Many and many a man besides Prescott and Putnam, Stark and
Pomeroy, Knowlton and McClary, raged like wolves that day at its ending,
to find themselves compelled to accept a retreat as the alternative of
capture or death. Like lions making for their lairs in the hills,
Prescott and Putnam gave way at last before the overwhelming forces of
the enemy; and, after passing through the storm of cannon-balls still
hurtling across the Neck, they had leisure to count up their losses; for
the British were too exhausted, too much in awe of their prowess, even,
to pursue.
It was a very good showing for green troops, that which told the
respective losses of British and Americans: more than a thousand of the
former, as against less than five hundred of the latter. Each side lost,
in killed and wounded, about one-third the total number of its men, for
the British brought about four thousand five hundred troops into the
field; while the Americans in active conflict, including such
reenforcements as reached the hill, scarcely exceeded fifteen hundred.
A very good showing, a "great victory"--yet purchased at fearful cost
to both sides.
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