ling his men to follow; but, as he climbed the slope, the enemy's
fire flashed out from behind every tree, and he fell dead. The men in
the rear pressed forward to support their comrades, when the enemy in
the bushes on the right flank also opened fire.

Then a panic began. Some fled at once for the camp, and the whole
column recoiled in confusion, as from all sides the enemy burst out,
shouting and yelling. Colonel Whiting, however, bravely rallied a
portion of Williams' regiment, and, aided by some of the Mohawks, and
by a detachment which Johnson sent out to his aid, covered the retreat,
fighting behind the trees like the Indians, and falling back in good
order with their faces to the enemy.

So stern and obstinate was their resistance that the French halted
three-quarters of a mile from the camp. They had inflicted a heavy
blow, but had altogether failed in obtaining the complete success they
looked for. The obstinate defence of Whiting and his men had surprised
and dispirited them, and Dieskau, when he collected his men, found the
Indians sullen and unmanageable, and the Canadians unwilling to advance
further, for they were greatly depressed by the loss of a veteran
officer, Saint Pierre, who commanded them, and who had been killed in
the fight. At length, however, he persuaded all to move forward, the
regulars leading the way.

James Walsham had not accompanied the column, and was sitting at
breakfast with General Johnson, on the stump of a tree in front of his
tent, when, on the still air, a rattling sound broke out.

"Musketry!" was the general exclamation.

An instantaneous change came over the camp. The sound of laughing and
talking was hushed, and every man stopped at his work. Louder and
louder swelled the distant sound, until the shots could no longer be
distinguished apart. The rattle had become a steady roll.

"It is a regular engagement!" the general exclaimed. "The enemy must be
in force, and must have attacked Williams' column."

General Johnson ordered one of his orderlies to mount and ride out at
full speed and see what was going on. A quarter of an hour passed. No
one returned to his work. The men stood in groups, talking in low
voices, and listening to the distant roar.

"It is clearer than it was," the general exclaimed.

Several of the officers standing round agreed that the sound was
approaching.

"To work, lads!" the general said. "There is no time to be lost. Let
all the axemen fel