e 33rd Infantry, they awaited the next American onslaught. Washington, upon seeing this, was determined to finish off the British. He sent forth two brigades, under General Poor, to the right, while General Woodward “effected a similar encompassing movement about their left. ” Knox’s artillery at Comb’s Hill continued to hammer the British in preparation for the upcoming attack. However, it was not to be so. The going was simply too hard, the ground was too rough, and a few unexpected delays and difficulties caused the Americans to accept the shelter of the night. Washington and his men slept on their weapons and, under the night sky, made preparations for the next day’s battle. Here the wounded were tended for, and the dead hastily buried. The British, in the meantime, did not rest. Seizing the opportunity, they left under the cover of darkness. As Washington advanced the next day they found nothing but dead British soldiers and an abandoned campsite, thus ending the battle in a draw, yet both sides claimed a victory. The losses in this battle were: for the British; 249 killed in combat, 174 wounded, and 62 dead of heatstroke, and for the Americans; 72 killed in combat, 161 wounded, and 37 dead of heatstroke . The British claimed a victory because the supply line continued to New York, and the troops made it to their destination. They were not looking for a battle in the first place. However, the respect that the Americans gained in this battle was immeasurable. British morale was at a low as they scampered through the New Jersey countryside at pace nearly three times what they were moving at previous to the battle. They knew that they had dodged a bullet. The Americans claimed a victory because they had stood toe to toe with the British regulars. Not only had they stood with them, they drove them off the field, a feat commonly thought of as impossible by officers such as General Lee. This morale boost was...
