dvance directly in front, throw a bridge
across the stream, and charge up the hill.

A furious cannonade was now opened by the British from fifteen or
twenty pieces of artillery, placed on high ground opposite the hill;
under cover of which, the troops of General Leslie hastened to
construct the bridge. In so doing, they were severely galled by two
field-pieces, planted on a ledge of rock on Chatterton's Hill, and in
charge of Alexander Hamilton. Smallwood's Maryland battalion also kept
up a sharp fire of small arms. As soon as the bridge was finished, the
British and Hessians under Leslie rushed over it, formed, and charged
up the hill to take Hamilton's two field-pieces. Three times the two
field-pieces were discharged, ploughing the ascending columns from
hill-top to river, while Smallwood's "blue and buff" Marylanders kept
up their volleys of musketry.

In the meantime, Rahl and his Hessian brigade forded the Bronx lower
down, pushed up the south side of the hill, and endeavored to turn
McDougall's right flank. The militia gave the general but little
support. They had been dismayed at the opening of the engagement by a
shot from a British cannon, which wounded one of them in the thigh,
and nearly put the whole to flight. It was with the utmost difficulty
McDougall had rallied them and posted them behind a stone wall. Here
they did some service, until a troop of British cavalry, having gained
the crest of the hill, came on, brandishing their sabres. At their
first charge the militia gave a random, scattering fire, then broke,
and fled in complete confusion.

A brave stand was made on the summit of the hill by Haslet, Ritzema,
and Smallwood, with their troops. Twice they repulsed horse and foot,
British and Hessians, until, cramped for room and greatly outnumbered,
they slowly and sullenly retreated down the north side of the hill,
where there was a bridge across the Bronx. The loss on both sides, in
this short but severe action, was nearly equal. That of the Americans
was between three and four hundred men, killed, wounded, and taken
prisoners.

The British army now rested with their left wing on the hill they had
just taken, and which they were busy intrenching. They were extending
their right wing to the left of the American lines, so that their two
wings and centre formed nearly a semicircle. It was evidently their
design to outflank the American camp, and get in the rear of it. The
day, however, being far ad