five in
the afternoon
Abercromby , who had remained at the mill a mile and a half in the rear , sent orders for them to attack again . Never did the English fight with greater bravery . Six times did they advance to the attack , but the task set them was impossible . At five in the afternoon , two English columns made an assault on the extreme right of the French , and , although Montcalm hastened to the spot with his reserves , they nearly succeeded in breaking through , hewing their way right to the very foot of the breastwork , and renewing the attack over and over again , the Highland regiment , which led the column , fighting with desperate valour , and not retiring until its major and twenty-five of the officers were killed or wounded , and half the men had fallen under the deadly fire . At six o'clock another desperate attempt was made , but in vain ; then the regulars fell back in disorder , but , for an hour and a half , the provincials and rangers kept up a fire , while their comrades removed the wounded . Abercromby had lost in killed , wounded , and missing 1944 officers and men , while the loss of the French was 377 . Even now , Abercromby might have retrieved his repulse , for , with 13,000 men still remaining , against 3300 unwounded Frenchmen , he could still have easily forced them to surrender , by planting cannons on the heights , or by cutting off their communication and food .