line, having effected its formation, had halted till some other
arrangement should be completed; but it was quickly broke. On they came,
as far as we could judge from the sound, in steady array, till at length
their line could be indistinctly seen rising through the gloom. The
sentinels with one consent gave their fire. They gave it regularly and
effectively, beginning with the rifles on their left, and going off
towards the 85th on their right, and then, in obedience to their orders,
fell back. But they retired not unmolested. This straggling discharge on
our part seemed to be the signal to the Americans to begin the battle,
and they poured in such a volley, as must have proved, had any
determinate object been opposed to it, absolutely murderous. But our
scattered videttes almost wholly escaped it; whilst over the main body
of the picquet, sheltered as it was by the ditch, and considerably
removed from its line, it passed entirely harmless.

Having fired this volley, the enemy loaded again, and advanced. We saw
them coming, and having waited till we judged that they were within
excellent range, we opened our fire. It was returned in tenfold force,
and now went on, for a full half hour, as heavy and close a discharge of
musketry as troops have perhaps ever faced. Confident in their numbers,
and led on, as it would appear, by brave officers, the Americans dashed
forward till scarcely ten yards divided us; but our position was an
admirable one, our men were steady and cool, and they penetrated no
farther. On the contrary, we drove them back, more than once, with a
loss which their own inordinate multitude tended only to render the
more severe.

The action might have continued in this state about two hours, when, to
our horror and dismay, the approaching fire upon our right flank and
rear gave testimony that the picquet of the 85th, which had been in