am Hagins, Lieutenant Colonel,
and James Harris, Major. The regiment was encamped on Coddle Creek,
near which time Colonel William Davidson, a Continental officer, was
appointed to the command of a battalion. In a short time afterward,
his command marched to Ramsour's Mill, to disperse a large body of
Tories, under Colonel John Moore, but failed to reach that place
before they had been subdued and routed by Colonel Locke and his brave
associates.

General McLeary was in the fight against a considerable body of Tories
assembled at Coulson's Mill, at which place General Davidson was
severely wounded.

After this service he again volunteered in Captain William Alexander's
company, Colonel Irwin's regiment, watching the movements of the
enemy. About two miles south of Charlotte, Lieutenant James Taggart
captured two wagons loaded with valuable supplies from Camden for the
British army, then encamped near the former place. In this dashing
exploit, two of the British guard were killed, and the remainder made
prisoners, who were afterward turned over to Colonel Davidson. At the
same time, an express was captured from Lord Cornwallis to Colonel
Turnbull, in command of the forces at Camden. Here, as elsewhere in
the surrounding country, it will be seen the vigilant "hornets" of
Mecklenburg were engaged in their accustomed work.

Captain Alexander's command continued to hang on the enemy's rear for
the purpose of making rapid captures and picking up stragglers, and
followed them to the Old Nation Ford, on the Catawba. Colonel Davidson
having been promoted in the meantime to the rank of Brigadier General,
marched down and encamped near Six Mile Creek, where he was joined by
Generals Morgan and Smallwood, in November, 1780. Near this time
General Morgan was ordered to move with a detachment to the relief of
the upper districts of South Carolina. He set off immediately, and
remained there until after the battle of the Cowpens, on the 17th of
January, 1781.

General McLeary again volunteered in Captain John Brownfield's
company, in General Davidson's brigade, watching the movements of Lord
Cornwallis in his pursuit of General Morgan, encumbered with five
hundred prisoners on his way to a place of safety in Virginia.

General Davidson, anticipating the movements of Cornwallis, had placed
guards at four or five crossing-places on the Catawba river, making
his headquarters near the Tuckasege Ford, on the eastern bank of the
river