nfusion, in presence of the whole British
army. As the British infantry were now beginning to turn
Colonel Davie's right flank, these companies were drawn off
in good order, successively covering each other, and formed
at the end of the street, about one hundred yards from the
court-house, under a galling fire from the British light
infantry, who had advanced under cover of the houses and
gardens. The British cavalry again appeared, charging in
column by the court-house, but upon receiving a fire, which
had been reserved for them, they again scampered off. Lord
Cornwallis, in his vexation at the repeated miscarriage of
his cavalry, openly abused their cowardice. The Legion,
reinforced by the infantry, pressed forward on our flanks,
and the ground was no longer tenable by this handful of
brave men.

"A retreat was then ordered on the Salisbury road, and the
enemy followed, with great caution and respect, for some
miles, when they ventured to charge the rear guards. The
guards were of course put to flight, but, on receiving the
fire of a single company, they retreated.

"Our loss consisted of Lieutenant Locke, and four privates
killed, and Major Graham and five privates wounded. The
British stated their loss at twelve non-commissioned
officers and privates killed, and Major Hanger, Captains
Campbell and McDonald, and thirty privates wounded."

This action, although it subjects Colonel Davie to the charge of
temerity, only to be excused by the event, and a zeal which we are
always ready to applaud, furnishes a striking instance of the bravery
and importance of the American militia. Few instances can be shown
where any troops, who in one action, changed their position twice in
good order, although pressed by superior force, and charged three
times by cavalry, thrice their own number, unsupported, in presence of
an enemy's whole army, and finally retreating in perfect order.

The graphic account of the skirmish at, and near Charlotte, from
Colonel Davie's manuscript sketches, corrects a mistake into which
several historians have unintentionally fallen in stating that Colonel
Francis Locke was killed in the retreat near Sugar Creek Church, when,
on the contrary, it was one of his younger brothers, Lieutenant George
Locke, a brave and meritorious officer. This statement is confirmed by
the notice of the