They were now passing a smooth and beautiful tract of land, consisting of large wheat-fields, called Acker's slope, that declined gently toward the west; when one of the captive officers addressed Michael Dyckman by whose side he was riding; "If our folks were here, this is the very spot where they would charge you." These words were scarcely uttered, when the blast of a trumpet was heard, which in the gray obscurity of early morning, and in the devious places they were traversing, seemed like the summons of the Archangel. In an instant, every foot became motionless and every eye was directed toward the rear, from which quarter the sound approached; when a party of horsemen came in sight close at hand, and commenced forming, apparently for a charge. It consisted, in fact, of the yager dragoons, from Kingsbridge, who had just come up, and joined themselves to Delancey's horsemen, apparently determined upon attacking their weary foes with numbers that' seemed irresistible. Cushing's pris-oners, who, tied together, had hitherto been marching quietly between the retreating platoons, now broke away from the ranks, exclaiming with loud shouts: "Our friends are coming, --Our friends are coming, we'll soon be clear." For a short time the soldiers were in dismay, and even some of the officers asked the guides in a whisper, whether it would not be better to disband and let every man shift for himself. The guides, with promptness, opposed a measure which the danger seemed to justify, but urged the commander to make instant prepara-tions for resisting an attack. The Continental officers, as-sisted by Odell and the two Dyckmans, then went from rank to rank, encouraging the men, who speedily recovered from their panic, and were formed into a square, with the pris-oners, who had been reclaimed with difficulty, secured in the centre.