After his recovery, Major Davie returned to Salisbury, and resumed the study of law.  In 1780, he obtained his license to practice, and soon became distinguished in his profession.  But the camp rather than the Court-house, still demanded his services.  In the winter of 1780, he obtained authority from the General Assembly of North Carolina to raise a troop of cavalry, and two companies of mounted infantry.  But the authority only was granted.  The State being too poor to provide the means, Major Davie, with a patriotism worthy of perpetual remembrance, disposed of the estate acquired from his uncle, and thus raised funds to equip the troops.  With this force, he proceeded to the southwestern portion of the State and protected it from the predatory incursions of the British and Tories.  Charleston having surrendered on the 12th of May, 1780, and Tarleton’s butchery of Colonel Buford’s regiment, in the Waxhaws, on the 29th, induced General Rutherford to order out the militia in mass, to oppose the advance of the conquerors.  On the 3rd of June, nine hundred men assembled at Charlotte, ready to defend their country.  The militia were reviewed by General Rutherford, and, after being addressed in strong, patriotic language by Dr. Whorter, President of the College in Charlotte, were dismissed, with directions to hold themselves in readiness at a moment’s warning.

Lord Rawdon having advanced with the British army to Waxhaw Creek, General Rutherford issued, on the 10th of June, his orders for the militia to rendezvous at McKee’s plantation, eighteen miles north-east of Charlotte.  The orders were obeyed, and on the 12th eight hundred men were in arms on the ground.  On the 14th the troops were organized.  The cavalry, under Major Davie, was formed into two troops under Captains Lemmonds and Martin; a battalion of three hundred light infantry was placed under Colonel William Davidson, a regular officer, and the remainder under the immediate command of General Rutherford.

On the 15th of June General Rutherford marched within two miles of Charlotte.  Here he learned that Lord Rawdon had retrograded from the Waxhaws to Camden.  He then resolved to advance on the Tories, who, it was well known, had assembled in strong force at Ramsour’s Mill, near the present town of Lincolnton.  Having issued orders on the 14th to Colonel Francis Locke, Captains Falls and Brandon, of Rowan, and to Major David Wilson, of Mecklenburg, and to other officers, to raise men and attack this body of Tories, he marched on the 18th eleven miles, to Tuckasege Ford, on the Catawba River.  He sent an express on the same day to Colonel Locke to meet him with his forces three miles north-west of the river, at Colonel Dickson’s plantation.  The express, for some unknown reason, never reached Colonel Locke.  This officer, failing to secure the co-operative aid of General Rutherford, marched from Mountain Creek late on the evening of the 19th of June, and early on the morning of the 20th attacked and routed the Tories before the arrival of General Rutherford’s forces. (For further particulars, see the “Battle of Ramsour’s Mill,” under the head of Lincoln County.)