valley, and pressed along the valley toward the rear of the encampment.
A body of cavalry accompanying them wheeled
to the left, as soon as they had passed the rear of the line, and
directed their charge to the rear of the reserve. A circumstance
unexpected by them, and not prepared for the purpose, broke
this charge completely. The british soldiers, before their tents
were landed, had dug holes about three feet deep to sleep in, at
the same time throwing up the sand round their borders. The
ground over which the french cavalry charged being fall of these
holes, they were at once completely routed with considerable loss.
As the french soldiers were intermingled with the british, sir Ralph
Abercrombie had got among them, but was extricated by some
of his own troops. A french dragoon at this moment rode up,
and made a stroke at him, but not being quite near enough, only
cut through his coat, waistcoat, and shirt, and just grazed the
skin with the point of his sword. His horse wheeling about, he
brought him to the charge again, and made a second attempt by
a thrust. The sword however passed between the general’s side
and his right arm, which he immediately closed upon it; and the
dragoon being at that instant shot dead, the sword remained in
the general’s possession. The conflict was maintained for some
time after this with considerable obstinacy, but at length the
french retreated. In this battle the english lost 250 killed, and
1200 wounded. Among the latter was sir Ralph Abercrombie,
who would not quit the field till the action was over, though very
early in the engagement he received such a severe wound in his
thigh, that he survived only till the 28 th. Major general Moore
and brigadier general Oakes were wounded likewise, but not dan