HISTORY OF VERMONT. 405 



\i€X.t day the troops landed at the place of des- 

 tination, without any opposition. 



Th£ English troops having landed were im- 

 mediately formed into three columns, and moved 

 forward toward the enemy. The advanced 

 l^arty of the French army consisted of a battal- 

 ion, which lay encamped behind a breast work 

 of logs. This party, upon the approach of the 

 English army, set fire to their breast work and 

 tents, and abandoned them with precipitation. 

 The English forces continued to advance in re- 

 gular order, but their route lay through a tliick 

 wood, which would not admit of a regular pro- 

 gression by columns ; and made it impessible 

 for the troops to preserve their designed arrange- 

 ment and order. The guides were much em- 

 barrassed, and the columns, by crowding upon 

 one another, were in some measure disordered 

 and broken. 



Lord Howe was in the front of the centre 

 column, having major Putnam with him. The 

 advanced body of the enemy amounting to a- 

 bout five hundred, who had retreated from the 

 breast work, began a skirmish with the English 

 troops on the left. Attentive to every circum- 

 stance that concerned the troops, Howe enquired 

 «f Putnam, " what the firing meant." *' I 

 kno wnot, said Putnam, but with your lordship^s 

 leave, I will go and see." " I will go with 

 yoU)" rejoined the gallant young nobleman. 

 Putnam endeavored to dissuade him, and made 

 this remark, " My Lord, if I am killed, the loss 

 of my life will be of little consequence, but the 

 preservation of yours is of infinite impoitancc 

 to the army." His lordship made tins reply, 

 V9L. I. B 3 



