, "and convince our men they had no reason to
be afraid, I gave directions to our drums to beat the reveille. The
troops were in an advantageous post, and I must own I thought we had
nothing to fear." Macdonald was at this time on the plain, midway
between the woods and the fort, and in full sight of it. The roll of the
drums from the hill was answered by a burst of war-whoops, and the
French came swarming out like hornets, many of them in their shirts,
having just leaped from their beds. They all rushed upon Macdonald and
his men, who met them with a volley that checked their advance; on which
they surrounded him at a distance, and tried to cut off his retreat. The
Highlanders broke through, and gained the woods, with the loss of their
commander, who was shot dead. A crowd of French followed close, and soon
put them to rout, driving them and Mackenzie's party back to the hill
where Grant was posted. Here there was a hot fight in the forest,
lasting about three quarters of an hour. At length the force of numbers,
the novelty of the situation, and the appalling yells of the Canadians
and Indians, completely overcame the Highlanders, so intrepid in the
ordinary situations of war. They broke away in a wild and disorderly
retreat. "Fear," says Grant, "got the better of every other passion; and
I trust I shall never again see such a panic among troops."

[Footnote 659: _Grant to Forbes, no date._ "Les rapports sur le nombre
des Francais varient de 3,000 a 1,200." _Bouquet a Forbes, 17 Sept.
1758._ Bigot says that 3,500 daily rations were delivered at Fort
Duquesne throughout the summer. _Bigot au Ministre, 22 Nov. 1758._ In
October the number had fallen to 1,180, which included Indians.
_Ligneris a Vaudreuil, 18 Oct. 1758._]

His only hope was in the detachment he had sent to the rear under Lewis
to guard the baggage. But Lewis and his men, when they heard the firing
in front, had left their post and pushed forward to help their comrades,
taking a straight course through the forest; while Grant was retreating
along the path by which he had advanced the night before. Thus they
missed each other; and when Grant reached the spot where he expected to
find Lewis, he saw to his dismay that nobody was there but Captain
Bullitt and his company. He cried in despair that he was a ruined man;
not without reason, for the whole body of French and Indians was upon
him. Such of his men as held together were forced towards the
Alleghany, a