Cold and Stalemate at Whitemarsh

This week marked the anniversary of Whitemarsh: the final part of the third year of the American fight for independence. For several cold winter days, rebels and redcoats marched and counter-marched as General George Washington aimed to lure British General Howe into an end-of-year disaster.

Background

General William Howe

General William Howe's Philadelphia campaign of 1777 was one of move, lose, move, lose for George Washington and the Continental Army. Despite that, Howe and the British high command remained frustrated because the rebel army and its general continued to remain a force they would need to reckon with if winter quarters were to be enjoyed in peace and comfort. 

Despite his failed surprise attack on Germantown on 4 October, Washington remained unbeaten. He maneuvered his forces from post to post, ultimately settling in at a place called Whitemarsh, about 13 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Both Howe and Washington knew that an unbeaten American force in the field remained a psychological as well as a real threat to British success. 

So in early December, Howe decided to make one last attempt to destroy Washington's army before the onset of winter and began preparations for the attack on the rebel forces rumored to be in the process of moving to a new camp. But Washington's intelligence network, led by Major John Clark, became aware of British plans to surprise the Americans, possibly through a Quaker housewife, Lydia Darragh. Because of the timely, accurate intelligence, regardless of the source, the Continental Army was ready.

Lydia Darragh was a Phila. nurse
and the housewife said to have warned
Washington of British plans

Ready for Action

Undaunted by weeks of retreat, Washington and his men prepared for battle. Washington faced pressure from Congress due to defeats at Brandywine and Germantown and aimed to make amends before the campaign ended. He always pictured a Breed's Hill-style fight where his troops would break British lines with heavy fire from fortified positions. For their part, his men were eager for a chance to vent their frustrations on the 'lobsters.' 

The Americans had ample time to strengthen their defenses, so despite being cold, exhausted, and hungry, they were ready to act and seek retribution. Washington positioned them on high ground—another Breed's Hill scenario seemed possible. Meanwhile, Howe planned to give the rebels the fight they craved. The British hoped for a swift, decisive victory over the struggling rebels before winter arrived, as he too faced troubles of his own.

And Vindication

A British Army capitulated at Saratoga in October—an army many believed Howe was obliged to help. Defeating Washington would be a sweet victory. Both Howe and Washington were overshadowed by the recent devastating British surrender at Saratoga. Howe for not doing more to support Gen. John Burgoyne, the defeated British commander, during the ill-fated invasion from Canada. Washington himself was criticized by some in Congress and the Army who questioned his leadership.

British surrender at Saratoga had
both Washington and Howe in its shadow

The Action

The British and Hessians left Philadelphia at midnight on a bitterly cold December 4th, with 14,000 troops. Howe moved his men in two columns. One, led by Lord Cornwallis, headed up Germantown Pike. The second, commanded by Hessian General Knyphausen, marched toward the American left. Just before dawn on December 5th, they arrived at Chestnut Hill, where they encountered about 15,000 Americans ready for action. 

Attempting to provoke a fight, Washington sent the Pennsylvania militia toward Howe's left. The militia was repelled after a short but intense fight. This led to days of maneuvering by Howe's forces, who attempted to find an opening in Washington's defenses through various feints and marches. The Continentals and militia responded well. Washington's men were prepared and managed to prevent any potential breakthrough. 

Frustrated, the British burned homes and farms, fueling resistance among a populace that was almost subdued by the British advance. Howe launched a final effort to turn the American left flank on December 7th. He advanced forces along Edge Hill, a ridge running parallel to the American lines. But the Americans, including militia and Virginia riflemen under Dan Morgan, responded. After intense fighting, the Americans were again pushed back, but the British retreated. 

This started a long day of small, sharp, yet inconclusive skirmishes throughout the wooded ridge, with no clear outcome. Frustrated at neither breaching the American defenses nor luring them into an open battle, Howe decided to withdraw. He led his army back to Philadelphia. Washington also felt frustrated, as his hope of luring Howe into a second Breed's Hill never materialized. The casualties for Whitemarsh were 90 Americans killed or wounded, and 60 British killed or wounded.

