Marker: J-37
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ID: J-37
Marker Text:
WEITZEL'S MILL
Site of a skirmish between American forces under Col. O. H. Williams and British troops under Col. James
Webster, Mar. 6, 1781, is 6 mi. E.
Essay:
On March 6, 1781, Cornwallis’s army clashed at Adam Weitzell’s Mill with advance elements of
Nathanael Greene’s Southern Army commanded by Col. Otho Holland Williams. Greene had crossed the Dan
River back into North Carolina in the third week of February. He dispatched Williams with the army’s light
infantry, mostly Maryland and Delaware Continentals, as well as several hundred Virginia riflemen led by
William Preston and Hugh Crockett, to reconnoiter Cornwallis’s location. Cornwallis similarly dispatched a
light corps, consisting of 1,000 infantry and cavalry jointly led by Lt. Col. James Webster and Lt. Col.
Banastre Tarleton.
The British determined Williams’s position on March 4, after the engagement at Clapp’s Mill.
Cornwallis’s men realized that Williams was separated from Greene’s army by the waters of Reedy Fork
Creek. If the British positioned their forces between Williams and the ford at Weitzell’s Mill, they could
effectively eliminate a large portion of Greene’s force.
In the early morning hours of March 6, under the cover of a thick fog, Stewart and Tarleton advanced on
Williams’s position. However, alert sentries spotted the enemy movement, and Williams began a race with
the British for the ford. “Light Horse Harry” Lee’s Legion and the Virginia riflemen provided covering fire
for Williams, allowing his Continentals to retreat the ten miles to the ford from their starting position.
Having crossed the ford, Williams decided to make a defensive stand. The Continentals provided the main
line of defense while the Virginia riflemen and dragoons from Lee’s Legion and the 3rd Continental Light
Dragoons protected the flanks. The first British assault across the creek failed, but a second, personally led by
Lt. Col. Webster, forced the Americans to retreat. In his memoirs, Lee stated that the Virginia riflemen, who
could “hit an apple on a ramrod at 150 yards,” fired multiple times at Webster at only thirty paces without
killing him. The fighting left thirty British soldiers lying wounded or killed. Lee’s Legion lost two killed and
three wounded, while eight Virginians died and seventeen were wounded.
In the aftermath of the skirmish, the Virginia militia, who felt they had been used as cannon fodder simply
to save the Continentals, began leaving Greene’s army in droves. Their claims appear justified, as eight of the
ten dead Americans were Virginia riflemen. However, Williams followed express orders from Greene to
protect his Continentals at all costs. Nevertheless, William Preston and Hugh Crockett’s Virginia riflemen, as
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Marker: J-37
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protect his Continentals at all costs. Nevertheless, William Preston and Hugh Crockett’s Virginia riflemen, as
well as a party of South Carolina and Georgia militia under Andrew Pickens went home in the two days after
the engagement.
Nine days later, Williams and Webster met again on the field at Guilford Courthouse. In the decisive final
moments of the battle, Williams’s Maryland Continentals and Webster’s 33rd Regiment of Foot engaged in
hand-to-hand combat before the American forces withdrew. Webster received severe wounds to both his thigh
and chest from which he died two weeks later. Williams survived the battle and the war, and served as a naval
customs officer in Baltimore until his death in 1794.
There has been considerable debate over the correct spelling of the mill owner’s name. Although Lee gave
the name as Wetzell, all other sources refer to the family as Weitzell or Weitzel. The name was later
Anglicized to Whitesell. Henry Weitzell, Adam’s son, commanded a company of Guilford County militia
during the Revolution, and owned the mill after the war.
