d
relatives, a few hours before bitter enemies, were now seen freely
mingling together and giving every kind attention to the sufferers,
whether Whig or Tory, within their power.

ROUTE OF THE BRITISH ARMY THROUGH LINCOLN COUNTY.

After the battle of the Cowpens, on the 17th of January, 1781, Lord
Cornwallis left his headquarters at Winnsboro, S.C., being reinforced
by General Leslie, and marched rapidly to overtake General Morgan,
encumbered with more than five hundred prisoners, and necessary
baggage, on his way to a place of safety in Virginia. His Lordship was
now smarting under two signal defeats (King's Mountain and the
Cowpens) occurring a little more than three months apart. But the race
is not always to the swift nor the battle to the strong. "Man
proposes, but God disposes."

The original manuscript journal of Lord Cornwallis, now on file in the
archives of the Historical Society of the State University at Chapel
Hill, discloses, with great accuracy, the movements of the British
army through Lincoln, Mecklenburg and Rowan counties.

On the 17th of January, 1781, the headquarters of General Leslie were
at Sandy Run, Chester county, S.C. On the 18th, at Hillhouse's
plantation, in York county, he returns his thanks to the troops under
his command, and informs them that all orders in future will issue
from Lord Cornwallis and the Adjutant General. At eight o'clock at
night, Lord Cornwallis issues his orders to the army to march at eight
o'clock on the ensuing morning in the following order: 1. Yagers; 2.
Corps of Pioneers; 3. two three pounders; 4. Brigade Guards; 5.
Regiment of Bose; 6. North Carolina Volunteers; 7. two six pounders;
8. Lieutenant Colonel Webster's Brigade; 9. Wagons of the General; 10.
Field Officers' wagons; 11. Ammunition wagons; 12. Hospital wagons;
13. Regimental wagons; 14. Provision train; 15. Bat. horses; a
captain, two subalterns, and one hundred men from Col. Webster's
Brigade, to form a rear guard. On the 19th the army camped at Smith's
house, near the Cherokee Iron Works, on Broad river. On the 20th the
army camped at Saunder's plantation, on Buffalo creek. On the 23rd the
army crossed the North Carolina line, and camped at Tryon old Court
House, in the western part of the present county of Gaston. On the
24th the army arrived at Ramsour's Mill, near the present town of
Lincolnton. Here Cornwallis was compelled to remain three days to lay
in a supply of provisions for his large a