ISO ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



strong were its walls and so high the courage of its garrison that it was 

 found impossible to dislodge them. The attempt to capture Chew^s 

 house caused many of the American troops .to halt and brought back 

 Wayne's division which had advanced far beyond it. Sullivan's left 

 flank was thus uncovered and his plans totally disconcerted. It was the 

 crisis of the battle. 



While this attack was in progress, General Greene with his heavy 

 force had attacked the British right wing, in which were the Queen's 

 Rangers, and attempted to occupy the village. In this object Greene 

 was foiled, for General Grey, at this moment finding his left secure, 

 marched to the assistance of his centre and right. Colonel Matthews 

 with a detachment of Greene's column after capturing about one hun- 

 dred British near Chew's house, was surrounded by the British right 

 wing and compelled to surrender. A strong British force was sent for- 

 ward to relieve Colonel Musgrave in Chew's house. The Americans were 

 defeated ai all points and fled from the field leaving their dead and 

 wounded behmd them. Their well pknned attack had ignominiously 

 iailed. 



Although the battle of Germantown lasted only two hours and forty 

 minutes, the loss was large for the numbers engaged. The Americans 

 had 152 killed, 521 wounded, and upwards of 400 were made prisoners, 

 so that their total loss was about 1,100. The British loss was 535, of 

 whom less than 100 were killed. Germantown reflected the greatest 

 credit on the British troops engaged in it, and no corps in the field that 

 day fought better than the Queen's Rangers, although badly reduced in 

 numbers. The list of casualties made up on the 24th November, 1777, 

 !=hows that in the preceding three montlis the Rangers had lost 141 men, 

 or more thaTi one-third of their strength. A recapitulation of these losses 

 will show more vividly than anything e^se the various reductions of its 

 ■etrength to which a regiment is exposerl : — 



Dead 23 



In hospital 79 



Discharged, unfit for service 13 



Prisoners with the enemy 7 • 



Deserted 19 



Total 141 



At the same date the effective strength. of the Queen's Rangers, 

 after having received a reinforcement of more than 100 recruits, was 

 •only 389 rank and file, in addition to 42 absent on duty or on leave. In 



