in a prisoner exchange, he failed to grasp the improvements in the American army since his capture in December 1776. As Lee pondered his next more, he saw Oswald leading two of his guns to the rear. When Lee demanded to know why, Oswald explained that one cannon was disabled, the crews were exhausted from the day's extreme heat, and that the guns had run out of roundshot. Lee then authorized the move. At this time, Scott and Maxwell chose to fall back, either because they saw Oswald retreat or because they noticed Butler and Jackson changing position. This seems to have provoked other units to withdraw. When Lee realized what was happening, he issued orders for a general retreat. Oswald quickly organized a massed battery of 10 cannons to cover the move. As the retreat continued, Oswald received orders first to hold and then to continue to fall back. Oswald broke up his grand battery, sending Cook's two guns to rejoin Olney's brigade and Randall's two guns to rejoin Maxwell's brigade. Meanwhile, the worn out men of Wells' battery were ordered out of the battle. Around 11:00 AM, the American main body started to arrive in the area and Washington first learned of Lee's retreat. As Lee tried to extemporize a defense line, he ordered Olney's brigade to hold a hedgerow while Wayne asked Walter Stewart and Nathaniel Ramsey defend some woods on the left flank. With his four remaining guns, Oswald placed two on a hill behind the hedgerow to support Olney's men while the other two were ordered to cover Wayne's troops. Lee ordered Henry Livingston Jr. to help cover the two guns with Olney, but for some reason Livingston moved his entire command behind the hedgerow on Olney's left. After a spirited combat the Brigade of Guards drove off the troops under Stewart and Ramsey. The action then focused on the hedgerow as the 16th Light Dragoons attacked and were repulsed. Clinton in person led forward the 1st and 2nd Grenadier Battalions. Oswald's guns blasted the British with grapeshot at but the elite troops overran the hedgerow. At this time the commanding officer of the 2nd Grenadiers, Henry Monckton was killed by grapeshot. Washington's artillery chief, Henry Knox ordered Oswald to withdraw his cannon across Spottswood Middle Brook. Despite the retreat, which was covered by Olney, no American guns fell into British hands. The next two