Washington’s Rebuke of Lee at Monmouth

George Washington confronts his subordinate general Charles Lee in an almost idyllic marsh setting in this 1920 oil painting by Philadelphia illustrator Clyde O. De Land. In the early morning of June 28, 1778, Washington gave orders for Lee to attack the rear units of British general Henry Clinton’s forces near Monmouth, New Jersey. Lee, who in war councils had opposed aggressive action, failed to keep his unit in order and they dissolved into a messy, panicked retreat. A furious Washington confronted Lee and attempted to reform the lines. The battle dragged on for the rest of the day, and both sides claimed victory. Lee was later court martialed for "disobedience of orders," "misbehaviour before the enemy," and "disrespect to the commander in chief."