The Americans had clearly not expected to be ambushed here.
In Wilkinson's mind, the entire French Army was currently racing toward Huntsville with Napoleon, recreating their deep thrust into the eastern United States from several years ago. Thus, under his order for a Forced March, the whole American formation had been stretched into a thin line 1.5 miles long, with a great deal of baggage still six miles behind. Captain Pierce's two Cavalry Companies were swiftly crushed by the French Hussars—Pierce had intended to drive off the enemy scouting cavalry, only to run into an equal number of Hussars charging in formation. Before he could react, more than thirty men had already died, and the survivors were cut down in another wave by the French Skirmishers behind them.
Wilkinson heard only the continuous gunfire from the east, yet received no report from Pierce about the enemy. Only then did he vaguely sense that something was wrong.
He had just ordered the troops to pull together and form a defense when the French Hussars cut across the American column a kilometer ahead. The US Army of this era was mediocre at best in combat, and panic erupted at once. No matter how the officers shouted their orders, the soldiers scattered and fled without a care. Especially the veterans who had fought the French several years earlier—they all recalled the sight of masses of Native American soldiers suddenly pouring from the dense forest, and each ran faster than the next.
When the French Hussars reformed in the distance and charged again from the west, the French infantry Column also joined the battle. Wilkinson heard chaos erupting on the north side and continually received reports from officers that they had "encountered a large French Army attack." His face looked as though he had