Manalapan Township in Monmouth County, New Jersey — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
The British Grenadiers
The Battle of Monmouth
— 28 June 1778. 12:45 PM – 1:00 PM —
During most of the Revolution, the British grouped their light infantry companies and grenadier companies into light infantry and grenadier battalions. At Monmouth, the heaviest fighting fell to the two battalions of British grenadiers.
Sidebar:A Grenadier Describes the Attack on the Hedgerow
Such a march may I never again experience. …the sun beating on our heads with a force scarcely to be conceived in Europe, and not a drop of water …
We rose on a small hill … notwithstanding a heavy fire of Grape, when judge of my inexpressible surprise, General Clinton appeared at the head of our left wing accompanied by Lord Cornwallis, and crying out ‘Charge, Grenadiers, never heed forming’; we rushed on amidst the heaviest fire I have yet felt.
I had the fortune to find myself … in the midst of a large body of Rebels who had been driven out of the wood by the 1st Battalion of Grenadiers, accompanied by not more than a dozen men who had been able to keep up with us; luckily the Rebels were too intent on their own safety to regard our destruction. Lt. Bunbury of the 49th killed one of them with his sword, as we all might have done, but seeing a battalion running away with their colours, I pushed for them with my few fellows I had, but to my unutterable disappointment they out ran us in a second. … Our battalion lost 98, 11 officers killed and wounded.
Lt. William Hale, 45th Regiment, 2nd Grenadiers, in a letter to his parents, July 4, 1778.
Erected by NJ Department of Environmental Protection – Division of Parks & Forestry.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Notable Events • Notable Places • War, US Revolutionary. A significant historical date for this entry is July 4, 1778.
Location. 40° 16.157′ N, 74° 18.664′ W. Marker is in Manalapan Township, New Jersey, in Monmouth County. Marker can be reached from Freehold Road (County Route 522), on the right when traveling east. Marker is located on the Monmouth Battlefield hiking trail. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Englishtown NJ 07726, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The British Rush the Hedgerow (here, next to this marker); Hold the Hedgerow! (about 800 feet away, measured in a direct line); Retreat? (approx. 0.3 miles away); Washington Checked Lee’s Retreat (approx. 0.3 miles away); Molly Pitcher (approx. 0.3 miles away); Battle at the Parsonage (approx. 0.6 miles away); a different marker also named Molly Pitcher (approx. 0.6 miles away); Monmouth Battlefield State Park (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Manalapan Township.
More about this marker. The marker contains photographs of Grenadiers – Royal Highland regiment and Royal Welch Fusiliers, both from a 2003 reenactment at Monmouth. The sidebar also contains a portrait of Lt. William Hale, portrait restored by Peter Copeland.
Also see . . .
1. The Battle of Monmouth. New Jersey during the Revolution. (Submitted on December 14, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.)
2. The Battle of Monmouth, 1778. A British perspective of the Battle of Monmouth on BritishBattles.com. (Submitted on December 14, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 14, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 1,460 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 14, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 4. submitted on June 15, 2013, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.