9. THE BRITISH COUNTERATTACK

The completion of the second parallel, including the captured redoubts, would bring the allied artillery at some points to within 300 yards of the main British line, a close and deadly range. To delay the work, Cornwallis launched a counterattack.

The batteries were opened and fired with great success, which silenced the chief of the enemy's batteries; many of their men were killed, and the whole of the garrison thrown into confusion. About 12 o'clock at night, Maj. Abercrombie, of the British, with a party of the Light Infantry and Guards, made a sally, and passing between two small redoubts that were unfinished, and where (by the parties being moved in another post to work,) the line was weak, got possession of the trench; thence they pushed rapidly to a French battery, and spiked the guns and drove our the people, having killed four or five: Thence to the covert way or communication leading from the first to the second parallel, where they halted. They then discovered a battery commanded by Capt. Savage, of the Americans and challenged, What troops? The answer was French—on which the order of the British Commandant was "Push on, my brave boys, and skin the b----rs." This was heard by Count de Noailles, who had the command of a covering party, which he ordered to advance, and was guided by the Huzza of the British. He ordered grenadiers to "charge bayonet and rush on," which they did with great spirit crying "Vive Le Roy", and to use the British phrase skivered eight of the Guards and Infantry, and took twelve prisoners, and drove them quite off. The British spiked Savage's three guns with the points of bayonets, but our smiths and artillery men soon cleared all the guns, and in six hours chastised the enemy for their temerity with the same pieces. Our loss was very trifling, though the British really executed the sortie with secrecy and spirit.

GENERAL RICHARD BUTLER'S JOURNAL.

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