In this action Colonel Burr commanded a brigade in the division of
Lord Stirling, composed of his own regiment and some Pennsylvanians,
under the immediate command of Lieutenant-colonel Dummer. Gordon, in
his History of the American Revolution, says, "The check the British
received gave time to make a disposition of the left wing and second
line of the main army in the wood, and on the eminence to which he had
been directed and was retreating. On this were placed some batteries
of cannon by Lord Stirling, who commanded the left wing, which played
upon the British with great effect, and, _seconded by parties of
infantry detached to oppose them, effectually put a stop to their
advance_. The British, finding themselves warmly opposed in front,
attempted to turn the American left flank, but were repulsed."

Shortly after the action had become general, Burr discovered a
detachment of the enemy coming from the borders of a wood on the
southward. He instantly put his brigade in motion for the purpose of
checking them. It was necessary to cross a morass, over which a bridge
was thrown. He ordered Lieutenant-colonel Dummer to advance with the
Pennsylvania detachment, and that he would bring up the rear with his
own regiment. After a part of the brigade was over the bridge, Colonel
Barber, aid to General Washington, rode up, and said that the orders
of the commander-in-chief were that he should halt. Colonel Burr
remonstrated. He said his men, in their present position, were exposed
to the fire of the enemy, and that his whole brigade must now cross
the bridge before they could halt with any safety. Colonel Barber
repeated that the orders of General Washington were peremptory that he
should halt, which was accordingly done, and the brigade, in their
divided state, suffered severely. Lieutenant-colonel Dummer was
killed; Colonel Burr's horse was shot under him; and those who had
crossed the bridge were compelled to retreat.