and posted themselves behind a long string of buildings
and an orchard on the straight road to Princeton.

The two first Divisions of our army therefore passed wide to the right
and left, and leaving them undiscovered went into Princeton. Gen.
Mercer's Brigade, owing to some delay in arranging Cadwallader's men
had advanced several hundred yards ahead and never discovered the
enemy until he was turning the buildings they were posted behind, and
then they were not more than fifty yards off.

He immediately formed his men, with great courage, and poured a heavy
fire in upon the enemy. But they being greatly superior in number
returned the fire and charged bayonets, and their onset was so fierce
that Gen. Mercer fell mortally wounded and many of his officers were
killed, and the brigade being effectually broken up, began a
disorderly flight. Col. Haslet retired some small distance behind the
buildings and endeavored to rally them, but receiving a bullet through
his head, dropt dead on the spot and the whole brigade fled in
confusion. At this instant Gen. Cadwallader's Philadelphia Brigade
came up and the enemy checked by their appearance took post behind a
fence, and a ditch in front of the buildings before mentioned, and so
extended themselves that every man could load and fire incessantly;
the fence stood on low ground between two hills; on the hill behind
the British line they had eight pieces of artillery which played
incessantly with round and grape shot on our brigade, and the fire
was extremely hot. Yet Gen. Cadwalader led up the head of the column
with the greatest bravery to within 50 yards of the enemy, but this
was rashly done, for he was obliged to recoil; and leaving one piece
of his artillery, he fell back about 40 yards and endeavored to form
the brigade, and some companies did form and gave a few vollies, but
the fire of the enemy was so hot, that, at the sight of the Regular
troops running to the rear, the militia gave way and the whole brigade
broke and most of them retired to a woods about 150 yards in the rear;
but two pieces of artillery stood their ground and were served with
great skill and bravery.

At this time a field officer was sent to order me to take post on the
left of the artillery, until the brigade should form again, and, with
the Philadelphia Infantry keep up a fire from some stacks and
buildings, and to assist the artillery in preventing the enemy from
advancing. We now crossed the e