References:
William S. Powell, ed., Encyclopedia of North Carolina History (2006)
William H. Hoyt, ed., Papers of Archibald D. Murphey, II, 289-294
Henry Lee, Memoirs of the War in the Southern Department of the United States (1827)
Walter Clark, ed., State Records of North Carolina, XVII, 1000-1001
David Schenck, North Carolina, 1780-1781 (1889)
John Buchanan, The Road to Guilford Courthouse (1997)
Location:
US 29 north of Greensboro
County: Guilford
Original Date Cast: 1952-P
© 2009 North Carolina Office of Archives & History — Department of Cultural Resources 535

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Battle of Whitesell's Mill
6 Mar 1781 , Guilford Co., NC
The American Revolution in North Carolina - The Battle of Whitesell's Mill The American Revolution in North Carolina The Battle of Whitesell's Mill March 6, 1781 Patriot Cdr:Col. Otho Williams British Cdr:Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton Killed:8 Killed:30 Wounded:12 Wounded:included in above Captured:Unk Captured:Unk Original County: Guilford County Present County:Guilford County The location name for this battle has been incorrectly identified as Whitsell's Mill, Weitzall's Mill, Weitzell's Mill, Wetzall's Mill and Wetzell's Mill, but the correct name is Whitesell's Mill - owned by Capt. Henry Whitesell of Guilford County Regiment of Militia, and was fought in what was then and is present-day Guilford County, North Carolina. Capt. Whitesell was of German descent, therefore the corruption of the spelling of his name. The situation of Lt. Gen. Charles Cornwallis in early 1781 was full of peril. The country around Hillsborough was speedily stripped of provisions by his army, and he found it expedient to fall back and take a new position upon the south side of the Alamance River, west of the Haw River on February 27, 1781. On the same day, Lt. Col. Henry Lee and Brig. Gen. Andrew Pickens, with their respective forces, joined the main body of the American light infantry, and the whole corps crossed the Haw River, a little below the mouth of Buffalo Creek. Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene, with the main Continental Army augmented by some of the North Carolina Militia, crossed above Buffalo Creek the next morning (Feb. 28), and encamped between Troublesome Creek and Reedy Fork. It was an ineligible place; and, hoping to gain time for all his expected reinforcements to come in, Maj. Gen. Greene constantly changed his position, and placed Col. Otho Williams and his Light Corps between the two armies, now within twenty of miles of each other. Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton occupied the same relative position to the British army, and he and Col. Williams frequently menaced each other. Finally, the latter having approached to within a mile of the British camp, Lt. Col. Tarleton attacked him on March 2, 1781, and a brief but warm skirmish ensued. This encounter was sustained, on the part of the Americans, chiefly by Lt. Col. Lee’s legion and Col. William Preston’s Botetourt Riflemen. About thirty of the enemy were killed and wounded. The Americans sustained no loss. In the meantime, Maj. Gen. Greene’s constant change of position, sometimes seen on Troublesome Creek, and sometimes appearing near Guilford Court House, gave the impression that his force was larger than it really was, and Lt. Gen. Cornwallis was much perplexed. Knowing well that the American army was being augmented by the arrival of various militias, he resolved to bring Maj. Gen. Greene to action at once. Under cover of a thick fog, he crossed the Alamance River on March 6, hoping to beat up Col. Williams’s quarters, then between that stream and Reedy Fork to surprise Maj. Gen. Greene. Col. Otho Williams’s vigilant patrols discovered the approach of the enemy at about eight o’clock in the morning, on the road to Whitesell’s Mill, an important pass on the Reedy Fork. Lt. Col. Lee’s Legion immediately maneuvered in front of the enemy, while Col. Williams withdrew his light troops and other corps of regulars and militia across the stream. A covering party, composed of one hundred and fifty Virginia militia, were attacked by Lt. Col. Webster, with one thousand British infantry and a portion of Lt. Col. Tarleton’s cavalry. The militia boldly returned fire, and then fled across the creek. The British infantry followed, and met with a severe attack from Col. William Campbell’s riflemen (VA) and Lt. Col. Lee’s infantry. Lt. Col. Webster