Grimly we awaited the oncoming of those lines of red coats. I believe our people fired with truer aim than at any other time during the action, for each knew only too well how necessary it was that every bullet should count.
As they advanced, and the word for us to fire had been given, among the first that fell was one of their colonels, and then two of their majors, after which Hiram set up a shout of triumph, claiming that he had wounded General Howe himself. Even amid the smoke of the battle I could see that the British leader was moving painfully, yet I must confess bravely, in order to remain at the head of his men.
The breeze from the westward, which had come up just in time to blow from our eyes the smoke of the burning buildings in the town, still continued, and the battle field was more clearly in view than ever before.
During mayhap ten minutes we of the American army did quite as great execution as during the previous assault, cutting great gaps in their lines, and bringing down officer after officer in rapid succession.
Then it was that we could see the beginning of the end. Glancing quickly around to the right and left as I rammed home my last charge, I could see this man and that standing idle, and it was the idleness of impotence and despair, for they had come to the end of their ammunition.
There was no longer anything to be done save await that final assault, with the poor hope of beating back troops armed with bayonets, by the use of clubbed muskets.
Nearer and nearer came the red lines, swarming like hornets over the breastworks, and we all powerless to prevent them!
Could we have had at that moment but half the powder and balls with which we began this battle on Breed's hill, there would never have been a red-coated soldier show his head above our line of works and lived to tell of it.
It seemed to me as if all the space between the fortification and the foot of the hill was covered with lobster backs swarming upon us, and I know that if perchance they were twenty musket-charges left among us, it was what might be called, in such desperate straights, rare good fortune.
Then the enemy clambered up over the parapet, while we met them with a volley of stones, throwing the missiles with as good aim as we had discharged our muskets, and while one might have counted thirty, held them in check.