Late in the afternoon of March 4th elements of Pulaski’s Legion scouted the British redoubt at Matthew’s Ferry. At 11 o’clock the next day they returned to test the defenses of the works. The British fired upon the reconnaissance patrol, and Maj. Vernier’s men suffered the loss of several men and horses.

Captain Ewald commanded the position that Maj. Vernier had tested, and he expected the Americans to return. Ewald placed six Highlanders and six Jägers in two ambush positions along the main road. Two other Jägers were placed in a sentry position in the open, as a decoy, in front of the works. Around 7 o’clock that night Pulaski’s Legion cavalry appeared and circled the sentries to cut them off from the works. When Maj. Vernier’s men got in the kill zone of the ambush, the sentries fired, signaling the hidden soldiers to fire on the cavalry. Nearly all of the Maj. Vernier’s cavalry was shot or bayoneted. A few were able to escape into the night.

The next day Captain Ewald was ordered to abandon the Matthew’s Ferry works. He pulled down the earthworks, set the abatis on fire and crossed the Stono River. After crossing he destroyed the boats he had used. Gen. Clinton’s entire army, except for a small detachment, had moved over from Johns Island to James Island.