Howe at Whitemarsh

A Winter of Stalemate

Whitemarsh marked the end of the long and eventful campaigns of 1777. Howe and his army are secure in comfortable winter quarters in Philadelphia. A few days later, on December 11, Washington leads his army into the cold comfort of winter quarters at Valley Forge. The uneventful battle at Whitemarsh is unremarkable on its face. But in retrospect, the inconclusive series of skirmishes set the stage for the famous winter at Valley Forge that marked the birth of a professional American Army. As for Sir William Howe, his request for relief was approved, and he would leave the Army the following spring.

Stalemate at Whitemarsh was the last action
before George Washington led his army to
a place called Valley Forge

The Life Guard

With Labor Day weekend upon us, I am officially concluding the Yankee Doodle Spies summer vacation. But in the spirit of those sun-drenched beach protectors, I’ve decided to blog about the lifeguards. This post isn’t about Baywatch, so you can put away your sunscreen and towels. And don't bother searching for a happy snap of Pamela Anderson and her crew. Even before America had recreational beaches, it had lifeguards, or in this case, The Life Guard. This is about George Washington's Life Guard, to be precise. Readers of The Patriot Spy and its just-released sequel, The Cavalier Spy, have probably noticed that wherever George Washington was, a Life Guard was likely nearby.

 

Despite fighting a war for independence and liberty, the founders' generation still believed in titles. And just like today, those titles often came with perks. Lieutenant General George Washington was more than just the commander in chief of the Continental Army. He was also the unifying force of the eight-year struggle we call the American Revolution. This wasn’t so much planned as a natural result of his leadership qualities, integrity, and stature. He brought together different classes and sections. He was a symbol. And as a symbol of his acknowledged position as the highest executive in the land, he received the title: "His Excellency." It’s a tribute to Washington’s unique presence and importance that this honorific didn’t disappear when he resigned from military service, at least officially.

 

The British were well aware of Washington's significance to the cause they aimed to crush. And the Americans knew that the British were aware. Throughout the war, the fear that the enemy might assassinate or capture the "essential man" lingered. But it wasn't long into Washington's command at Cambridge, Massachusetts, that the need for military bodyguards was recognized. On March 11th, 1776, Washington issued the following orders,

The General wishes to select a specific number of men to serve as his guard for himself and his baggage. The Colonel or Commanding Officer of each of the established regiments, except for the artillery and riflemen, will provide four men, from which the required number will be chosen. His Excellency relies on the Colonels to recommend good men based on their sobriety, honesty, and good conduct. He prefers them to be between five feet eight inches and five feet ten inches tall, well-built, and, above all, he emphasizes the importance of cleanliness in a soldier. Consequently, he requests careful selection of men who are clean and tidy. These men are to assemble at headquarters precisely at 12 o'clock noon tomorrow, when the final selection will be made. The General does not require them to be in uniform or armed, nor does he want anyone sent to him who is not fully willing or eager to be part of this Guard. They should be trained men."

Ever conscious of the need to avoid sectional preference, Washington chose a A New England man to lead the special unit: Captain Caleb Gibbs of the 14th Massachusetts Continental Regiment commanded the Guard, but George Lewis, a nephew of Washington, was named the Lieutenant. The explicit mission of the new group was "to protect General Washington, the army's cash, and official papers." Gibbs began reorganizing the unit. He created the motto, "Conquer or Die." The unit had several names. The official name was "His Excellency's Guard" or the "General's Guard." Many enlistees called it "The Life Guards," "The Washington Life Guards," or "Washington's Body Guard." Washington himself usually referred to them as "My Guards." In dispatches and correspondence, Gibbs called himself "Commandant C-in-C, Guards." The force was specially uniformed and outfitted, making it the best-dressed and equipped among all the Continentals. The uniform consisted of a blue coat with white facings, white waistcoat and breeches, black half-gaiters, and a cocked hat with a blue and white feather. The Guard's size varied during the war but generally settled around 180 men, about the strength of three regular infantry companies. It temporarily grew to 250 men during the winter of 1779–80, when the Continental Army was encamped at Morristown, New Jersey, near the British Army.

