1763, Aug.] SECOND DAY'S CONFLICT. 65 



vious day, tliey would rusli up with furious impet- 

 uosity, striving to break into the ring of troops. 

 They were repulsed at every point ; but the British, 

 though constantly victorious, were beset with undi- 

 minished perils, while the violence of the enemy 

 seemed every moment on the increase. True to 

 their favorite tactics, they would never stand their 

 ground when attacked, but vanish at the first gleam 

 of the levelled bayonet, only to appear again the 

 moment the danger was past. The troops, fatigued 

 by the long march and equally long battle of the 

 previous day, were maddened by the torments of 

 thirst, " more intolerable," says their commander, 

 " than the enemy's fire." They were fully con- 

 scious of the peril in which they stood, of wasting 

 away by slow degrees beneath the shot of assailants 

 at once so daring, so cautious, and so active, and 

 upon whom it was impossible to inflict any decisive 

 injury. The Indians saw their distress, and pressed 

 them closer and closer, redoubling their yells and 

 bowlings ; while some of them, sheltered behind 

 trees, assailed the troops, in bad English, with 

 abuse and derision. 



Meanwhile the interior of the camp was a scene 

 of confusion. The horses, secured in a crowd near 

 the wall of flour-bags which covered the wounded, 

 were often struck by the bullets, and wrought to 

 the height of terror by the mingled din of whoops, 

 shrieks, and firing. They would break away by 

 half scores at a time, burst through the ring of 

 troops and the outer circle of assailants, and scour 

 madly up and dow^n the hill-sides ; while many of 



VOL. II. 6 



