When the rebels began to march down into the road on the regulars by divisions from their left, as they had every advantage of the ground, officers mentioned to Capt. Laurie that would be better to go over the bridge and raise a few planks.¹³⁹ After consulting with Lt. Sutherland of the 38th, Capt. Laurie determined to repass the bridge with the three companies, retreating by divisions, to check their progress.¹⁴⁰ They retreated over the bridge and took up three planks¹⁴¹ of the bridge. Someone of the militia remonstrated in a loud voice.¹⁴² The militia hastened their steps toward the bridge¹⁴³ and ran toward the British.¹⁴⁴ They desisted¹⁴⁵ and joined their ranks.¹⁴⁶ Capt. Laurie ordered his men to form a line to the right and left of the bridge,¹⁴⁷ lining the opposite side of the river with the company of the 43rd to flank the 4th and the 10th¹⁴⁸ in the road,¹⁴⁹ one behind the other¹⁵⁰ and keep their fire,¹⁵¹ and the 43rd on each side. The militia were marching along the road in double file.¹⁵² The rebels had got within 80 yards of the British,¹⁵³ when halted and fronted, filling the road from top to bottom.¹⁵⁴ A gun was fired from the British side. The ball struck the water on the south of the river and threw up the water about the middle of the river, then was heard the report of two others directly after, a second and a third shot over the militia heads. A volley immediately followed, by which Luther Blanchard, Acton fifer, was slightly wounded and hearing him cry out, Maj. Buttrick cried, “Fire, for God’s sake Fire!” The cry “Fire, fire,” was made from front to rear. The order was obeyed, the British returned the fire and killed Capt. Davis and Abner Hosmer, a private of his company, and wounded Ezekiel Davis, brother of the captain, a ball pass through his hat and slightly touched his head. The militia was ordered to fire. A general popping from the militia ensued. The rebels and the front company of the British, the light infantry of the 4th, fired, as did a few of the 43rd from the flanks. Capt. Laurie commanded his men to be steady and return the fire. The rebels fire was a very heavy one. The balls whistled. Though the companies of the 4th and 10th were drawn up in order to fire street firing, yet the weight of the rebels fire was such that the British were obliged to give way, the British companies went to the right about in spite of all could be done to prevent them, then run with the greatest precipitance. The fire did not last more than two minutes. The British were forced to quit the bridge, run and the fire ceased.

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