George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 7, 4th edition.

[425] England husbandmen, so often taunted with cowardice,

Chap. Xxxix} 1775. June 17.

beheld veteran battalions shrink before their arms. Their hearts bounded as they congratulated each other. The night watches, thirst, hunger, danger, 17. whether of captivity or death, were forgotten. They promised themselves victory.

As the British soldiers retreated, the officers were seen by the spectators on the opposite shore, running down to them, using passionate gestures, and pushing them forward with their swords. After an interval of about fifteen minutes, during which Prescott moved round among his men, encouraging them and cheering them with praise, the British column under Pigot rallied and advanced, though with apparent reluctance, in the same order as before, firing as they approached within musket shot. This time the Americans withheld their fire till the enemy were within six or five rods of the redoubt, when, as the order was given, it seemed more fatal than before. The enemy continued to discharge their guns, and pressed forward with spirit. ‘But from the whole American line, there was,’ said Prescott, ‘a continuous stream of fire,’ and though the British officers were seen exposing themselves fearlessly, remonstrating, threatening, and even striking the soldiers to urge them on, they could not reach the redoubt, but in a few moments gave way in greater disorder than before. The wounded and the dead covered the ground in front of the works, some lying within a few yards of them.

On the flank also, the British light infantry again marched up its companies against the grass fence, but could not penetrate it. ‘Indeed,’ wrote some of the survivors, ‘how could we penetrate it? Most of ’