Life Guard and Traitor

It did not take long for the elite new unit to prove its worth—and its danger. By May 1776, the British evacuated Boston, and, anticipating an attack on New York, Washington began moving the Continental Army south. On May 24th, 1776, an element of the C-in-C Guards set up camp near Richmond Hill on Manhattan Island. Spies recognized the elite unit and understood what it meant. Anticipating Washington's arrival, a group of New York Tories had secretly plotted earlier that month. Their goal was to assassinate George Washington. Luckily for the Americans, the plot was uncovered. The New York Provincial Congress ordered several Tories, including the city's Mayor, David Matthews, arrested. Meanwhile, Washington sent Gibbs and a hand-picked team to arrest another forty conspirators. Disturbingly, some of these were Continental Army soldiers, including members of Washington's Life Guards: Sergeant Thomas Hickey, Drummer William Green, Fifer James Johnson, and Privates John Barnes and Michael Lynch. Hickey, who had previously been jailed for passing a counterfeit note, was entangled in this conspiracy. As often happens, foolishness and ego led to his downfall—he revealed the plot to another inmate, who used the information to improve his own situation. (I believe this is where plot lines for shows like Law and Order or NYPD come from.) Hickey faced a court-martial alone among the conspirators and was found guilty of mutiny and sedition. He was executed in New York before a crowd of 20,000 spectators on June 28, 1776.

Escorting His Excellency

After that fiasco, the Guard went on to serve with distinction for the rest of the war. The Guard's strength at that time was about 50 men. They accompanied Washington to White Plains and took part in the battle there on October 28th, occupying their position on Chatterton Hill. The next day, the entire Army retreated to New Jersey. When their enlistment terms expired, Washington discharged twenty of the Guard on the condition that they would reenlist in the cavalry unit being raised by Lieutenant Lewis, who had been detached from the Guard for that purpose. A small group fought alongside Washington at Trenton during the darkest hours of the revolution. Others were assigned to different regiments to bolster their numbers and morale.

The Life Guard (in helmets) also honored
distinguished visitors to HQ: here Lafayette

During the spring of 1777, as the army emerged from its first winter encampment at Morristown, NJ, Washington ordered Gibbs to procure new uniforms for the unit. Blue jackets and buff facings with leather helmets adorned with medium blue cloth binding and a white plume tipped in blue on the left side of the helmet. However, Gibbs, possibly due to limited supplies, outfitted them with red vests instead of buff. The Life Guards proved their worth the following winter. At Valley Forge, Von Steuben used members of the Guard as his demonstration company for the new American Drill. Von Steuben personally trained them and then sent them to other Continental Army regiments until the entire force was drilled in the new tactics. This transformed the often hapless Continental units into a force capable of facing the British regulars. It also established the Commander-in-Chief's Life Guards as the Continental Army's truly elite unit, not just a group of dandies in the general’s circle.

It is often overlooked that a key mission of the Life Guard was to protect the commander-in-chief's immediate supplies and equipment. Tents, office equipment, and especially correspondence needed safeguarding during the numerous marches made by Washington.
The Life Guards marched with Washington throughout the war. They were at his side during the campaigns in New York, New Jersey, and into Virginia. In 1779, Caleb Gibbs, now a major, was replaced by another New Englander, Connecticut-born William Colfax. Washington promoted the young officer to Captain. Colfax was present at the Surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown and was allowed by Washington to occupy a prominent position on horseback near him. As the long struggle drew to a close, Washington's Life Guard, now reduced to about fifty men, was furloughed from duty in June 1783 at army headquarters in Newburgh, New York. With the British about to evacuate New York City, the Life Guard was ordered disbanded on November 15th, 1783.

The Life Guard Flag