cing from the western counties of Virginia under Colonel Preston.
Tarlton had meditated an attempt on this corps; but at midnight, when
his troops were paraded to march on this design, he received an
express from Lord Cornwallis, directing his immediate return to the
army. In obedience to this order, he began his retreat long before
day, and crossed the Haw, just as the Americans, who followed him,
appeared on the opposite bank. Two pieces of artillery commanded the
ford and stopped the pursuit.

To approach more nearly the great body of the loyalists, who were
settled between Haw and Deep Rivers, and to take a position in a
country less exhausted than that around Hillsborough, Lord Cornwallis
crossed the Haw, and encamped on Allimance creek.

As the British army retired, General Greene advanced. Not being yet in
a condition to hazard an engagement, he changed his ground every
night. In the course of the critical movements, which were made in
order to avoid an action, and at the same time to overawe the
loyalists, and maintain a position favourable to a junction with the
several detachments who were marching from different quarters to his
assistance, he derived immense service from a bold and active light
infantry, and from a cavalry which, though inferior in numbers, was
rendered superior in effect to that of his enemy, by being much better
mounted. They often attacked boldly and successfully, and made sudden
incursions into the country, which so intimidated the royalists, that
Lord Cornwallis found it difficult to obtain intelligence. By these
means, all his attempts to bring the American general to action were
frustrated; and his lordship was under the necessity of keeping his
men close in their quarters.

During this hazardous trial of skill, Lord Cornwallis moved out in
full force towards Rudy fork, where the light infantry lay, in the
hope of surprising that corps under cover of a thick fog; and probably
with ulterior views against General Greene. His approach was
perceived, and a sharp skirmish ensued between a part of the light
infantry, and a much superior body of British troops commanded by
Lieutenant Colonel Webster, in which the loss was supposed to be
nearly equal. The advance of the British army obliged Williams to
retire; and General Greene, by recrossing the Haw and uniting with the
light infantry on its north-eastern bank at the Rocky ford,
disappointed any farther designs which might have been forme