The British Are Coming: The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777 (The Revolution Trilogy Book 1)

by Rick Atkinson

“This infamous business [is] the most unlucky affair which has happened to us in America,” wrote General Grant. “I am quite miserable about it … yet I cannot impute any blame to General Howe or myself.” Opposition newspapers in England would blame Lord Germain, who blamed Howe, who blamed the Hessians. In dispatches to London, Howe insisted that the two senior German generals—Heister and Knyphausen—“are much too infirm for this war.” It was said that when Howe asked how the Hessian brigades in New Jersey could be so outfoxed, Heister replied, “Sir, if you will tell me why you would not make an end of the war at the White Plains, I will then give you an answer.” The old war horse was soon recalled to Germany, where he died a month after arriving home. Colonel Rall, already conveniently dead, drew most of the opprobrium. “Rall’s defeat has put us much out of our way. His misconduct is amazing,”