At the battle of Germantown, October 4, 1777, the 55th was part of the second brigade as the British center east of the Old York Road and engaged Sullivanps left flank (Fortescue, p 220). The 55th's Colonel, Major General James Grant, was wounded in this exchange (Commager/Morris-Gates Papers, p 629). Thomas Sullivan, a private in the 49th foot (which fought alongside the 55th), offers us a closer look at the battle:

An Account of the General Engagement between His Majesty's Forces and the Rebel Army at Germantown, 4th. October. 1777.

THE Enemy having received a Reinforcement of six thousand men from Peek's-kill, one thousand from Virginia and presuming upon the Army being much weakened by the detachments to Philadelphia and Jersey, thought it a favourable time for them to risk an Action. They accordingly marched at six o'clock in the evening of [October] 3d. from their camp near Skippack Creek, about 16 miles from Germantown, in four Divisions.

This Village forms one continued street for two miles, which the Line of Encampment, in the Position the Army then occupied, crossed at Right Angles, near a mile from the head of it, where the 2d. Battalion of Light Infantry [the Light companies of the 40th, 43rd, 44th, 45th, 52nd, 55th, 63rd and 64th] and the 40th Regiment were posted. In this Line of encampment Lieut. General Knyphausen, Major Generals Stern and Grey, and Brigadier General Agnew, with seven British and three Hessian Battalions, the mounted and dismounted Chausseurs, were upon the Village extending to the Schuylkill, the Chausseurs being in front.

Major General [James] Grant and Brigadier General Matthew, with the Corps of Guards, six Battalions of British, and two squadrons of Dragoons, were upon the Right; the 1st. Battalion of Light Infantry [Light companies of the 4th, 5th, 10th, 17th, 22nd, 23rd, 27th, 35th and 38th] and the Queen's American Rangers, were advanced to the front of this Wing.

At three o'clock in the morning, the Patroles discovered the Enemy's approach, and upon the Communication of this intelligence the Army was immediately ordered under Arms in the Village. From that time the Enemy lay upon their arms at and about Chesnut-hill, in order to fall in upon our Army in their encampment, putting bits of Paper in their hats, as a distinction for them to know one another in the Dark. Soon after the break of Day, they began their attack upon the 2d. Battalion of Light Infantry's Picquets above Beggarstown, which the Enemy forced upon the Battalion, they having scarcely time to form in the Rear of their huts, but notwithstanding they sustained for a Considerable time, supported by the 40th Regiment; at length after an hour and halfps close and hot engagement with the Enemy's front Line, being overpowered by still increasing numbers, and making four different charges upon them, all their ammunition being expended, the Light Infantry and a part of the 40th retired into the Village, when Lieut. Colonel Musgrave, with six Companies of the Latter Corps, threw himself into a large stone [Chew] house in the face of the Enemy, where he formed them to the best advantage, by dividing them above and below stairs, and then cutting down the Stairs and every passage and entrance into the house; so that the Enemy, who surrounded it could not enter. In this situation he fought against a Brigade of the Enemy with four Pieces of Cannon, and most Gallantly defended, until Major-General Grey at the head of three Battalions of the 3d. Brigade [38th, 52nd, 10th Regiments], turning his front to the Village, and Brigadier General Agnew, who covered Major General Grey's left with the 4th. Brigade [33rd, 37th, 46th, 64th Regiments], by a vigorous attack repulsed the Enemy that had penetrated into the upper part of the Village; which was done with great Slaughter; the 5th. and 55th. Regiments, from the Right, engaging them at the same time on the other side of the Village, compleated the defeat of the Enemy in this Quarter. The part of the 40th. under Lieut.-Colonel Musgrave, killed seventy of them about the house.

The Regiments of Du Corps and Donop being formed to support the left of the 4th Brigade, and one Battalion of Hessian Grenadiers in the Rear of the Chausseurs, were not engaged; the precipitate flight of the Enemy preventing the two first Corps from entering into action; and the success of the Chausseurs, in repelling all efforts against them on that side, did not call for the support of the latter.

The Picquets of the 1st. [4th, 23rd, 28th, 49th Regiments] and 2d. [5th, 10th, 27th. 40th, 55th Regiments] Brigades being relieved according to General Orders at day break, as also the Picquets of the Line, for fear of an alarm, in order to have the Old and New Picquets in junction; and the Picquet of the 1st Battalion of light Infantry in front of the right wing, were engaged soon after the attack began upon the Head of the Village; the Picquets after a most resolute attack against the left wing of the Enemy, were obliged to fall back, but the 1st. Battalion of Light Infantry engaged them afresh, being supported by the 4th. Regiment, and sustained the Enemy's attack with such determined bravery, that they could not make the least impression upon them; the Enemy's Numbers being still increasing, they inclined to the Right and came close to our encampment, after the 1st. Battalion of Light Infantry and 4th. Regiment's forcing through their Line.

Major-General Grant, who was upon the right, moved up with our Regiment, i.e. 49th, about the Time Major-General Grey had forced the Enemy in the Village, we having four 6 pounders in our front; as we marched to a mill on the right of our Camp, to follow the 4th. Regiment, we fell in with a party of the Enemy, that had surrounded three Companies of the 1st. Light Infantry and made them Prisoners. After we fired the first Volley, they ran towards the Center, leaving the Prisoners loose, which latter formed immediately & took to their Arms, firing upon the enemy with the greatest ardour. The left-hand Company of our Regiment took 63 of that party, who upon their approach, threw down their Arms; the Battalion still pushing on.

By this time the right wing advanced, and the Enemy gave way, in that Quarter, after an engagement which continued from half after five till 8 o'clock, being two hours and half. The Enemy being upwards of 20,000 strong, and defeated by about 2,500 of our Troops, after a great slaughter. Two Columns of the Enemy were opposite to the Guards, 27th. and 28th. Battalions, who formed the right of the Line. The Right wing pursued the Enemy's left through a strong Country towards Dublin. On the retreat they rallied several times and were as often beat; and at length they dispersed in the woods. Lord Cornwallis being early apprised at Philadelphia of the Enemy's approach put in motion the two Battalions of British and one of the Hessian-Grenadiers, with a squadron of Dragoons; and his Lordship getting to Germantown just as the Enemy had been forced out of the Village. he joined Major General Grey. when placing himself at the head of the Troops, he followed the Enemy eight miles on the Skippack road, but such was the Epedition [sic] with which they fled, he was not able to overtake them. .

SOURCE: Sullivan, Thomas, The Diary of Thomas Sullivan [Serjeant in the 49th Foot], (State Historical Society of Wisconsin Microfilm Number 1344, 973.3:SW5).

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