* The following preamble and resolution were adopted: "Whereas the Marquis De La Fayette, out of his great zeal to the cause of liberty, in which the United States are engaged, has left his family and connections, and, at his own expense, come over to offer his services to the United States, without pension or particular allowance, and is anxious to risk his life in our cause:
* Resolved, That his service he accepted, and that, in consideration of his zeal, illustrious family and connections, he have the rank and commission of major general in the army of the United States.--Journals of Congress, iii., 247.
[[[La Fayette on Barren Hill.--Maneuvers of the two Armies.--The British deceived]]]
{ 328} detached La Fayette, with about twenty-one hundred troops and five pieces of cannon, across the Schuylkill on the 18th of May. He took post at Barren Hill (nearly twelve miles from Valley Forge), a little west of the church. It was a position skillfully chosen. On his right were rocky ledges of considerable extent, and the Schuylkill; on his left were thick woods, several strong stone houses, and the substantial stone church seen in the engraving. His cannon were placed in front; and at about three hundred yards in advance of the left wing were Captain M'Lane's company and fifty Indians. Picket-guards and videttes were stationed upon the woods leading to Philadelphia, and six hundred Pennsylvania militia were posted near Whitemarsh. The church was at the forks of the road, one branch of which led to Valley Forge, by the way of the Swedes' Ford, and the other to Matson's Ford. *
La Fayette at first quartered at the house of a Tory Quaker, who sent a messenger with the information to Sir Henry Clinton, then in the chief command of the British army in Philadelphia, Howe having returned to England. Clinton immediately formed a plan for surprising La Fayette. On the night of the 19th, he sent out a detachment of[[May, 1778.]] five thousand of his choicest troops, under General Grant, assisted by Sir William Erskine. They marched toward Frankford, and at dawn the next morning turned toward the left, passed Whitemarsh, and proceeded on the road leading to Swedes' Ford, to a position in the rear of the Americans. Another strong force, under General Grey, crossed to the western bank of the Schuylkill, and took post about three miles below Barren Hill; while Sir Henry Clinton led, in person, a third division through Germantown, and before daylight halted on Chestnut Hill.