ordered Colonel Ford, whose regiment was on the extreme left, and
Lieutenant Colonel Campbell, whose regiment was on the extreme right,
severally to attack their flanks, while Gunby and Hawes should advance
upon their front with charged bayonets. To complete their destruction
by cutting off their retreat to the town, Lieutenant Colonel
Washington was ordered to pass their left flank and charge them in the
rear.

The regiments commanded by Ford and Campbell, being composed chiefly
of new levies, did not change their ground, and perform the evolutions
necessary for the duty assigned to them, with the requisite rapidity
and precision; in consequence of which Rawdon, who instantly perceived
the danger that threatened his flanks, had time to extend his front by
bringing the volunteers of Ireland into his line.

This judicious movement disconcerted the design on his flanks, and
brought the two armies into action fronting each other. But the
regiments of Ford and Campbell were thrown into some confusion by the
abortive attempt to gain the flanks of the British.

Colonel Washington too was compelled by the thick underwood and felled
trees which obstructed his direct course, to make so extensive a
circuit, that he came into the rear of the British at a greater
distance from the scene of action than was intended, in consequence of
which he fell in with their medical and other staff, and with a number
of the followers of the army and idle spectators, who took no part in
the action. Too humane to cut his way through this crowd, he employed
so much time in taking their verbal parole, that he could not reach
the rear of the British line until the battle was ended. These
casualties disappointed this very interesting part of Greene's