In a few minutes the roar of cannon joined with the rattle of musketry, and the devoted centre was the object of the British attentions, while the real attacking parties, giving no indication of their approach, were pushing eagerly forward. An officer saw one of his men step aside and commence to load his musket. Ordering him to desist, he was met with the surly c|uestion, " How am I going to fight if I don't load?" Seeing that the fellow was obstinate and refused to obey, the officer ran him through with his sword. This was done in accordance with general orders given before the attack commenced, and was necessary under the circumstances, as it probably prevented a premature betra}^al of the attack. But when at last the discovery was made, the storming parties found themselves the targets for a hail of bullets. The top of the hill was a volcano of " villainous saltpetre" and men in the American ranks began to drop. Colonel Hay fell, wounded in the thigh ; Captain Selden received a wound in the side; seventeen out of twentv men in the advance fell, either killed or

The Storming of Stony Point 311

injured. Wayne received a flesh wound in the head, and called u])on two of his officers to carry him into the works, for he thought that he was mortally wounded and wished to die at the head of his troops. Still not a shot came from the grim, eager, undeviating ranks of the Americans in re])ly to the reverberating volleys of the enem}% but thc}^ entered the works with the bayonet and they subdued the garrison at close quarters. Then the silence was broken. A cheer rang out, -- a cheer that reached the ears of the men on the British war-shi])s in the river, satisfying those good servants of King George that their own side had succeeded in repulsing their assailants.