The advanced parties had met, and were beginning to skirmish, when they were separated by a heavy rain, which, becoming more and more violent, rendered the retreat of the Americans a measure of absolute necessity.
The inferiority of their arms never brought them into such imminent peril as on this occasion.

Their gun-locks not being well secured, their muskets soon became unfit for use.

Their cartridge-boxes had been so inartificially constructed, as not to protect their ammunition from the tempest.

Their cartridges were soon damaged; and this mischief was the more serious, because very many of the soldiers were without bayonets.
[Sidenote: After a slight skirmish compelled again to retire, cross the Schuylkill, and proceed to French Creek.] The army being thus rendered unfit for action, the design of giving battle was reluctantly abandoned, and a retreat commenced.

It was continued all the day, and great part of the night, through a cold and most distressing rain, and very deep roads.