also ascribed the honor of mortally wounding the
commanding officer, when he was standing near the barn door. He was
conveyed to Charlotte, with several others in similar condition, in
one of the foraging wagons, and died of the wound received, at the
house of Samuel McCombs, two days after. When the smoke rose, after
the first discharge of the rifles, the commander, nine men and two
horses lay dead or wounded on the ground. The trumpets immediately
sounded a recall. But by the time the scattered dragoons had collected
and formed, a straggling fire from a different direction, into which
the patriots had extended, showed the unerring aim of each American
marksman, and greatly increased the confusion of the surprise.
Perfectly acquainted with every foot of the grounds, the patriots
constantly changed their position, giving in their fire as they
loaded, so that it appeared to the British they were surrounded by a
large force. When that portion of Doyle's command who had proceeded
forward to forage upon other farms heard the firing, they immediately
returned to the assistance of his party at McIntyre's branch. Every
preparation for defence, attack and retreat was made by the Americans.
The alternate hilly and swampy grounds and thickets, with woods on
both sides of the public road, baffled the efficient action of the
British dragoons. Some dismounted, while others called out to "set on
the hounds" against a foe scarcely visible, except from their deadly
effects. The dogs, at first, seemed to take the track, and were
followed by the soldiers. The foremost hound approached very near one
of the patriots who had just discharged his rifle, and was in full
retreat after his companions; but as soon as the hound came near with
open mouth, he was shot dead by a pistol drawn from the breast of the
rifleman. The next hound stopped at the dead body, and, after smelling
it, gave a whining howl, and the whole pack retreated from the
contest.

A considerable number of the dragoons were killed. The leading horses
in the wagons were killed before they could ascend the hill, thus
blocking up the road. Many of the soldiers in charge of the wagons cut
loose some of the uninjured animals, and galloped after their
retreating comrades. The precise loss of the British is not known. It
is believed, however, from reliable tradition, that they had at least
twenty killed and _a few_ wounded.

That a British detachment of four hundred and fifty infa