118 COLLISION OF THE RIVAL COLONIES. [1755. 



Soon, at the edge of the woods which bordered 

 the open space in front, painted Indians were seen, 

 and bayonets glittered among the foliage, shining, 

 in the homely comparison of a New-England 

 soldier, like a row of icicles on a January morn- 

 ing. The French regulars marched in column to 

 the edge of the clearing, and formed in line, con- 

 fronting the English at the distance of a hundred 

 and fifty yards. Their complete order, their white 

 uniforms and bristling bayonets, were a new and 

 startling sight to the eyes of Johnson's rustic 

 soldiers, who raised but a feeble cheer in answer 

 to the shouts of their enemies. Happily, Dieskau 

 made no assault. The regulars opened a distant 

 lire of musketry, throwing volley after volley against 

 the English, while the Canadians and Indians, dis- 

 persing through the morasses on each flank of the 

 camp, fired sharply, under cover of the trees and 

 bushes. In the rear, the English were protected 

 by the lake ; but on the three remaining sides, 

 they were hedged in by the flash and smoke of 

 musketry. 



The fire of the French had little effect. The 

 English recovered from their first surprise, and 

 every moment their confidence rose higher and 

 their shouts grew louder. Levelling their long 

 hunting guns with cool precision, they returned a 

 fire which thinned the ranks of the French, and 

 galled them beyond endurance. Two cannon were 

 soon brought to bear upon the morasses which 

 sheltered the Canadians and Indians ; and though 

 the pieces were served with little skill, the assail- 



