After Cornwallis effected his passage over the Catawba river, at Cowan’s Ford, on the 1st of February, 1781, he only remained about three hours in attending to the burial of his dead.  Tarleton was dispatched in advance to pursue the Whigs retreating in the direction of Torrence’s Tavern.  Early in the morning of the same day a simultaneous movement was made by Colonel Webster, with his own brigade, the artillery, and a small supporting detachment to Beattie’s Ford, six miles above Cowan’s Ford, where a small guard had been placed on the eastern bank.  Colonel Webster, with a view of dispersing the guard, fired several shots (six pounders) across the river, which had its intended effect, and thus enabled him to pass over without meeting with serious opposition.  This was a mere feint, intended to create the impression that the whole British army would cross there.

The two British forces pressing forward with as little delay as possible, united at Torrence’s, ten miles from Cowan’s Ford, where a considerable body of the Whig militia had hastily assembled; but having no one to assume command, and greatly discouraged by the death of General Davidson on the approach of Tarleton’s cavalry, poured in one effective fire, killed seven of the British horsemen, wounded others, and then dispersed in all directions with a small loss.  This skirmish, occurring soon after Tarleton’s defeat at the Cowpens, led him to boast of it in his journal as a brilliant victory!

Lord Cornwallis, in his general orders on the 2d of February, returns his “thanks to the Brigade of Guards for their cool and determined bravery in the passage of the Catawba, while rushing through that long and difficult ford under a galling fire.”

Another order, issued from his camp on the evening of the preceding day, does credit to his head as well as his heart, and shows that he was sometimes governed by the noble principles of moral rectitude.  The order is in the following words: 

     “HEADQUARTERS, CROSS ROADS TO SALISBURY, February 1st, 1781.

“Lord Cornwallis is highly displeased that several houses were set on fire during the march this day—­a disgrace to the army.  He will punish, with the utmost severity, any person or persons who shall be found guilty of committing so disgraceful an outrage.  His Lordship requests the commanding officers of corps to find out the persons who set fire to the houses this day.”

It is presumable his Lordship never received the desired information.  The order, no doubt, has reference to the burning of the houses of John Brevard, who had “seven sons at one time in the rebel army,” and of Adam Torrence, a staunch Whig, where the skirmish had taken place.

General Greene, having been apprised of the battle of the Cowpens, and the result, on the same day when Cornwallis commenced his pursuit of General Morgan, ordered General Stevens to march with his Virginia militia (whose term of service was almost expired) by way of Charlotte, N.C., to take charge of Morgan’s prisoners, and conduct them to Charlottesville, in Virginia.