06 iSTATURAL AND CIVIL 



intercept them. In the evening of July the 

 tvvcntjr third, he ordered the light infantry and 

 piquets to take jDOst on the left, on the road 

 leading; from the falls of Niagara to the fort. In 

 the morning', these troops were reinforced with 

 the grenadiers, and by a part of the forty sixth 

 regiment, cbmmanded by lieutenant colonel 

 Massey ; the forty fourth regiment, under lieu- 

 tenant colonel Farguhar, was posted at the tail 

 of the works, to support the guard of the tren- 

 ches ; and the Indians were ordered and en- 

 couraged to be ready for the contest. 



Thus prepared, the English were read}^ for 

 the battle, and about eight o'clock in the morn- 

 ing the enemy appeared. The Indians in the 

 Engli:sh army, advanced to speak to their breth- 

 ren who were with the French ; but the confer- 

 ence was declined by the enemy. In a few 

 minutes the horrible yell, called the War-whoop, 

 became the signal for slaughter ; and the action 

 was begun with great impetuosity by the enemy. 

 But neither the Indian shrieks, nor the French 

 vivacity could avail ; their troops met with a 

 hot reception in the fi'ont, and Sir William's 

 Indians fell furiously on their flanks. The 

 shock was too violent to be sustained, and in 

 little more than half an hour their whole army 

 was routed. Great numbers were slain, their 

 general and all his officers were taken prisoners, 

 and the -pursuit was continued for five miles, 

 through the woods v/ith great slaughter. 



The battle was fought in the sight of tlie 

 French garrison at Niagara, but the gsirrison 

 was not aware how great a loss the French army 

 had sustained. As soon as the defeat of th« %M 



