tructive fire
from his riflemen at rest, and continued to annoy the column
until he formed a junction with Major Wool. The field pieces did
considerable execution among the enemy's columns. So undaunted,
however, was the enemy, that he never deployed in his whole
march, always pressing on our columns. Finding that every road
was full of troops crowding on us on all sides, I ordered the
field pieces to retire across the bridge and form a battery for
its protection, and to cover the retreat of the infantry, which
was accordingly done, and the parties of Appling and Wool, as
well as that of Sproul, retired alternately, keeping up a brisk
fire until they got under cover of the works. The enemy's light
troops occupied the houses near the bridge, and kept up a
constant firing from the windows and balconies, and annoyed us
much. I ordered them to be driven out with hot shot, which soon
put the houses in flames, and obliged the sharp-shooters to
retire. The whole day, until it was too late to see, the enemy's
light troops endeavoured to drive our guards from the bridge, but
they suffered dearly for their perseverance. An attempt was also
made to cross the upper bridge, where the militia handsomely
drove them back. The column which marched by the Lake road was
much impeded by the obstructions and the removal of the bridge at
Dead Creek, and, as it passed the creek and beach, the gallies
kept up a lively and galling fire. Our troops being now all on
the south side of the Saranac, I directed the planks to be taken
off the bridges and piled up in the form of breastworks, to (p. 236)
cover our parties intended for disputing the passage, which
afterwards enabled us to hold the bridges against very superior
numbers.

From the 7th to the 11th, the enemy was employed in getting on
his battering train, and erecting his batteries and approaches,
and constantly skirmishing at the bridges and fords. By this
time, the militia of New York, and the volunteers of Vermont,
were pouring in from all quarters: I advised General Mooers to
keep his force along the Saranac, to prevent the enemy's crossing
the river, and to send a strong body in his rear to harass him
day and night, and keep him in continual alarm. The militia
behaved with great spirit after the first