explosion set fire to the surrounding buildings. The fire was soon uncontrollable and 143 buildings were consumed by flames. Several ships in the harbor were able to escape upriver when the wind changed. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Eyre's force of 800 men landed on the east side of the Thames River, but they were slowed by tangled woodlands and swamplands. The New Jersey Loyalists landed after the initial wave of regulars, also delayed by the difficulty in moving the artillery through rough conditions, and they did not participate in the assault. The other division of troops landed on the east side of the river ... under the command of Col. Eyre and Major Montgomery. This division ... got to the terminus of the woods ... a little south of east on a direct line from the fort. Here the division halted, and Major Montgomery sent Captain Beckwith with a flag to the fort to demand its surrender. Colonel Ledyard ... sent a flag and met Beckwith.... The bearer of the American flag answered, "Colonel Ledyard will maintain the fort to the last extremity." Eyre sent a second parley flag, threatening to give no quarter if the militia did not surrender. Ledyard's response was as before, even though some of his subordinates argued that they should leave the fort and fight outside it. Arnold ordered Eyre to assault the fort, believing that it would fall easily. However, upon reaching a prominence from which he could see its defenses, Arnold realized that the fort was more complete than anticipated and that taking it would not be easy. One of the reasons for taking the fort was to prevent the escape of boats upriver, and many had already passed beyond the fort; Arnold, therefore, attempted to recall Eyre, but the battle was joined a few minutes before the messenger arrived. Battle On the return of the second parley flag, Eyre launched a full-scale assault upon the fort and its roughly 150 defenders. Stephen Hempstead, a sergeant in Shapley's Company, recounted, "When the answer to their demand had been returned... the enemy were soon in motion, and marched with great rapidity, in a solid column... they rushed furiously and simultaneously to the assault of the southwest bastion and the opposite sides." As the British neared the ditch, they were met by a bombardment of grapeshot that killed and wounded many. This briefly scattered them, but