ly
ordered forward the reserve with two field-pieces, together with the
Yagers and Linsingen's grenadiers of Donop's corps. The field-pieces
and Yagers came into action at the buckwheat field, and here a
stubborn contest ensued for about an hour and a half.[203] But our
troops pressed the enemy so hard at this point, and the Highlanders
and Yagers having fired away their ammunition, the latter all again
fell back, and the Americans pursued them vigorously to an orchard a
short distance below, in the direction of the Bloomingdale Road. Here
had been hard fighting in the open field, and the best British troops
were beaten! At the orchard the result was the same, the enemy making
little resistance, their fire "being silenced in a great measure," and
the chase continued down one of the slight hills on Hogeland's lands
and up another, near or quite to the terminus of the Bloomingdale
Road. Beyond this third position our troops were not allowed to follow
the enemy, whose main encampment was not far distant. The Fifth
Regiment of Foot had been trotted up "about three miles without a halt
to draw breath," reaching the ground at the close of the action.
Linsingen's grenadiers appeared about the same time, while Block's and
Minegerode's men were sent to McGowan's Pass, which had not yet been
occupied. A large body of the enemy were put under arms, and within
their camp every preparation was made for a general engagement; but
this, above all things, Washington wished to avoid, and, quite content
with the brilliant success of his troops thus far, he despatched
Lieutenant Tilghman to the front to bring them off. Before turning
from the field they had won so gloriously, they answered the bugle
blast of the morning with a cheer of victory, and marched back in good
order.[204]

[Footnote 201: There appear to have been nine companies of Maryland
troops engaged, three under Major Price, three under Major Mantz, and
three others of Richardson's regiment. Among these were one or more
companies of Colonel Ewing's as yet incomplete battalion. One of his
officers, Captain Lowe, was wounded.--_Force_, 5th Series, vol. ii. p.
1024. Also Capt. Beatty's letter in Mr. Jay's Documents.]

[Footnote 202: Greene wrote at a latter date: "Gen. Putnam and the
Adj. Gen. were in the action and behaved nobly." "I was in the latter
part, indeed almost the whole of the action."--_Gen. Geo. Clinton._
(See his two letters in Jay's documents.) "Gen. Putnam and