Being informed on the night of his arrival at home that the Tories were embodied in strong force at Ramsour’s Mill, near the present town of Lincolnton, he immediately raised a small company and joined General Davidson’s battalion, General Rutherford commanding, encamped at Colonel Dickson’s plantation, three miles northwest of Tuckaseege ford.  General Rutherford broke up his encampment at that place, early on the morning of the 20th of June, 1780, then sixteen miles from Ramsour’s Mill, and marched with his forces, expecting to unite with Colonel Locke in making a joint attack upon the Tories, but failed to reach the scene of conflict until two hours after the battle.  The Tories had been signally defeated and routed by Colonel Locke and his brave associates, and about fifty made prisoners, among the number a brother of Colonel Moore, the commander of the Tory forces.

Immediately after this battle he received orders from Colonels Johnston and Dickson to proceed with his company to Colonel Moore’s residence, six or seven miles west of the present town of Lincolnton, and arrest that Tory leader, but he had fled with about thirty of his follower’s to Camden, S.C., where Cornwallis was then encamped.  Soon after this service Captain Martin was ordered to proceed with his company to Rugeley’s Mill, in Kershaw county, S.C.  Here Colonel Rugeley, the Tory commander, had assembled a considerable force, and fortified his log barn and dwelling house.  Colonel Washington, by order of General Morgan, had pursued him with his cavalry, but having no artillery, he resorted to an ingenious stratagem to capture the post without sacrificing his own men.  Accordingly he mounted a pine log, fashioned as a cannon, elevated on its own limbs, and placed it in position to command the houses in which the Tories were lodged.  Colonel Washington then made a formal demand for immediate surrender.  Colonel Rugeley fearing the destructive consequences of the formidable cannon bearing upon his command in the log barn and dwelling house, after a stipulation as to terms, promptly surrendered his whole force, consisting of one hundred and twelve men, without a gun being fired on either side.  It was upon the reception of the news of this surrender that Cornwallis wrote to Tarleton, “Rugeley will not be made a Brigadier.”

After this successful stratagem, seldom equaled during the war, Captain Martin was ordered to march with his company in pursuit of Colonel Cunningham, (commonly called “bloody Bill Cunningham”) a Tory leader, encamped on Fishing creek, but he fled so rapidly he could not overtake him.  During the latter part of August and the whole of September, Captain Martin was rarely at home, and then not remaining for more than two days at a time.  About the last week of September he marched with his company by a circuitous route, under Colonel Graham, to the Cowpens.  There he united with Colonels Campbell, Shelby, Sevier, Cleaveland and other officers and marched with them to King’s Mountain.  In this battle Captain Martin acted a conspicuous part, was in the thickest of the fight, and lost six of his company.  After this battle he continued in active scouting duties wherever his services were needed.