was on the morning of the 22d that they made their appearance, fully
armed for battle, on the edge of a wood within cannon shot of Fort
Mercer.

"It was a great surprise to our men, for they had not heard of the
approach of these troops. They were informed that there were twenty-five
hundred of the Hessians, while of themselves there were but four hundred
men in a feeble earth fort, with but fourteen pieces of cannon.

"But the brave fellows had no idea of surrendering without a struggle.
There were two Rhode Island regiments, commanded by Colonel Christopher
Greene. They at once made preparations for defence, and while they were
thus engaged a Hessian officer rode up to the fort with a flag and a
drummer, and insolently proclaimed, 'The King of England orders his
rebellious subjects to lay down their arms; and they are warned that if
they stand the battle, no quarter whatever will be given.'

"Colonel Greene answered him, 'We ask no quarter nor will we give any.'

"The Hessian and his drummer then rode hastily back to his commander and
the Hessians at once fell to work building a battery within half cannon
shot of the fort.

"At the same time the Americans continued their preparations for the
coming conflict, making them with the greatest activity and eagerness,
feeling that with them skill and bravery must now combat overwhelming
numbers, fierceness, and discipline.

"Their outworks were unfinished but they placed great reliance upon the
redoubt.

"At four o'clock in the afternoon the Hessians opened a brisk cannonade,
and at a quarter before five a battalion advanced to the attack on the
north side of the fort, near a morass which covered it.

"They found the works there abandoned but not destroyed, and thought
that they had frightened the Americans away. So with a shout of victory,
and the drummer beating a lively march, they rushed to the redoubt,
where not a man was to be seen.

"But as they reached it, and were about to climb the ramparts to plant
their flag there, a sudden and galling fire of musketry and grape-shot
poured out upon them, from a half-masked battery on their left flank,
formed by an angle of an old embankment.

"It took terrible effect and drove them back to their old intrenchments.

"At the same time another division, commanded by Dunot himself, attacked
the fort on the south side, but they also were driven back, with great
loss, by the continuous and heavy fire of the Americans.