36i NATURAL ANl!) CIVIL 



the best preparation for the reception of the eit • 

 emy, that time and circumstances would permit. 

 At half after eleven, the enemy were seen to 

 approach. Their army was drawn up, and 

 inarched along the road, in a very regular man- 

 ner ; aiming directly at the center of the en- 

 campmeat. When they had approached within 

 one hundred and fifty yards of the breast work^ 

 they made a halt for a short time ; their regu- 

 lar troops preparing for the grand or center at- 

 tack, and the Canadians and Indians filing off to 

 the flanks. The regular troops began the en- 



; gagement with platoon firings, which on ac- 

 count of the distance, and breast work, had little 



'.or no effect. The artillery immediately began 

 to play upon the enemy ; to avoid which, their 

 militia and Indians betook themselves to the 

 trees and swamps, and kept up an irregular fire 



"upon the flanks. The engagement was now 

 become general with both armies, but it was 

 without much impetuosity on either side. The 



"tegular troops in theFrench army preserved their 

 ground and order, for some time, with much 

 steadiness and resolution ; but found themselves 

 abandoned by the Canadians and Indians, and 

 suffered severelv bv tlic warm and constant fire 

 from the breast vvork. Unable to make an im- 

 pression on the center, they moved to the right, 

 and attacked the regiments of colonel Ruggles, 

 Williams, and Tilcomb. These regiments re- 

 eeived the attack with firmness, and kept up a 

 constant and vvell directed fire upop the enemy. 

 This attempt upon the right, continued about 

 an hour, without the appearance of success. 

 "pieskau now found that he could not make any 



