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 aka Colson's Old Field. The day after the battle at Ramseur's Mill, Brigadier General Griffith Rutherford's 1,200 men started heading home. By June 22nd, Brigadier General Rutherford had roughly 200 men still under his command. He soon learned that Loyalist Col. Samuel Bryant had persuaded his neighbors to take up arms for the Crown. This was fairly easily accomplished since the Fall of Charlestown and Buford's Defeat at the Waxhaws it seemed that the Patriot cause was soon to be lost. Brigadier General Rutherford sent Col. William Richardson Davie and his cavalry to keep an eye on the Camden Road leading from Charlotte. The remainder of Rutherford's men marched out to find Col. Samuel Bryant's Loyalists. As he moved towards them, the enemy's numbers increased to over six hundred men. When Col. Bryant learned of the Loyalist defeat at Ramseur's Mill and the approach of Brigadier General Rutherford, he crossed the Yadkin River and marched through territory that was friendly to him and his men. His numbers also grew to almost eight hundred men. Hoping to meet up with Maj. Archibald McArthur of the 71st Highlander Regiment, he marched from the Upper Yadkin area. Maj. McArthur had been ordered to Cheraw Hill (SC) on the Pee Dee River, just south of the NC/SC state line. Brigadier General Rutherford pressed a forced-march around Col. Bryant's Loyalists, trying to cut them off and keeping them from reaching Maj. McArthur. He dispatched Col. William Lee Davidson with about 160 men to intercept Col. Bryant and his larger force. Col. Bryant marched his men down the east side of the Yadkin River without stopping to rest until he rendezvoused with Maj. McArthur. Brigadier General Rutherford did not want to attack such a large force, so he broke off his pursuit. Col. Davidson's men continued marching down the west side of the Pee Dee River, and soon learned of another party of Loyalists camped on a farm near Colson's Mill. Colson's Mill was situated at the river junction of the Rocky and Pee Dee Rivers. It consisted of a mill, an ordinary (tavern), stagecoach relays, and a ferry crossing. Col. Davidson decided to attack the Loyalists, but prior to this decision he had ordered his men to place pieces of white paper in their hats so they would not shoot their own men. He divided his numbers - half to attack the front and half to attack the flank. The enemy detected them and opened fire. Col. Davidson continued to form his men while under fire, without having his men to shoot, then they all charged forward. Wearing his blue Continental uniform, Col. Davidson made an easy target. Loyalist sharpshooters fired upon the only visible officer - Davidson - and wounded him in the stomach. The loss of their commander did not deter the Patriots and they charged forward, attacking from two directions simultaneously. After a very short fight, the Loyalists had three killed and five wounded. The remainder fled. In his 1836 pension application affadavit, Henry Stewart (S31982) asserted: "In the year 1780 I think it was but I am not so sure of the correctness of this date as the other, I again volunteered under Captain McCurdy for a term of three months and continued under him for about two or three weeks, and was then transferred with a number of our company to the command of Captain Thomas Ray – and continued under his command until he with a detachment of his company were defeated by the Tories near Rocky River – which defeat being attributed to the bad conduct of Captain Ray – he resigned – and Matthew Stewart my father was made Captain in his stead, and under whom I completed the term of three months – this was also volunteer service as before stated. Later, he repeated this story: "I think this was in the summer of 1780 – Again I volunteered under Captain McCurdy for three months served part of the time under him – when Captain Ray was chosen to our command who after his defeat at or near Collson's Mills [sic, Colson's Mill] on account of dissatisfaction, resigned and my father Matthew Stewart took command in Ray's place – under whom I completed the full term of three months for which I volunteered under McCurdy." In his 1832 pension application affadavit, William Boyd (R1094) asserted: "I served 3 years & 9 months as Lieutenant in a company commanded by Captain Buckner Campbell [Kimbrell], I was in one considerable engagement with the Tories, at the Junction of Rocky & Pedee rivers; the Tories were commanded by Captains Fannon [sic, David Fanning], McGirt & Boston Satts. The result of the fight was 73 of the Tories were killed, (amongst those were the said Captain Boston Satts, on the part of the American troops (or Whigs) 7 men were killed & 11 wounded. Colonel Ledbetter was commander of the troops on the day of the battle, Captain James Crump & Captain Buckner Campbell [Kimbrell] both commanded each of their own company on the day of the Battle; there were several other companies of North Carolina militia engaged in the battle, but the names of their officers I do not recollect; (this Battle was fought in Montgomery County State of North Carolina); the same services were rendered in the State of North Carolina." Later, he repeated his story: "...during this term he was in several engagements with the Tories. The first of which was in the forks of the Little Pedee and Rocky Rivers, in which engagement, 75 of the Tories were killed and among them was Boston Salts, a Tory Captain, and that, Lieutenant Colonel Drury Ledbetter commanded during the battle, and that there were 6 or 7 companies in the engagement, and that there were 5 men killed and 11 wounded in his company, and that he was slightly wounded in the thigh." In his 1832 pension application affadavit, Richard C. Swearingen (S31402) asserted: "The British had taken Charleston and the Tories got quite strong and formidable in the South, one Colonel Davidson & Captain Brevard was raising the men to fight and disperse the Tories, he again volunteered under them for the time of three months. He joined his officers at a place called the Long House on the Fork on the road between Rocky River & Salisbury North Carolina, they then marched on to a place called Colson's Mill in Anson County for the purpose of dislodging the Tories who were there encamped and were commanded by one Major Welch, an engagement took place between the Company under Davidson and Brevard and the Tories which lasted from about daybreak till something like 10 o'clock when the Tories were defeated & run off except those who were taken Prisoners who were some considerable number." |
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Col. William Lee Davidson - Commanding Officer Mecklenburg County Regiment of Militia detachment, led by
Col. William Lee Davidson, with eight (8) known companies, led
by: Surry County Regiment of Militia detachment led by Maj. John
Armstrong (4th NC Regiment), with five (5) known companies, led
by: Rowan County Regiment of Militia detachment of nine (9) known
compaines, led by: Wilkes County Regiment of Militia detachment led by Col. Elijah
Isaacs, with five (5) known companies, led by: Lincoln County Regiment of Militia detachment of two (2) known
companies, led by: Guilford County Regiment of Militia detachment of three (3)
known companies, led by: Anson County Regiment of Militia detachment of one (1) known
company, led by: Montgomery County Regiment detachment led by Lt. Col. Drury
Ledbetter, with three known companies, led by: |
Unknown number of Loyalists, led by Maj. Welch, Capt. David Fanning, Capt. McGirt, and Capt. Boston Salts/Satts. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
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© 2012 - J.D. Lewis - PO Box 1188 - Little River, SC 29566 - All Rights Reserved