The enemy evidently misunderstood the character of the retreat of Colonel Read and his brave command-- like the Officer commanding the detachment, in the morning, he appears to have supposed that he liad repulsed the Americans; and that nothing remained to be done, except to gather the fruits of his success -- and he cheered and pushed forward, along the narrow roadway, until the head of his column had advanced within easy gun-shot distance from the second line of the ambuscade, on his left flank, where Colonel Shepard and his command were concealed, as we have said, behind "a fine double stone wall ;" when the latter sprang to their feet, and, from behind their all-sufficient shelter, poured into him a welldirected and effective fire. The column was again brought to a sudden and unexpected halt; and alongcontinued and well-sustained fire was kept up, by each of the belligerent parties- -- it is said that seventeen volleys were fired by the Americans ; and that the enemy's line was broken, "several times, once, in " particular, so far that a soldier of Colonel Shep- "ard's" [/^eiz/weH^] " leaped over a wall, and took a "hat and canteen off" of a Captain that lay dead on " the ground they retreated from."

But the disparity of numbers between the opposing forces was so very great that prudence dictated a retreat of the two Regiments wiio had so successfully held the enemy in check ; and Colonel Glover ordered them to fall back and re-form and rest on their arms, in the rear of the third line of the ambuscade, behind which the Regiment commanded by Colonel Baldwin was concealed.