“Wait,” Ensign MacDonnell said.
At forty yards, the officers shouted, “Make ready!” and the second line of British infantrymen stepped into the gaps left between each front rank man. The infantrymen presented their muskets. Now, an unbroken line of scarlet coated musket men faced forward. The French column seemed to shiver in anticipation, with the men in the leading ranks hesitating as those behind them pushed them toward the line of black musket barrels.
“Fire!”
Officers repeated the word along the length of the British line. Every musket held two balls to double the effect, and the French were so close and so densely packed that the British soldiers could not miss. White powder smoke jetted, to limit the view of every man, but there was no doubt that the French column was hard hit.
