army. During two days Howe made no other movement than to unite his
columns.

From French creek General Wayne was detached with his division into the
rear of the British with orders to join General Smallwood, and,
carefully concealing himself and his movements, to seize every occasion
which this march might offer of engaging them to advantage. Meanwhile,
General Washington crossed the Schuylkill at Parker's Ferry, and
encamped on both sides of Perkyomen creek.

General Wayne lay in the woods near the entrance of the road from Darby
into that leading to Lancaster, about three miles in the rear of the
left wing of the British troops encamped at Trydruffin, where he
believed himself to be perfectly secure. But the country was so
extensively disaffected that Howe received accurate accounts of his
position and of his force. Major-General Gray was detached to surprise
him, and effectually accomplished his purpose. About 11 in the night of
the 20th his pickets, driven in with charged bayonets, gave the first
intimation of Gray's approach. Wayne instantly formed his division,
and, while his right sustained a fierce assault, directed a retreat by
the left, under cover of a few regiments, who, for a short time,
withstood the violence of shock. In his letter to Washington, he says
that they gave the assailants some well-directed fires, which must have
done considerable execution, and that, after retreating from the ground
on which the engagement commenced, they formed again, at a small
distance from the scene of action, but that both parties drew off
without renewing the conflict. He states his loss at about 150 killed
and wounded. The British accounts admit, on their part, a loss of only
7.