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Nathanael Greene to Colonel Cox.
Stoney-Point, King's Ferry, July 17, 1779
I wrote you a hasty account yesterday morning of a surprize Gen. Wayne had effected upon the garrison at this place. He marched about two o'clock in the afternoon from Fort Montgomery with part of the light infantry of the army, amounting to about 1,400 men. The garrison consisted of beeween 5 and 600 men, including officers. The attack was made about midnight and conducted with great spirit and enterprise, the troops marching up in the face of an exceeding heavy fire with cannon and musketry, without discharging a gun. This is thought to be the perfection of discipline and will for ever immortalize Gen. Wayne, as it would do honor to the first general in Europe. The place is as difficult of access as any you ever saw, strongly forEfied with lines and secured with a double row of abatis. The post actually looks more formidable on the ground than it can be made by description, and, contrary to almost all other events of this nature, increases our surprize ~viewing the place and the circumstances.
The darkness of the night favoured the attack and made our loss much less than might have been expected. The whole business was done with fixed bayonets. Our loss in killed and wounded amounted to go men, including odicers—eight only of which were killed. Gen. Wayne got a slight wound (upon the side of his head) and three or four other officers—among the number ~ Lieut. Col. Hay, of Pennsylvania—but they are all in a fair way of I recovery.
The enemy's loss is not c~ertainly known, neither have we any certain account of the number of prisoners, as they were sent away in the dark and in a hurry, but it is said they amount to 440; about 3o or 4o were left behind unable to march, and upwards of 3o were buried.
The enemy made little resistance after our people got into the works; their cry was, "Mercy, mercy, dear, dear Americans!"
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