Andrew Dillman, Revolutionary war soldier at the battle of Monmouth, was
born in 1759 in York county Pennsylvania. In 1777, Dillman married
Barbary Roushe, and had 11 children from this union. In 1778, Dillman
joined the Lancaster county militia, and later the 2nd Pennsylvania
Continental line.
Dillman's first and only battle was the battle of Monmouth fought on
June 28, 1778.
The battle of Monmouth was the largest artillery battle in the northern
Campaign and the first test of Baron Von Steuben's training at Valley
Forge to see if the Continental troops could withstand the trial of
engagement against the British army. At the start of the battle, Charles
Lee, was Commander of the Continental army. Placing Lee in charge of the
Continental army appears to have been the only mistake Washington made
concerning the battle. At the start of the Battle, Lee ordered the
Pennsylvania line to Briar hill. Col. Butler was leading the
Pennsylvania line when they ran into the Queen's rangers of the British
army. A firefight soon incurred forcing the Queen's Rangers to retreat.
However by 1:30pm, the British army was getting the best of the
continental army, and soon the Continental army was in retreat.
About this time Washington came upon the field of battle to see what was
happening. Washington found his army in full retreat. Washington soon
stopped the retreat, and ordered Continental General Anthony Wayne and
the Pennsylvania line to the north of Monmouth Road to stop the British
advance. The Pennsylvania line fought bravely and resisted the British
bayonet charges giving Washington enough time to place his artillery in
a flanking position on Combs Hill. Wayne's Pennsylvania regiments were
beginning to buckle upon the onslaught of the British 16th light
Dragoons when Washington suddenly began to fire his cannons  from a
flanking position known in the military as enfilading at the British.
The benefits of enfilading an enemy formation is that by firing from a
flanking position, it is easier to hit individual troops without
specifically aiming at an individual.
Clinton, the British commander saw a weakness on Washington's left
flank, where Stirling and the Virginia line was located, and sent the
majority of his troops against Stirling and his men. When it appeared
that Clinton was about to turn Washington's left flank, Lt. col Aaron
Burr came charging up the hill where Stirling was positioned leading 3
Pennsylvania regiments to the rescue. Burr's men were able to force the
British to retreat ,but not before they shot Burr's horse out from under
him.
After the attack on Stirling's men failed, Wayne and the rest of he
Pennsylvania line joined in the pursuit against the retreating British.
Wayne charged all the way across a middle ravine until he and his men
were forced back from the tremendous discharge of weapons when the
British turned an about faced and fired in a similar fashion to what the
Americans would do at the battle of Cowpens when being chased by the
British.
Wayne and his men retreated to an orchard. While at this orchard, Wayne
and his Pennsylvania line fought off 4 bayonet charges by the British.
During the third bayonet charge, Wayne's men fired their weapons at
point blank range causing the British charge to crumble. After the
fourth bayonet charge, the British withdrew from the field of battle.
At the end of the battle, the Americans had 200 soldiers killed and
wounded. The British had 256 killed with fifty six of them dying from
heat stroke in the near 100 degree weather in which the battle was
fought, and 100 100 British soldiers were captured.
After Monmouth, Dillman returned home to York county Pa.. In 1794,
Dillman moved to Bracken county Kentucky where he died onMay 21, 1823.
Dillman was buried at Sharon Cemetery.
During the Civil war, Bracken county was pro Union, and most of
Dillman's descendents fought for the Union army.. On September 23, 1862,
Confederate General John Hunt Morgan attacked the town of Augusta KY on
his way to invade Ohio. Morgan found most of the Union troops gone with
only the Home guard left in Bracken county to protect its citizens. The
Home guard soon fled to near by houses, hoping they would be safe.
However Morgan ordered his cannons to fire at the houses that contained
the Home Guard. Morgan soon leveled several houses to the ground and
only quit firing when he realized he was low on ammunition.
Due to the lack of ammunition, Morgan was soon forced to retreat and
give up his chance to invade Ohio