After the battle of Camden, Cornwallis, believing that he would soon bring the rebels of North Carolina into speedy submission to the British Crown, left the scene of his conquest with as little delay as possible, and designated Charlotte as the most suitable place for his headquarters.  This town had been previously the rallying point, on many occasions, for the American forces, and from which they marched by companies, battalions and regiments, to the front, whenever their services were needed.

Cornwallis entered Charlotte on the 26th of September, 1780.  His approach to the town was from the south, on Trade street, and, after taking possession of the place, his army lay encamped eighteen days in the old field, or commons, nearly opposite the residence of the late M.L.  Wriston, with the exception of one regiment, which pitched their tents about midway between Charlotte and Colonel Polk’s mill (late Bissell’s).  The head-quarters of his Lordship was in the second house in the rear of the present Springs building, with a front yard facing on Trade street.  Many years after the war this building, in which Cornwallis slept unquietly (per noctem plurima volvens), was moved round on Tryon street, and constitutes a part of the house now (1876) occupied by Mr. Taylor, gunsmith, but so changed and remodeled that little of the original structure can be identified to remind us of the past.

The skirmish at Charlotte has been pronounced one of the most “brilliant affairs” of the Revolution; and the correct account of it will be here given in General Davie’s own words, taken from his auto-biographical sketches in manuscript, and now on file in the archives of the Historical Society of the State University at Chapel Hill.

He says: 

“Charlotte, situated on a rising ground, contains about twenty houses, built on two streets, which cross each other at right angles, at the intersection of which stands the court-house.  The left of the town, as the enemy advanced, was an open common on the woods, which reached up to the gardens of the village.  With this small force, viz., one hundred and fifty cavalry and mounted infantry, and fourteen volunteers, under Major Graham, Davie determined to give his Lordship a foretaste of what he might expect in North Carolina.  For this purpose he dismounted one company, and posted it under the court-house, where the men were covered breast high by a stone wall.  Two other companies were advanced about eighty yards, and posted behind some houses, and in gardens on each side of the street.  While this disposition was making, the Legion (Tarleton’s) was forming at the distance of three hundred yards, with a front to fill the street, and the light infantry on their flanks.  On sounding the charge, the cavalry advanced at full gallop within sixty yards of the court-house, where they received the American fire, and retreated with great precipitation.