was quickly reinforced by some Hessians and chasseurs, and the whole were supported by four field pieces planted by Lt. Gen. Cornwallis upon an eminence near the banks of the stream. The artillery dismayed the North Carolina militia, which Col. Williams ordered to retire. He followed with Howard’s battalion, flanked by Kirkwood’s Delaware infantry and the infantry of Lt. Col. Lee’s Legion, the whole covered by Lt. Col. William Washington’s cavalry. The day was far spent, and Lt. Gen. Cornwallis did not pursue. In this skirmish the Americans lost eight killed and twelve wounded. The enemy lost about thirty killed and/or wounded. Known Patriot ParticipantsKnown British/Loyalist Participants Col. Otho Williams - Commanding Officer Lee's Legion, led by Lt. Col. Henry Lee, with six (6) known companies, led by: - Capt. James Armstrong - 1st Mounted Troop - Capt. Joseph Eggleston - 2nd Mounted Troop - Capt. Michael Rudolph - 3rd Mounted Troop - Capt. Allen McClane - 4th Dismounted Troop - Capt. Henry Archer - 5th Mounted Troop - Capt. James Tate - 6th Mounted Troop 3rd Regiment of Continental Light Dragoons, led by Lt. Col. William Washington, Maj. Richard Call, with three (3) known companies, led by: - Capt. Walker Baylor - Capt. William Parsons - Capt. William Barrett 1st Regiment of Continental Light Dragoons detachment of one (1) known company, led by: - Capt. Griffin Fauntleroy Washington County Militia (VA) led by Col. William Campbell, with two (2) known companies, led by: - Capt. Joseph Black - Capt. James Dysart Boutetourt County Militia (VA) led by Col. William Preston, with 300 men in five (5) known companies. led by: - Capt. Mays - Capt. John Cartmill - Capt. Matthew Wilson - Capt. Bollar - Capt. William McClenahan SC 3rd Brigade of Militia/State Troops led by Brig. Gen. Andrew Pickens, with detachments from Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina Militia in the following units: Upper Ninety-Six District Regiment (SC) detachment led by Maj. James McCall with unknown number of men GA Militia, led by Unknown with unknown number of men Surry County Regiment of Militia (NC) led by Lt. Col. Joseph Winston, with eight (8) known companies led by: - Capt. Joseph Cloud - Capt. James Gains - Capt. Edwin Hickman - Capt. Joel Lewis - Capt. Edward Lovell - Capt. Salathiel Martin - Capt. Arthur Scott - Capt. William Underwood Wilkes County Regiment of Militia (NC) detachment of one (1) known company, led by: - Capt. Jesse Hardin Franklin Lincoln County Regiment of Militia (NC) detachment of one (1) known company, led by: - Capt. Thomas Lofton Mecklenburg County Regiment of Militia (NC) detachment of one (1) known company, led by: - Capt. Joseph Graham Guilford County Regiment of Militia (NC) detachment of one (1) known company, led by: - Capt. Daniel Gillespie Caswell County Regiment of Militia (NC) detachment led by Col. William Moore, with four (4) known companies, led by: - Capt. Herndon Haralson - Capt. John Oldham - Capt. Dudley Reynolds - Capt. Richard Saunders Orange County Regiment of Militia (NC) detachment of two (2) known companies, led by: - Capt. Matthew McCauley - Capt. Adam Sanders Total Patriot Forces - ~ 700 Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton - Commanding Officer British Legion, led by Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton, with 75 men 33rd Regiment of Foot led by Lt. Col. James Webster, Maj. William Dansey, with 322 men in three (3) known companies, led by: - Capt. Frederick Cornwallis - Capt. James Ingram - Capt. William Gore III Feld Jäger Regiment Anspach-Beyreuth detachment of 97 men led by Capt. Friedrich Wilhelm von Röder 23rd Regiment of Foot (Royal Welsh Fusiliers) detachment of 258 men in two (2) known companies, led by: - Capt. Forbes Champagne - Capt. Thomas Peter 71st Regiment of Foot (Fraser's Highlanders), 2nd Battalion detachment led by Capt. Dugald Stuart, with unknown number of men Brigade of Guards led by Lt. Col. John Goodricke, with 200 men in three (3) known companies, led by: - Lt. Col. John Goodricke - 3rd Scots Guards - Capt. William Maynard - Coldstream Guards - 1st Foot Guards - Lt. Col. Francis Dundas Royal Regiment of Artillery, 3rd Battalion, Number 1 Company, led by Lt. John MacLeod with two 3-pounders and two 6-pounders Total British Forces - ~1,000http://www.carolana.com/NC/Revolution/revolution_battle_of _weitzells_mill.html© 2011 - J.D. Lewis - PO Box 1188 - Little River, SC 29566 - All Rights Reserved 536 }