this time, we observed the Enemy formed,
having a bush of short brush wood on their right, which straitened them
in room, and obliged them to form in columns. About eleven o'clock, the
French Army advanced in columns till they had got past the bush of wood
into the plain, when they endeavoured to form in line of Battle, but
being much galled by our Artillery, which consisted of only one field
piece, very well served, we observed them in some confusion. However
they advanced at a brisk pace till within about thirty or forty yards of
our front, when they gave us their first fire, which did little
execution. We returned it, and continued firing very hot for about six,
or (as some say) eight minutes, when the fire slackening, and the smoke
of the powder vanishing, we observed the main body of the Enemy
retreating in great confusion towards the Town, and the rest towards
the River St. Charles. Our Regiment were then ordered by Brigadier
General Murray to draw their swords and pursue them, which I dare say
increased their panic but saved many of their lives, whereas if the
artillery had been allowed to play, and the army advanced regularly
there would have been many more of the Enemy killed and wounded, as we
never came up with the main body. In advancing, we passed over a great
many dead and wounded, (french regulars mostly) lying in the front of
our Regiment, who,--I mean the Highlanders,--to do them justice, behaved
extremely well all day, as did the whole of the army. After pursuing the
French to the very gates of the Town, our Regiment was ordered to form
fronting the Town, on the ground whereon the French formed first. At
this time the rest of the Army came up in good order. General Murray
having then put himself at the head of our Regiment, ordered them to
face to the left and march thro' the bush of wood, towards the General
Hospital, when they got a great gun or two to play upon us from the
Town, which however did no damage, but we had a few men killed and
Officers wounded by some skulking fellows with small arms, from the
bushes and behind the houses in the suburbs of St. Louis and St. John's.
After marching a short way through the bush, Brigadier Murray thought
proper to order us to return again to the high road leading from Porte
St. Louis, to the heights of Abraham, where the battle was fought, and
after marching till we got clear of the bushes, we were ordered to turn
to the right, and go along the edge of them to