said the other, "to the last drop of his blood."

It was after 3 P.M. when General Howe's detachment, consisting of about
two thousand men, landed at Charlestown and formed for the attack.
Prescott's instructions to his men, as the British approached, were
sufficiently brief. "The red-coats," he said, "will never reach the
redoubt if you will but withhold your fire till I give the order, and be
careful not to shoot over their heads." In the mean time, ascending the
hill under the protection of a heavy cannonade, the British infantry had
advanced unmolested to within a few yards of the enemy's works, when
Prescott gave the word "Fire!" So promptly and effectually were his
orders obeyed that nearly the whole front rank of the British fell.
Volley after volley was now opened upon them from behind the
intrenchments, till at length even the bravest began to waver and fall
back; some of them, in spite of the threats and passionate entreaties of
their officers, even retreating to the boats.

Minutes, many minutes apparently, elapsed before the British troops were
rallied and returned to the attack, exposed to the burning rays of the
sun, encumbered with heavy knapsacks containing provisions for three
days, compelled to toil up very disadvantageous ground with grass
reaching to their knees, clambering over rails and hedges, and led
against men who were fighting from behind intrenchments and constantly
receiving reenforcements by hundreds--few soldiers, perhaps, but British
infantry would have been prevailed upon to renew the conflict. Again,
however, they advanced to the charge; again, when within five or six
rods of the redoubt, the same tremendous discharge of musketry was
opened upon them; and again, in spite of many heroic examples of
gallantry set them by their officers, they retreated in the same
disorder as before.

By this time the grenadiers and light infantry had lost three-fourths of
their men; some companies had only eight or nine men left, one or two
had even fewer. When the Americans looked forth from their intrenchments
the ground was literally covered with the wounded and dead. According to
an American who was present, "the dead lay as thick as sheep in a fold."
For a few seconds General Howe was left almost alone. Nearly every
officer of his staff had been either killed or wounded. The Americans,
who have done honorable justice to his gallantry, remarked that,
conspicuous as he stood in his general officer's