[Sidenote:  Attempt on Lafayette at Barren Hill.]

The Marquis crossed the Schuylkill and took post near Barren Hill church, eight or ten miles in front of the army.  Immediate notice[2] of his arrival was given to Sir William Howe, who reconnoitred his position, and formed a plan to surprise and cut him off.

[Footnote 2:  General Wilkinson, in his memoirs, says that this notice was given by a person formerly a lieutenant in Proctor’s regiment of artillery, who, disgusted at being discarded from the American service, became a spy to Sir William Howe; and, the better to fulfil his new engagements, kept up his acquaintance with his former comrades, and frequently visited the camp at Valley Forge.  To avoid the suspicion which would be excited by his going into Philadelphia, a rendezvous had been established on Frankford Creek, where he met a messenger from General Howe, to whom his communications were delivered.  This statement is certainly correct.]

[Sidenote:  May 20.]

On the night of the 19th of May, General Grant with five thousand select troops, took the road which leads up the Delaware, and consequently diverges from Barren Hill.  After marching some distance, he inclined to the left, and passing White Marsh, where several roads unite, took one leading to Plymouth meeting-house, the position he was directed to occupy, something more than a mile in the rear of the Marquis, between him and Valley Forge.  He reached his point of destination rather before sunrise.  Here the roads fork; the one leading to the camp of Lafayette, and the other to Matron’s ford over the Schuylkill.

In the course of the night, General Gray, with a strong detachment, had advanced up the Schuylkill on its south side, along the ridge road, and taken post at a ford two or three miles in front of the right flank of Lafayette, while the residue of the army encamped on Chestnut hill.

Captain M’Clane, a vigilant partisan of great merit, was posted on the lines some distance in front of Barren Hill.  In the course of the night, he fell in with two British grenadiers at Three Mile Run, who informed him of the movement made by Grant, and also that a large body of Germans was getting ready to march up the Schuylkill.  Immediately conjecturing the object, M’Clane detached Captain Parr, with a company of riflemen across the country to Wanderers hill, with orders to harass and retard the column advancing up the Schuylkill, and hastened in person[3] to the camp of Lafayette.  He arrived soon after daybreak, and communicated the intelligence he had received.  It was, not long afterwards, confirmed by the fire of Parr on the Ridge road, and by an inhabitant who had escaped from White Marsh as the British column passed that place.[4]

[Footnote 3:  Extracts of letters from the adjutant general and the officer of the day to Captain M’Clane.

Camp Valley Forge, May 21st, 1778.

Dear Captain,—­I am happy you have with your brave little party conducted with so much honour to yourself.  The Marquis effected, owing to your vigilance, a glorious retreat as well as a difficult one.