The owner of the plantation was militia Captain James A. Walkup who served as a guide for Davie prior to the attack.

Davie opportunistically decided to attack the Loyalist camp, and succeeded in driving them back in complete surprise and with heavy casualties.

[1] When he learned that companies of Loyalist dragoons and British light infantry were encamped to the rear of Cornwallis' army, he decided to attempt a surprise attack on one of those camps.

Sending William Davidson and a company of men through a cornfield to take the plantation house, he began moving up the lane toward the camp.

[3] Davie again made contact with British forces a few days later when they entered Charlotte, North Carolina.