The Battle of Monmouth, also known as the Battle of Monmouth Courthouse, was an American Revolutionary War battle fought on June 28, 1778 in Monmouth County, New Jersey. In 1777, British forces captured the city of Philadelphia. However, when France entered the war as an ally of the Americans, Clinton, the British commander in chief of North American troops, evacuated Philadelphia under orders to consolidate his troops at the main British base in New York. When France entered the war, Clinton needed to send troops to West Florida and the West Indies to prevent French incursion into these outlying territories. As a result of this, Clinton could not continue to occupy Philadelphia and secure New York. In fact, he was under orders to abandon New York and withdraw to Quebec if the French reinforcements made the situation too uncertain. While Clinton was shuffling his troops, a French fleet under the command of d’Estaing was on the way to meet American forces. If the French fleet made contact while Clinton’s troops were still moving to New York, the combined might of the American and French troops could prevent him from reaching the safety of the New York base. Originally Clinton planned to move his troops by sea with a Royal Navy escort. However, due to insufficient troop carriers, he was unable to do so. Instead, supplies and heavy equipment moved by sea along with fleeing American Loyalist civilians while the main army marched overland through New Jersey. The march began on June 18, 1778 as the British forces began the 100 mile trek from Philadelphia to New York. With a total force numbering over 12,000 members and a baggage train stretching 12 miles long, the British advance faced a difficult journey made more challenging by obstacles created by opposing American forces. In addition to overwhelming heat and the normal difficulties of such a journey, the Americans added to the challenges by muddying wells, destroying bridges and blockading roads. With both sides...