Battle of Colson's Mill

Part of the American Revolutionary War

Date	July 21, 1780
Location	Stanly County, near present-day Norwood, North Carolina Coordinates: 35°9′15.74″N 80°5′5.73″W / 35.1543722°N 80.0849250°W / 35.1543722; -80.0849250
Result	Patriot victory

Belligerents

Patriot militia

Loyalist militia

Commanders and leaders

William Lee Davidson

Unknown

Strength

250 militia

400 militia

Casualties and losses

2 wounded

3 killed
4-5 wounded
10 captured

The Battle of Colson's Mill was a battle of the American Revolutionary War that took place in North Carolina on July 21, 1780. A Patriot militia under William Lee Davidson scattered a gathering of Loyalists at Colson's Mill, near the junction of the Rocky and Pee Dee Rivers in present-day Stanly County, North Carolina.

Following the British defeat at Ramsour's Mill, where he arrived with over 1,200 men after the battle on June 20, 1780, General Griffith Rutherford set about chasing down refugees from the battle that were trying to regroup with British troops elsewhere. While he met with some success, expiring enlistments and furloughs rapidly reduced his army's size to about 200. On June 22, he learned that a group of several hundred Loyalists had been recruited by Colonel Samuel Bryan about 75 miles (121 km) to the northeast, near the Yadkin River. Rutherford set off in pursuit, putting out a call for men. By the time he was within 15 miles (24 km) of Bryan's position his force had grown back to 600 men.

Bryan anticipated Rutherford's approach, and began to withdraw down the east side of the Yadkin River with the goal of joining with British regulars on the Pee Dee River. Rutherford gave chase, but his attempts to cut Bryan's retreat off failed. At Salisbury he detached Colonel William Lee Davidson and a picked force to ride down the west side of the Yadkin in case Bryan tried to cross over. However, this design was frustrated when Bryan, marching day and night, reached the British force.

Two days into the chase, Davidson learned that several hundred Loyalists had gathered near Colson's Mill, not far from the junction of the Rocky and Pee Dee Rivers.

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