uniform, it was a
marvel that he escaped unhurt. He retired, but it was with the stern
resolve of a hero to rally his men--to return and vanquish.

The third and last attack made by General Howe upon the enemy's
intrenchments appears to have taken place after a considerably longer
interval than the previous one. This interval was employed by Prescott
in addressing words of confidence and exhortation to his followers, to
which their cheers returned an enthusiastic response. "If we drive them
back once more," he said, "they cannot rally again." General Howe, in
the mean time, by disencumbering his men of their knapsacks, and by
bringing the British artillery to play so as to rake the interior of the
American breastwork, had greatly enhanced his chances of success. Once
more, at the word of command, in steady unbroken line, the British
infantry mounted to the deadly struggle; once more the cheerful voice of
Prescott exhorted his men to reserve their fire till their enemies were
close upon them; once more the same deadly fire was poured down upon the
advancing royalists. Again on their part there was a struggle, a pause,
an indication of wavering; but on this occasion it was only momentary.
Onward and headlong against breastwork and against vastly superior
numbers dashed the British infantry, with a heroic devotion never
surpassed in the annals of chivalry. Almost in a moment of time, in
spite of a second volley as destructive as the first, the ditch was
leaped and the parapet mounted.

In that final charge fell many of the bravest of the brave. Of the
Fifty-second regiment alone, three captains, the moment they stood on
the parapet, were shot down. Still the English infantry continued to
pour forward, flinging themselves among the American militiamen, who met
them with a gallantry equal to their own. The powder of the latter
having by this time become nearly exhausted, they endeavored to force
back their assailants with the butt-ends of their muskets. But the
British bayonets carried all before them. Then it was, when further
resistance was evidently fruitless, and not till then, that the heroic
Prescott gave the order to retire. From the nature of the ground it was
necessarily more a flight than a retreat. Many of the Americans,
leaping over the walls of the parapet, attempted to fight their way
through the British troops; while the majority endeavored to escape by
the narrow entrance to the redoubt. In consequence of t