A skirmish followed.

Scarcely had it begun when Lord Howe dropped dead, shot through the breast.

For a moment, something like a panic seized the army, who believed that they had fallen into an ambush, and that Montcalm's whole force was upon them.

The rangers, however, fought steadily, until Rogers' Rangers and the Royal Scouts, who were out in front, came back and took the French in the rear.

Only about 50 of these escaped, 148 were captured, and the rest killed or drowned in endeavouring to cross the rapids.
The loss of the English was small in numbers, but the death of Howe inflicted an irreparable blow upon the army.