d was guarded. It was so indeed:
Davidson was there with his riflemen. At that place the Catawba was
nearly five hundred yards wide, about three feet deep, very rapid, and
full of large stones. The troops entered the river in platoons, to
support each other against the current, and were ordered not to fire
until they should gain the opposite bank. Colonel Hall, of the light
infantry of the guards, led the way; the grenadiers followed. The
noise of the water and the darkness covered their movements until they
were nearly half-way across, when they were descried by an American
sentinel. He challenged them three times, and receiving no answer,
fired. Terrified by the report, the man who was guiding the British
turned and fled. Colonel Hall, thus abandoned, led the way directly
across the river; whereas the true ford inclined diagonally further
down. Hall had to pass through deeper water, but he reached a part of
the bank where it was unguarded. The American pickets, too, which had
turned out at the alarm given by the sentinel, had to deliver a
distant and slanting fire. Still it had its effect. Three of the
British were killed, and thirty-six wounded. Colonel Hall pushed on
gallantly, but was shot down as he ascended the bank.

General Davidson hastened with his men towards the place where the
British were landing. The latter formed as soon as they found
themselves on firm ground, charged Davidson's men before he had time
to get them in order, killed and wounded about forty, and put the rest
to flight. General Davidson was the last to leave the ground, and was
killed just as he was mounting his horse.

General Greene, informed that the enemy had crossed the Catawba at
daybreak, awaited anxiously at the rendezvous the arrival of the
militia. It was not until after midnight that he heard of their utter
dispersion, and of the death of Davidson. Apprehending the rapid
advance of Cornwallis, he hastened to rejoin Morgan, who with his
division was pushing forward for the Yadkin, first sending orders to
General Huger to conduct the other division by the most direct route
to Guilford Court-house, where the forces were to be united. Greene
spurred forward through heavy rain and deep miry roads. It was a
dreary ride and a lonely one, for he had detached his aides-de-camp in
different directions to collect the scattered militia.

Cornwallis did not advance so rapidly as had been apprehended. After
crossing the Catawba, he had to w