Learning there of Rogers's advance and position, he at once sent orders to Colonel Haslet to take his Delaware regiment of 600 strong, and 150 men of the First and Third Virginia under Major Green, and surprise and cut him off.' The Virginians were to lead the attack and the Delaware troops to support them. Rogers bad been a scout of Sir William Johnson's with Israel Putnam, in the French War, was a man of fair education, not much principle, but extremely bold, courageous, and wary. Knowing the American Army was below his position and to the southwest of it, he extended his pickets more than a third of a mile the second night beyond where they were on the first night and doubled their numbers, and then went to his own headquarters. Haslett marched all night and reached the neighborhood before day. His guides not aware of the change in Rogers's pickets led the Virginians directly upon them in the dark, which threw them into confusion. At once all hopes of a surprise vanished. The uproar roused Rogers's camp, the men rushed to the top of the ridge overlooking it and before they could form, their own pickets and the Virginians mixed together came rushing in upon them. It was pitch dark, and the fighting went on in the utmost confusion, the Dclawareans, Virginians and

' III. Force, Fifth Series, 576.

Rangers being all mixed together each man fighting for himself Right in the midst of it rushed Rogers. Roused by the noise, he flew up to the fight not knowing how it was going, but roaring out with presence of mind, in stentorian tones, "They are running," " they are running," " give it to 'em boys, damn 'em, give it to 'em." Reassured by his voice and words the Rangers, actually on the point of fleeing, rallied, redoubled their ettbrts, and the American forces fell back taking many prisoners with them, and the Rangers remained in possession of the ground.