Both sides now tired, several rounds being exchanged. of the British party were seen to fall, and of the Americans two were The British were soon re-enforced and killed and a number wounded. charged the Americans, who retreated in good order, leading their ambuscaded regiment (Colonel Read's) pursuers up to where the first The concealed men rose from behind the stone wall and fired lay. with such effect that the advancing column broke and tied without After a delay of about an hour and a half the ceremony of a reply. along the roadway, " with what were forward came the enemy again supposed/' says Dawson, " to have been 4,000 men, strengthened with Colonel Head and his command, still ocseven pieces of artillery." the attack but cupying their original position, not only renewed bravely "maintained their ground until they had thrown seven welldirected volleys into the (dosed ranks" of the vastly superior enemy, finally retreating across fields and taking up a new position in support of Colonel Shepard's regiment, which was concealed some disHere the previous proceeding was retance farther along the road. peated, seventeen volleys being fired by the Americans before they Next the British came upon the third line of amwere dislodged. buscade, under the command of Colonel Baldwin; but here the opposition offered by the Americans was not prolonged, the nature of permitting the British artillery to be effectively emground ployed. The three regiments, having well performed the duties which fell to them, then retired across Hutchinson's Kivei and up a slope of ground to where the fourth, commanded by Captain Curtis, was This ended the fighting, alstationed, with the three field-pieces. though the British cannon continued to belch thunderously at the the