he Jamaica Road, that there was no
probability of their coming along the road he was then guarding, and
if he would not let me proceed to where the firing was, I would return
and endeavor to get into the Jamaica Road before General Howe. To this
he consented, and I immediately made a retrograde march, and after
marching nearly two miles, the whole distance through woods, I arrived
within sight of the Jamaica Road, and to my great mortification I saw
the main body of the enemy in full march between me and our lines, and
the baggage guard just coming into the road."

Had Miles been surprised? This is one of the problems of the battle.
For four days he had been on the watch on this flank, and now the
British were in his rear! Would he have made that "retrograde" march
this morning, when the strictest attention to one's particular orders
was necessary, unless he had known that there were no troops on the
Jamaica Road, and unless it was a part of his duty to reconnoitre in
that direction? But he was now making a stout effort to find and fight
Howe, and before charging him with a blunder let us follow the battle
to its close.

One of Miles' soldiers hurried into camp and reported to Putnam that
infantry and cavalry were marching down from the Jamaica Pass;[149]
but all too late, for right upon the heels of the information came the
enemy! They pushed down the road from Bedford, and across the country,
to attack the American outguards in the rear, while the Hessians were
to come up in front. So, if we glance over the field again at about
half-past nine or ten o'clock on this eventful morning, we find the
whole aspect changed, and our entire force on the hills apparently
caught in a trap. Stirling was still facing Grant upon the right, but
his rear was in danger; while Sullivan and the picket guards at the
other passes were wedged in between the two powerful columns under
Howe and De Heister. What now was done? Who escaped?

[Footnote 149: _Force_, 5th Series, vol. i., p. 1195.]

Evidently Miles, way out in the woods on the left, had the least
prospect of getting back to the Brooklyn lines. When he found the
British on the road between him and camp he first proposed to attack
their baggage guard and cut his way through to the Sound, but on
consulting his officers (his first battalion alone being with him) he
turned about, determined to attempt a retreat to camp. It was
impossible for him to succeed, for he had a march of ful