Page:The Hessians and the other German auxiliaries of Great Britain in the revolutionary war.djvu/297

 Rh scattered and partially captured a picket of chasseurs, and approached the position held by Captain Ewald. This was at first defended by a non-commissioned officer and sixteen men. The captain and nineteen more men hastened to assist them. The Americans had to advance over a narrow dyke, some thirty paces long, and on this they were crowded together. Every shot told in their ranks, and twenty-nine were killed or wounded. The chasseurs lost but two men, and Muhlenberg drew off his force. “On these occasions,” says Ewald, “we must screw the heels of our shoes firmly to the ground and not think of moving off, and we shall seldom find an adversary who will run over us in such a position.” Ewald was wounded in the knee in this skirmish. Eelking relates that Arnold came to see the captain after the fight. Ewald reproached the general for not reinforcing the chasseurs. Arnold answered that he had thought the position was lost. “So long as one chasseur lives,” cried the angry captain, “no ——— American shall come over the dyke.” Arnold, who still considered himself an American, took this in bad part, and showed his pique by omitting to mention the conduct of the chasseurs in the orders of the day. Ewald complained of this to Arnold's aid, and the general came to him the next day with apologies, and rectified the omission. Meanwhile Lafayette, with twelve hundred Continentals, had been ordered to Virginia. The young general marched at once with a part of his force, leaving Wayne to follow with the remainder. Ten French