“It furnishes a lesson to officers of partisan corps, that every officer of a detachment may, at some time, have its safety and reputation committed to him, and that the slightest neglect of duty is generally severely punished by an enemy.”

Rocky Mount is on the west bank of the Wateree River (as the Catawba is called after its junction with Wateree Creek), thirty miles from Camden, and was garrisoned by Colonel Turnbull with one hundred and fifty New York volunteers and some militia.  Its defences consisted of two log-houses, a loop-holed building and an abattis.[J]

On the 30th of July, 1780, General Sumter and Colonel Neal, from South Carolina, and Colonel Irwin, with three hundred Mecklenburg militia, joined Major Davie.  A council was held, and it was determined that simultaneous attacks should be made upon the British posts at Rocky Mount and Hanging Rock.  General Sumter was accompanied by Colonels Neal, Irwin and Lacy, and Captain McLure, and some of his kinsmen, the Gastons.  Having; crossed the Catawba at Blair’s Ford, he arrived early on the next day, and made vigorous attacks against the fort, but failed in capturing it, mainly for the want of artillery.  The attack elicited the praise of even the enemy.  Early in the action, the gallant Colonel Neal was killed, with five whites and one Catawba Indian, and many were severely wounded.  The British loss was ten killed, and the same number wounded.  General Sumter ordered a retreat, which was effected without further annoyance or loss.

Major Davie, with about forty mounted riflemen, and the same number of dragoons, and some Mecklenburg militia, under Colonel Hagins, approached Hanging Rock on the same day.  While he was reconnoitering the ground, previous to making the attack, he was informed that three companies of Bryan’s Tory regiment, returning from a foraging expedition, were encamped at a farmhouse near the post.

Major Davie, with his brave associates, immediately fell upon them with vigor, both in front and rear, and all but a few of them were either killed or wounded.  No time could be spared to take prisoners, as the engagement at the farm-house was in full view of the British post at Hanging Rock.  The fruits of this victory were sixty valuable horses, and one hundred muskets and rifles.  The whole camp of the enemy instantly beat to arms, but this brilliant affair was ended, and Davie out of reach before the enemy’s forces were in motion, or their consternation subsided from this daring and successful attack.  Major Davie reached his camp safely without the loss of a single man.