“Stand firmly, lads; it is your duty to await the word of command. We were ordered to take position here, and here we shall remain until different commands are given.” It surprised me to find all of our little company yet unhurt. I heard the whistle of bullets above my head, and could see here and there upon the shed behind us white spots which told where the missiles had splintered the wood, therefore had felt certain our loss must have been considerable. “The Britishers don’t know how to take aim,” Archie Gordon cried in a tone of triumph as he gazed to the right and to the left without seeing any person who appeared to be wounded. “Look yonder, and you will learn the difference between our way of fighting and theirs!” He pointed to where our people were already overrunning the enemy’s line, and here and there red blotches on the ground told where the redcoats lay dead or wounded. We saw among them so many that it seemed as if we must have brought down a full quarter of their number, and again went up a ringing cheer of triumph, for already half of the general’s force was driving the enemy before them, and that enemy supposed to be well-disciplined, seasoned soldiers who had fought on many a field. Again had General Marion’s “ragged regiment” whipped the redcoats in so short a time as would seem, to one not on the field, almost incredible. Were it not that those men who make a trade of writing history have described each of these engagements of ours, giving us of South Carolina even more credit than I have dared to set down here, I should fear that he who may read these lines at some time in the future, might accuse me of trying to draw the long bow. In all these encounters we had met British soldiers who were thoroughly well-trained in the art of warfare--if indeed the killing of people be an art--and yet had driven them before us when more than once they numbered ten times our strength. Therefore am I prompted to give my explanation of how this was brought about: Let it be understood that I do not set myself up as an authority in such matters, being as yet called a boy, for in years I have not arrived at man’s estate, but one who has taken part in this struggle for liberty may be allowed an opinion as to why the “ragged regiment” were able to thus best the enemy. Both Tarleton and Wemyss, when pursuing General Marion, had enlisted as many Tories as could be persuaded to join them; these same renegades, being even greener at the work than we, and not animated by a love of country and home, as were our people, were the first to turn tail when the bullets came thickly. It is said by those who know, that there is nothing so contagious as the panic of fear, and I am allowing that these Tories spread that contagion in every engagement we fought.