First Skirmish on West Road

The first skirmish between von Malsburg and 100 of Laurens men under command of Major Silas Talbot was on West Road by Redwood House in Portsmouth. The Americans were posted behind a stone wall. After a brief engagement the Americans fell back after suffering one killed and a few wounded.  They are pushed back to a low rise. Malsburg moved his forces forward and attacked Talbot’s forces. They attacked the low rise in three different directions forcing Talbot to retreat up West Road. Captain August Christian Noltenius and his men were ambushed. Captain Noltenius fell seriously wounded by a musket ball that lodged into his abdomen. Hessian and American forces engaged each other along West Road. After General Pigot was informed of the engagement along West Road he ordered the 54th and the 38th were ordered to regroup with General Smith along East Road. Pigot also dispatched the von Huyn Regiment up West Road to support Lossberg. The King’s American Regiment was also diverted from East Road to West Road.