four o'clock in the morning
Two days later a message arrived to the effect that Sir Donald Mackay , who had now been created Lord Reay , had arrived to take the command of his regiment , and that Nigel Graheme 's company was to march and join him ; while Munro with the rest of his command was to continue to hold the Castle of Schiefelbrune . Shortly afterwards General Bauditzen arrived with 4000 men and 18 pieces of cannon to press the siege of Colberg , which was one of the strongest fortresses in North Germany . On the 13th of November the news arrived that Montecuculi was again advancing to raise the siege ; and Lord Reay with his half regiment , Hepburn with half his regiment , and a regiment of Swedish infantry marched out to meet him , Kniphausen being in command . They took up a position in a little village a few miles from the town ; and here , at four o'clock in the morning , they were attacked by the Imperialists , 7000 strong . The Swedish infantry fled almost without firing a shot , but the Scottish musketeers of Hepburn and Reay stood their ground . For a time a desperate conflict raged . In the darkness it was utterly impossible to distinguish friend from foe , and numbers on both sides were mown down by the volleys of their own party .