146 The Story of The Bronx 



once more advanced along the road, shouting and firing their 

 guns harmlessly at their invisible foes. Suddenly, from Read's 

 regiment again came an unexpected and death-dealing volley, 

 which brought the British to a halt and a realization of the 

 strength of their adversaries. Seven volleys are said to have 

 been fired by the Americans, while the British and their Ger- 

 man mercenaries poured in "showers of musquetry and can- 

 non-balls." Read's work was done and he withdrew to beyond 

 the flank of Shepard's regiment on the opposite side of the road. 



The British, having learned nothing from their previous 

 experiences and believing the Americans were repulsed, ad- 

 vanced in solid masses in pursuit ; when from the double stone 

 wall on their left flank, Shepard's regiment arose and poured in 

 volley after volley upon the now panic-stricken men whose 

 officers had great difficulty in rallying them. But the dis- 

 parity in numbers was too great, and the Americans withdrew 

 behind the third line of Baldwin's regiment. 



The enemy had now learned something and advanced cau- 

 tiously in pursuit. Baldwin's fire was well delivered, but the 

 British had the advantage of position and were able to use their 

 artillery to the discomfiture of the Americans. Stubbornly 

 and slowly the Americans fell back over the "Split Rock" 

 road and Wolf's Lane until the}- reached the Boston Post-road, 

 where they crossed Hutchinson's River, removed the planks 

 from the bridge and took position on the heights overlooking 

 the stream, where Captain Curtis was in reserve with the 

 artillery. The British cautiously followed the retiring Ameri- 

 cans, with whom there was a constant interchange of shots, 

 until they reached the river, when they stopped the pursuit. 

 An artillery fire was kept up on both sides until late in the day, 

 but little or no damage was done on either side. 



Glover says: "After fighting all day, without victuals or 



