eight o'clock
As we went forward in the early daylight , the nature of the ambuscade prepared for us became very plain to me ; and I pointed out to Major Parr where the unseen enemy rested , his right flank protected by the river , his left extending north along the hog-bank , so that his lines enveloped the trail on which we marched , threatening our entire army in a most cunning and evil manner . Truly there was no fox like Butler in the Northland ! All was very still about us as we marched ; the river mist hung along the woods ; a few birds sang ; the tops of the Indian corn rustled . Toward eight o'clock the conch-horn blew ; our riflemen halted and deployed in perfect silence , facing the unseen works on the wooded ridge ahead . Another division of troops swung to the left , continuing the movement to the river in splendid order , where they also halted and formed a line of battle , facing north . And still the unseen enemy gave no sign ; birds sang ; the mist drifted up through the trees . From where we lay we could see our artillery horses straining , plunging , stumbling up a high knoll in the centre of our line , while Maxwell 's division halted and extended behind our riflemen to support the artillery , and Clinton 's four splendid New York regiments hurried forward on a double , regiment after regiment dropping their packs behind our lines and running north through the open woods , their officers all finely mounted and cantering ahead , swords drawn .