mountains."

On the 4th of December (1777), Captain M'Lane, a vigilant officer on
the lines, discovered that an attempt to surprise the American camp at
White Marsh was about to be made, and communicated the information to
Washington. In the evening of the same day General Howe marched out of
Philadelphia with his whole force, and about 11 at night, M'Lane, who
had been detached with 100 chosen men, attacked the British van at the
Three Mile Run on the Germantown road, and compelled their front
division to change its line of march. He hovered on the front and flank
of the advancing army, galling them severely until 3 next morning, when
the British encamped on Chestnut Hill in front of the American right,
and distant from it about three miles. A slight skirmish had also taken
place between the Pennsylvania militia, under General Irvine, and the
advanced light parties of the enemy, in which the general was wounded
and the militia without much other loss were dispersed.

The range of hills on which the British were posted approached nearer
to those occupied by the Americans as they stretched northward. Having
passed the day in reconnoitering the right Howe changed his ground in
the course of the night, and moving along the hills to his right took
an advantageous position about a mile in front of the American left.
The next day he inclined still further to his right, and in doing so
approached still nearer to the left wing of the American army.
Supposing a general engagement to be approaching Washington detached
Gist, with some Maryland militia, and Morgan, with his rifle corps, to
attack the flanking and advanced parties of the enemy. A sharp action
ensued in which Major Morris, of New Jersey, a brave officer in
Morgan's regiment was mortally wounded, and twenty-seven of his men
were killed and wounded. A small loss was also sustained in the