fficers to complete the arrangements
which we had begun, and walking down the field, demanded in a
loud voice to be informed who they were that kept post in so
retired a situation. A voice from the throng made answer that
they were Americans, and begged of me not fire upon my friends.
Willing to deceive them still further, I asked to what corps they
belonged; the speaker replied that they were the second battalion
of the first regiment, and inquired what had become of the first
battalion. I told him that it was upon my right, and assuming a
tone of authority, commanded him not to move from his present
situation till I should join him with a party of which I was at
the head.

The conversation ended here, and I returned to the village; when,
communicating the result of my inquiries to my comrades, we
formed our brave little band into line and determined to attack.
The men were cautioned to preserve a strict silence, and not to
fire a shot till orders were given; they observed these
injunctions, and with fixed bayonets and cautious tread advanced
along the field. As we drew near, I called aloud for the
commanding officer of the second regiment to step forward, upon
which an elderly man, armed with a heavy dragoon sabre, stepped
out of the ranks. When he discovered by our dress that we were
English, this redoubtable warrior lost all self-command; he
resigned his sword to me without a murmur, and consented at once
to believe that his battalion was surrounded, and that to offer
any resistance would but occasion a needless loss of blood. Nor
was he singular in these respects: his followers, placing
implicit reliance in our assurances that they were hemmed in on
every side by a very superior force, had actually begun to lay
down their arms, and would have surrendered, in all probability,
at discretion, but for the superior gallantry of one man. An
American officer, whose sword I demanded, instead of giving it up
as his commander had done, made a cut at my head, which with some
difficulty I managed to ward off; and a few soldiers near him,
catching ardour from his example, discharged their pieces among
our troops. The sound of firing was no sooner heard than it
became general, and as all hope of success by stratagem might now
be laid aside, we were of necessity compelled to try the effect
of violence. Again we rushed into the middle of the throng, and
again was the contest that of man to man, in close and desperate
s