Lieutenant William Simpson, 17th Regiment

"The first I knew of the attack was from my servant who came to my tent about 12o'clock at night, and informed me that several shots were being fired at the advance pickets, and that the Drum had Beat to Arms, upon which I immediately repaired to my Alarm Post, at the Outward Abbatis, I belonging to Captain Tew's company. About ten minutes after, I heard a party of about thirty men in cofusion on my right, and imagining them to be British troops, but found my mistake by being wounded and taken prisoner. Soon after being made prisoner by this party, Lt. Col. Johnson came up, having from the extreme darkness of the night also mistaken them for our own people. As he came up he endeavored to give them some orders which orders, as far as I can recollect, were to "Face the damned Rascals," or Rebels upon which they challenged him saying, "Damn ye, who are you?" and one or more of them I saw charge the Colonel with their Bayonets, the Colonel perceiving his error, narrowly escaped from the party."