he fate of battles depends. The troops of Gen.
Gates' army had frequently felt the consequence of eating bad
provisions, but at this time a hasty meal of quick baked bread and fresh
meat, with a dessert of molasses mixed with mush or dumplings, operated
so cathartically as to disorder very many of the men, who were breaking
the ranks all night, and were certainly much debilitated before the
action commenced in the morning."

On the morning of the 16th, the two armies came together, and Williams
at the very onset distinguished himself by his valor, and by his
suggestion to Gen. Gates that the enemy should be attacked while
displaying by Gen. Stevens' brigade, already in line of battle, as first
impressions were very important. Gen. Gates at once replied, "that's
right, let it be done." This, however, could not be accomplished until
the right wing of the British was discovered in line, too late to attack
them while displaying. Williams at the head of forty or fifty men then
commenced the attack, and kept up a brisk fire. But the militia no
sooner beheld the enemy advance impetuously, than they threw down their
arms without firing and fled instantly. This was followed by others,
acting in the same pusillanimous style, and at least two-thirds of the
army never fired a shot. Williams writes:

"He who has never seen the effect of a panic upon a multitude can have
but an imperfect idea of such a thing. The best disciplined troops have
been enervated and made cowards by it. Armies have been routed by it,
even where no enemy appeared to furnish an excuse. Like electricity, it
operates instantly; like sympathy, it is irresistible where it touches."

The regular troops, including those of Maryland, stood their ground, and
by tremendous fires of musketry kept the enemy for a while in check.
Several times did the British give way and as often rallied. But two
brigades of American troops remained firm upon the field. Williams
called upon his regiment not to fly; he saw that to avoid retreat was
impossible but wished it to be accomplished with credit. The troops
stood well and returned the hot fire of the enemy with zeal, until
Cornwallis, charging with his whole force of dragoons and infantry, put
them to total rout. Not a company retired in good order, but Williams
attributed this not to want of courage; they had fought against
desperate odds, besides having to fight for those who so ingloriously
fled, but it appears that there wa