when loss of blood obliged him to stop and have his wound bandaged; he
was even very near being taken. Fugitives, cannon, and baggage now
crowded without order into the road leading to Chester. The general
employed the remaining daylight in checking the enemy: some regiments
behaved extremely well but the disorder was complete. During that time
the ford of Chad was forced, the cannon taken and the Chester road
became the common retreat of the whole army. In the midst of that
dreadful confusion, and during the darkness of the night, it was
impossible to recover; but at Chester, twelve miles from the field of
battle, they met with a bridge which it was necessary to cross; M. de
Lafayette occupied himself in arresting the fugitives; some degree of
order was re-established; the generals and the commander-in-chief
arrived; and he had leisure to have his wound dressed.

It was thus, at twenty-six miles from Philadelphia, that the fate of
that town was decided, (11th September, 1777.) The inhabitants had
heard every cannon that was fired there; the two parties, assembled in
two distinct bands in all the squares and public places, had awaited
the event in silence. The last courier at length arrived, and the
friends of Liberty were thrown into consternation. The Americans had
lost from 1000 to 1200 men. Howe's army was composed of about 12,000
men; their losses had been so considerable that their surgeons and
those in the country, were found insufficient, and they requested the
American army to supply them with some for their prisoners. If the
enemy had marched to Derby, the army would have been cut up and
destroyed: they lost an all-important night; and this was perhaps
their greatest fault, during a war in which they committed so many
errors.

M. de Lafayette, having been conveyed by water to Philadelphia, was