About three in the morning
This passage in the Chevalier 's Memoirs places the Prince within fifty paces of the best of the battle , a position which would never have been the choice of one unwilling to take a share of its dangers . Indeed , unless the chiefs had complied with the young Adventurer 's proposal to lead the van in person , it does not appear that he could have been deeper in the action . The death of this good Christian and gallant man is thus given by his affectionate biographer Dr. Doddridge , from the evidence of eye-witnesses : -- ` He continued all night under arms , wrapped up in his cloak , and generally sheltered under a rick of barley , which happened to be in the field . About three in the morning he called-his domestic servants to him , of which there were four in waiting . He dismissed three of them with most affectionate Christian advice , and such solemn charges relating to the performance of their duty and the care of their souls , as seemed plainly to intimate that he apprehended it was at least very probable he was taking his last farewell of them . There is great reason to believe that he spent the little remainder of the time , which could not be much above an hour , in those devout exercises of soul which had been so long habitual to him and to which so many circumstances did then concur to call him . The army was alarmed , by break of day , by the noise of the rebels ' approach , and the attack was made before sunrise , yet when it was light enough to discern what passed .