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Domestic News
March 28, 1777
The Virginia Gazette
Williamsburg, Virginia
What is this article about?
A British officer commanding 2000 troops from Amboy to Brunswick detoured to capture General Maxwell's party at Spanktown but was repelled by American forces, forcing a retreat to ships and arrest for the failed mission.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
Extract of a letter from an officer in New Jersey.
"The officer who commanded the 2000 British troops going as a reinforcement from Amboy to Brunswick, we hear, is under an arrest for undertaking, like Don Quixote, to do impossibilities, and get himself a great and immortal name. For this purpose, he, instead of marching directly to Brunswick (which he might have done) must needs go 14 miles out of the direct road to take prisoners general Maxwell and his party at Spanktown, and to make his triumphant entry into Brunswick, leading his captives in chains, like an old Roman general; in which he found his fatal mistake when too late to remedy it. For he found that he had surrounded a nest of American hornets, who soon put his whole body to flight, pursued them to Amboy, and obliged them to get on board their ships again, since which they have never ventured a second time to reinforce their cooped up brethren in Brunswick."
"The officer who commanded the 2000 British troops going as a reinforcement from Amboy to Brunswick, we hear, is under an arrest for undertaking, like Don Quixote, to do impossibilities, and get himself a great and immortal name. For this purpose, he, instead of marching directly to Brunswick (which he might have done) must needs go 14 miles out of the direct road to take prisoners general Maxwell and his party at Spanktown, and to make his triumphant entry into Brunswick, leading his captives in chains, like an old Roman general; in which he found his fatal mistake when too late to remedy it. For he found that he had surrounded a nest of American hornets, who soon put his whole body to flight, pursued them to Amboy, and obliged them to get on board their ships again, since which they have never ventured a second time to reinforce their cooped up brethren in Brunswick."
What sub-type of article is it?
Military
What keywords are associated?
British Troops
New Jersey
General Maxwell
Spanktown
Military Retreat
What entities or persons were involved?
General Maxwell
Where did it happen?
New Jersey
Domestic News Details
Primary Location
New Jersey
Key Persons
General Maxwell
Outcome
british troops fled to amboy and boarded ships; officer under arrest; no successful reinforcement of brunswick.
Event Details
British officer led 2000 troops on detour from Amboy to capture General Maxwell's party at Spanktown but was repelled by American forces, pursued back to Amboy, and forced to retreat by ship.