little effect. Basden then led a charge against the American position. As the British advanced towards the bridge, bunched into a column by the narrow road, the Americans poured a withering fire into them, mowing down the leading troops. Basden only became aware of the abatis after the British had crossed the bridge, but nevertheless led an advance up the hill. The British were unable to climb the icy slope in the face of the heavy fire and were beaten back. Basden himself was wounded in the leg, and Captain Johnston, leading the light company of the Royal Scots, was killed. The British regulars then fell back into the ravine through which the creek flowed and tried to drive the Americans from the hill with musket fire from behind trees, but the Americans firing from a height inflicted heavy casualties. On the flanks, the Indians had not pressed their attack. The Rangers had been more successful, but were too few to risk an attack into the American position. As darkness fell at about 6.30 p.m. the entire British force, now commanded by Ensign Mills of the 2/89th, retreated. The British had suffered 14 killed, 51 wounded, 1 wounded prisoner and 1 missing. The Americans lost 4 killed and 3 wounded. Aftermath Although Holmes had defeated Basden's force, he knew he was outnumbered and decided that he would be unable to capture the post at Delaware. At 9 p.m. he abandoned his position at Twenty Mile Creek and retreated to Detroit. The British also later abandoned the outpost at Delaware. However, the two American 6-pounder guns which Holmes had abandoned near Pointe au Pelee were later discovered by another local Canadian militia unit, the Loyal Essex Volunteers. The Volunteers destroyed the carriages and concealed the guns in a black ash swamp, where they remained to the end of the war. Holmes was promoted to Major, but was killed a few months later at the Battle of Mackinac Island. Basden recovered from his wound, and later fought at the Battle of Lundy's Lane. At the end of the year, he was temporarily in command of the remnants of the 2/89th Regiment. (He was later made Companion of the Bath after serving in the First Anglo-Burmese War, and returned to Canada to serve during the Rebellions of 1837.) Legacy Eight active regular battalions of the United States Army (1-3 Inf, 2-3 Inf, 4-3