Project Information
The North Carolina Department of Natural & Cultural Resources is working to study a campaign of the Revolutionary War typically called the “Race to the Dan.” The Race to the Dan River in Virginia was part of the efforts by American Major General Nathaniel Greene to wear down and stretch supply lines for the British under the command of General Lord Cornwallis. Cornwallis had entered North Carolina near Charlotte after an embarrassing defeat at Cowpens in South Carolina. The dramatic six-week pursuit of American troops stretched across the western Piedmont of North Carolina and into Virginia before culminating at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. Cornwallis technically won the day at Guilford, but his men were tired, poorly supplied, and many were injured. Cornwallis marched to Wilmington and then northward to Virginia, ending in his surrender at Yorktown. Without the harassment and damage inflicted on Cornwallis in the North Carolina campaign, the engagement at Yorktown may have had a very different outcome.
Race to the Dan Map
Continued Research
A new National Heritage Corridor was created in 2022 and traces the Southern Campaign of the Revolutionary War in North and South Carolina based on research from 2015, but does not include the important maneuvers of the Race to the Dan campaign. In fact, the research project that led to the creation of the new corridor referenced the Race to the Dan campaign and suggested that it should be studied as a future partner trail. This project mirrors the format of the National Park Service proposed corridor work – historical research, on-site surveys where possible, and community listening sessions in the potential heritage area.
The Department is working with a research firm to survey the known sites associated with the Race to the Dan, including campsites, skirmish areas, important river crossings, and other strategic areas associated with General Greene’s efforts to string out, delay, and out maneuver British troops under Cornwallis. The ultimate goal of this planning project is to determine if there are enough cohesive areas to justify the creation of a corridor for the Race to the Dan and to propose its addition to the existing Southern Campaign Corridor. The Department has created a preliminary list of sites associated with the campaign, which serve as the starting point for the project.
Preliminary Race to the Dan Locations January - March 1781
Date | Location | County | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
25-Jan |
| Cornwallis camped here and burned his wagon train | |
1-Feb | Mecklenburg/Lincoln | Cornwallis, pursuing Greene, crossed the Catawba here after sharp fight. | |
1-Feb | Iredell | British cavalry led by Colonel Tarleton routed a force of American militia here | |
3-Feb | Rowan/ Davidson | Cornwallis tried to head off Brig. Gen. Daniel Morgan, who had already crossed at this location | |
7-Feb | Forsyth/ Yadkin | Crossing used in 1781 by army of Lord Cornwallis | |
9-Feb |
| Greene has 2036 men: 1426 infantry, 600 underprepared militiamen. Cornwallis has 2440 soldiers, 2000 of them better trained and equipped regulars. Greene calls council and agrees to move forces to Guilford Courthouse. | |
February 13 to 15 | Person | Greene crossed on the 13th into Virginia and Cornwallis arrived on the 15th, too late because all of Greene’s army had crossed and all boats were on their side of the river | |
17-Feb | Orange | Skirmish here in 1781 that boosted the Patriot cause | |
22-Feb |
|
| Cornwallis in Hillsborough, from this point until Guilford Court House Greene and Cornwallis are separated by no more than 20 miles. |
25-Feb | Alamance | Lt. Col Henry Lee and his 800 militiamen whip Col. John Pyle's 400 Loyalists | |
February 27-March 12 | Rockingham | Gen. Nathanael Greene maintained headquarters here before meeting Cornwallis at Guilford Courthouse | |
4-Mar | Alamance | Troops led by Henry Lee ambushed British cavalry of Banastre Tarleton here. Americans retreated under heavy British fire | |
5-Mar | Alamance | The day after the battle, Capt. Graham and 25 men scout the battlefield to see who's left. Skirmish ensues | |
6-Mar | Guilford | Site of a skirmish between American forces under Col. O. H. Williams and British troops under Col. James Webster | |
15-Mar | Guilford | Early in the morning, the British and American forces skirmished near the New Garden Meeting House prior to the Battle of Guilford Courthouse | |
15-Mar | Guilford | Armies of Greene and Cornwallis engaged in pivotal battle here. Site now U.S. military park | |
15 to 17 Mar | Greensboro | Guilford | Greene spends two days tending the wounded |
| 18-Mar | Cornwallis heads for Wilmington | ||
19-Mar | Chatham | Cornwallis, following the battle of Guilford Courthouse, spent several days building a bridge over Deep River here | |
March | Rockingham | Used in the Revolution. Greene’s army camped here after Battle of Guilford CH |
Contact Us
For more information, please contact:
LeRae Umfleet • Project Manager • (919) 814-6637 • lerae.umfleet@dncr.nc.gov