Washington, therefore, sent him forward next day with two additional brigades, and then Lee by seniority took command on the 27th of the entire advance.
[Footnote 1: The authorities are hopelessly conflicting as to the numbers on both sides.

The British returns on March 26 showed over 19,000 men.

They had since that date been weakened by desertions, but to what extent we can only conjecture.

The detachments to Florida and the West Indies ordered from England do not appear to have taken place.

The estimate of 16,000 to 17,000 seems the most reasonable.
Washington returned his rank and file as just over 10,000, which would indicate a total force of 13,000 to 14,000, possibly more.