l upon the rear of the
American camp. As the dense forests hid them from each other, signal
guns were to regulate their movements. Three, fired in succession,
were to denote that all was ready, and be the signal for an attack in
front, flank and rear.

The American pickets, stationed along the ravine of Mill Creek, sent
repeated accounts to General Gates of the movements of the enemy; but
he remained quiet in his camp as if determined to await an attack. The
American officers grew impatient. Arnold especially, impetuous by
nature, urged repeatedly that a detachment should be sent forth to
check the enemy in their advance, and drive the Indians out of the
woods. At length he succeeded in getting permission, about noon, to
detach Morgan with his riflemen and Dearborn with his infantry from
his division. They soon fell in with the Canadians and Indians, which
formed the advance guard of the enemy's right, and attacking them with
spirit, drove them in, or rather dispersed them. Morgan's riflemen,
following up their advantage with too much eagerness, became likewise
scattered, and a strong reinforcement of royalists arriving on the
scene of action, the Americans, in their turn, were obliged to give
way.

Other detachments now arrived from the American camp, led by Arnold,
who attacked Fraser on his right, to check his attempt to get in the
rear of the camp. Finding the position of Fraser too strong to be
forced, he sent to head-quarters for reinforcements, but they were
refused by Gates, who declared that no more should go. The reason he
gave was that it might be attacked by the enemy's left wing. Arnold
now made a rapid countermarch, and his movement being masked by the
woods, suddenly attempted to turn Fraser's left. Here he came in full
conflict with the British line, and threw himself upon it with a
boldness and impetuosity that for a time threatened to break it, and
cut the wings of the army asunder. The grenadiers and Breyman's
riflemen hastened to its support. General Phillips broke his way
through the woods with four pieces of artillery, and Riedesel came on
with his heavy dragoons. Reinforcements came likewise to Arnold's
assistance; his force, however, never exceeded three thousand men, and
with these, for nearly four hours, he kept up a conflict almost hand
to hand, with the whole right wing of the British army.

Night alone put an end to the conflict. Both parties claimed the
victory. But, though the British