had filed off to his rear, without his particular orders; I was ignorant of it that night, I was ignorant of it next day; nay, I protest to God I remain'd in this ignorance till long after this present Court-Martial was assembled. And I beg leave once more to observe, that I cannot think myself responsible for it, as I had taken every means in my power to prevent it; but that it must be attributed to the defects in the constitution of the army, which only perhaps wants a more perfect system and œconomy to lender it the best in the world. When I arrived at English Town Creek, I found the Baron Stubens employed in the business which had been enjoined me: I was extremely glad of it, as I thought myself now at liberty to return to the field of action, which (as soon as my Aid-de-Camps had changed their horses, both of which had been wounded), I did, and offered to His Excellency my services in any duties where they could be required.

The conversation I held with His Excellency has been introduced into Court by such a variety of evidences, and seems to have been dwell'd upon with so much stress