Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-01-11

-. F.Ss5s go sl-Ng\<e fs's
to advance in the direction Of Guilford, The
North Carolina militia, under the command
of Gen. Davidson, were, stationed at the fords
on the river to impede the progress Of the
British in crossing. This done, Gen. Greene
set out for Salisbury. Had this noble chief.
tain never done any thing else, the planning
Of this retreat, in SO short time, would have
placed him in the rank Of the greatest mill
tary heroes Of his day. It shows that his
mind acted promptly and clearly.
Whilst the American General was devising
plans BY which he might unite his forces and
protect his country, the British General was
equally busy in devising schemes, BY which
he might advance the interest Of his royal
master. The rains had ceased, and the Cataw-
ba, which separated the two armies, was fall
ing as rapidly as it had risen q few days be-
fore. On the evening Of the last day Of Jan
uary, the very day that Greene reached the
camp Of Morgan, Earl Cornwallis ordered his
troops to be ready to march at one O'Clock
the next morning. II was thought, BY the
British Earl, that General Davidson, with the
Mecklenburg and Rowan militia, Rasstationed
at Beattie's ford. Colonel Webster was or-
dered to tai ke the thirty.third regiment the
second battalion of the seventy first regiment,
Hamilton's corps Of loyalists and Jagsrs, the
six Founders and all the wagons belonging 70
the army, and march directly to Beatties
ford He was ordered to Ere bis cannon and
do everything ID his power to draw the atten.
tion Of the Americans to him.. At one in the
morning, Cornwallis, with the main body Of
his forces, set out for Cowan's, or McCowan's
ford, six miles below Beatties. This Vas 9
private ford, and CORVALLIS ppossd that the
American officers would overlook it The
night wis dark and the roads narrow and
muddy. One Of the hree-poundsrs overset
in swamp: This produced, ID the darkness, I
no small confusion: The line Of march was
broken, the men became scattered, and thegun.
ners, in assisting to re,adjust the three-ponnd-
or that had oyerset, got separated from their
own guns. Just as day began to break the
British reached the river. Everything was
in q state Of confusion. The thres-pounders
were Of no use, from the fact that the srtille-
ry-men we're some at one place and others at
another.a ~ 9gs 81 /, ii
From the camp-fres on the opposite side
of the river, CORVALLIS discovered that he
had erred in supposing that the Americans
would neglect to place guard ct McCowan's
Ford, Determined to cross. CORVALLIS or-g
dered Gen. O'Hara to form his guards into 9 /
column and march into the river. The Ca
tawba was considerably swollen, and st this
ford more than 9 quarter Of q mile wide. The /
bottom Of. the river was rocky and the ford
angling across it The guards under o Hara
were ordered not to fire until they reached
the opposite bank. In the brave guards
plunged. In quick succession they we're fol
lowed by their fellow-soldiers. The cold wa
ter reached to their, waists. Infantry and
Uava1ry mower aT0hg slowly but steadily.
Davidson and his men were on the opposite
side of the ford. So soon as the American
sentinel discovered the approach Of the Brit
ish, he fired his gun. This aroused the camp
of Davidson, which was distant some hall. 9
mile. The men in Dayidson's command were
concealed among tbs brushwood Of the forest,
opposite the ford. Captain, afterwards Gem
eral Joseph Graham, commanded 9 company
in General Davidson 3 corps Of militia. Theas
were the first to reach the bank Of the river
and open FIRE upon the enemy. The moment
Captain Graham's men commenced friEg
upon the advancing British, the guide, who
was tory, fed. This was attended with no
little confusion, both to the British and Amer
leans. The British guards, under @ 'Hara, at
this moment, we're near the middle Of the
stream. The, ford instead Of passing directly
across tie river, turned at the point at which
the British had arrived, considerably down
the river. Colonel Hall, who was leading the
British van, not knowing this, and being de-Ss
serted by his tory guide. led the troops straight
across. This frustrated the plans Of the Ameri-
cans. They we're forced to q, make quick
movement; TO the right and form in the new.
The change was made as quickly as possible;
but the troops under Davidson being militia,
it was not effected until the'van Of the Brit
ish, under Colonel Hall, had nearly reached
the bank. In the crossing Of the river, the
British marched in platoons, that they might
support each other against the current Of the
swollen waters. 4T :; llba57
B Although the British were not prevented
from crossing, still II costthem very consider
ably. Colonel Hall was killed just as he as-
cended the bank. The horse on which Corn
wallis rode, Was shot while in theriver and fell,
plunging bis rider in the stream. and died as
sc,n as he had carried his master across the
river. Three privates were killed and thirty
six wounded. u The Americanloss was triaing
in numbers but severe, from the fact that the
brave and, promising General Davidson was
killed. He was shot BY q tory while chang.
ing the position of bis troops. So soon as the
main body Of the British succeeded in cross
ing the river, the North Carolina militia, in
obedience to the command Of the officers, fled
to the woods. The body Of General David.
son was found; after the enemy had passed on,
by Captain Wilson. Il was stripped Of every
garment. Captain Wilson took it up before
him, on his horse, and buried it in Hopewell
The Congress Of The Dated
States voted monument to this noble man an;
but. no monument has been erected. His