“Waste no time in reloading, lads,” I whispered, myself setting the example by charging my weapon, and before the Britishers had really come to understand that there was without doubt a foe behind them, we let go a second volley. Then in the darkness, while the smoke from our weapons hung heavy before our eyes, I could see that line of Britishers waver, seemingly to have grown weak in the middle, and an instant later came that which caused me to cry aloud in fear and astonishment. A heavy volley, which must have been made up of at least thirty guns, rang out midway between where we were standing and the main road upon the right flank of the foe. “Who can be there?” Jacob Breen cried as if in alarm, and I cheered vigorously, for on the instant came the thought that it was the other squad of our “ragged regiment,” either that led by Captain Horry, or General Marion, who had thus come upon the scene of conflict. Now it was that the enemy, fired upon from three widely diverging points, began to suppose they were attacked by an overwhelming force, and that the men were growing uncomfortable in mind we understood by the cries of command for them to stand firm, or to close up the ranks, which were heard now and then from the officers. This was as much as telling us that we needed to make but one more desperate attack and the day would be ours. From the front came the huzzas of our people as they charged down upon the line; from the right wing a second and third volley mingled with shouts of triumph, and then it was we Minute Boys added our voices to the din as we fired. I care not how brave soldiers may be, how reckless they have grown of life, there are none who, in such a position as our enemy was then placed, could hold their ground. In the darkness, attacked by what they believed to be a heavy force from every direction, fired upon from the rear by a seemingly large number, and their right flank pressed by a superior body, there was nothing left but to retreat, for the boldest general who ever commanded an army would have had good reason for believing that to remain longer in that position was to invite annihilation. Therefore it was only natural, as I have said, the king’s soldiers should fall back without loss of time, and that their officers believed the rebels, as they were pleased to call us, had gathered in overwhelming numbers, was shown by the fact that instead of retreating into the building, where they might make a more successful stand, the whole force was drawn back to seek what cover could be found in the rear of the negro quarters.