Imagine the Scene

Take the trail toward the river, by the information panel on the right side of the lot. Near a historical marker, take the fork to the right, which leads under the bridge to a second marker. Stop near there.

A little farther down the trail is the “High Rock” on the right, with part of a post-Revolution mill dam between it and the river. On Thursday, March 1, 1781, a few days after leaving Virginia, Greene’s army arrives by a wagon road on or near today’s High Rock Road from the northeast (your side of the river). The 1,400 regular Continental soldiers, and perhaps 600 part-time “militia” soldiers, set up a very temporary camp. It probably runs along both sides of the road and spills out beside the river, the only water source. Most of the enlisted men apparently sleep in the open; Greene “had brought only a few wagons with him when he recrossed the Dan and only enough tents were carried to shelter the firearms in the event of a steady rain.”[a] A 1754 mill, probably closer to the sign, provides flour.

Walk to the river by the mill dam.

The ford may have been here, though this is speculation. The Haw River was modified for the later mills, but the shallow rapids by the current wall could be the ford of the time. The indentations on the far side suggest a wagon road might have been there at some point.

The comings and goings[1] of the next few days are almost comical:

• Greene’s army leaves the day after arriving, heading southwest.
• The day after, Saturday, he returns from the south and camps here again for one night.
• On Wednesday, Cornwallis’ army of 2,440 men plus camp followers marches up the road to this spot, hoping to catch Greene. He doesn’t realize his route passed Greene’s by less than six miles (on or near modern McLeansville Road, to the west of High Rock Road).
• The British army camps overnight and leaves Thursday morning.
• Thursday evening an American “light corps” under Col. Otho Williams, which is screening Greene from Cornwallis, arrives hoping to catch the British. (A light corps was made up of men selected for endurance and ability, also used to scout and raid.) They had missed each other along the road by hours. Williams camps for the night.

Over 11 days, Green’s army ranges from southwest of today’s Burlington to the north of modern McLeansville to a full-day’s march northwest of here. This serves the dual purpose of providing protection for the militia and keeping Cornwallis unsure of Greene’s location. The army reappears down the road from the parking lot side on Saturday the 10^th, having marched to a campsite further north the day before. From the south, the cavalry of Lt. Col. “Light Horse” Henry Lee arrives. He informs Greene that Cornwallis has camped to the southwest, nearer to modern Greensboro. Perhaps more gratifying to Greene are the 1,000 North Carolina militia units awaiting him here as instructed, from area and Coastal Plain counties.

They all move northeast to Troublesome Creek Ironworks, upstream on the Haw, on Sunday. However, more militia arrive here, and Greene comes back with the army to pick them up on Monday.

He also uses an open space somewhere in the area, probably farmland, to train the militia. Evidently, it is needed. One man explained later, “‘We paraded several times, and at last fired in platoons and battalions; in doing which one of the North Carolina militia was shot through the head; a bullet glancing from a tree struck (George) Moore on the head of our battalion.’”[2] They camp overnight and then take the southern route back to the ironworks.

Perhaps it is here that Greene tries to play a practical joke on one of the militia colonels, and instead gets a compliment, according to an 1871 biography by the general’s grandson.[3] Passing the tent of Col. John Green of Virginia at some point in this period, he hears the colonel snoring. He goes in and shakes Green’s shoulder. “‘Good heavens, Colonel, how can you sleep with the enemy so near, and this the very hour for a surprise?’”

Col. Green forces open his eyes, recognizes his commander, and answers, “‘Why, General, I knew that you were awake.’”

The biography explains: “When the labours of the day were over, and the evening and part of the night had been passed in writing, (Greene) would throw himself upon his camp-bed, and springing to his feet at the first streak of dawn, go the rounds of the whole army, and visit every sentinel at his post.”