{"id":2211,"date":"2025-06-30T00:06:14","date_gmt":"2025-06-30T00:06:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nodanights.com\/?p=2211"},"modified":"2025-07-10T04:40:20","modified_gmt":"2025-07-10T04:40:20","slug":"davidson-greene-pin-down-the-british-limit-movement-and-use-gorilla-tactics-the-charlotte-landscape","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nodanights.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/30\/davidson-greene-pin-down-the-british-limit-movement-and-use-gorilla-tactics-the-charlotte-landscape\/","title":{"rendered":"Davidson &amp; Greene Pin down the British Limit movement and use Gorilla tactics. The Charlotte landscape"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">HISTORIC ROAD NETWORK CONTEXT<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2705 Great Wagon Road Split (Near Present-Day Charlotte)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In the late 1700s, the Great Wagon Road:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Came <strong>southward<\/strong> through what is now <strong>north Charlotte<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Split near the Long Creek\/Gar Creek region<\/strong> (modern I-485\/Beatties Ford Rd area)\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>One fork went southwest to Cowan\u2019s Ford<\/strong> (a Patriot stronghold)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>One fork went due west to Beatties Ford<\/strong> (another key crossing)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Artillery near Northlake Mall<\/strong> would:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Be <strong>directly between these two fords<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Have a clear elevation line to both<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Control <strong>approach from the south (British route)<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udccc GEOGRAPHIC LAYOUT &amp; FIRING ARCS (Approx.)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s use <strong>a hypothetical ridge artillery site<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\ud83d\udccd <strong>35.3449, -80.8505<\/strong> \u2014 just west of the Northlake Mall parking deck<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Elevation: ~810\u2013850 ft<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ridge faces: <strong>south and southwest<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>From this location:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Target<\/th><th>Distance<\/th><th>Direction<\/th><th>Within Range of 6-pdr?<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Beatties Ford<\/td><td>~3.8 miles W<\/td><td>~265\u00b0<\/td><td>No (beyond effective, but scoutable)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Cowan\u2019s Ford<\/td><td>~5.5 miles SW<\/td><td>~240\u00b0<\/td><td>No (visible ridge-to-ridge, but indirect fire only)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Wagon Road Split (Long Creek)<\/td><td>~1.2 miles SW<\/td><td>~230\u00b0<\/td><td>\u2705 Yes<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>WT Harris Blvd<\/td><td>~0.6 miles S<\/td><td>~180\u00b0<\/td><td>\u2705 Easily<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>North End of Uptown (Tryon St)<\/td><td>~7.5 miles SSE<\/td><td>~160\u00b0<\/td><td>\u274c No<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83e\udde8 TACTICAL MODEL (1781 Defenders)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Rebels (Patriots)<\/strong> using <strong>light artillery<\/strong> (likely 3-pdr or 6-pdr) could:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Block British approach<\/strong> from Tryon\/Derita Rd toward Long Creek<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Delay or damage enemy<\/strong> at the wagon road split<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Spot troop movements<\/strong> westward to Cowan\u2019s or Beatties Ford<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Earthworks<\/strong> you found behind the mall likely held cannons or small field pieces\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Firing fan<\/strong> would cover a ~90\u00b0 arc from southeast to southwest<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\uddfa\ufe0f MAP OVERLAY PLAN<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s what I can prep for you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Layer 1: Modern Map Base<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Google Earth satellite or terrain<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Topographic contour map (USGS or similar)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Layer 2: Historic Overlays<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Great Wagon Road path<\/strong> through Charlotte to Cowan\u2019s and Beatties Ford<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Known colonial roads and fords<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Revolutionary War troop paths<\/strong> (Queen\u2019s Rangers, Cornwallis, Greene)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Layer 3: Artillery Modeling<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Artillery position (placemark)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Firing arc cones (600-1000 yards for 6-pdr)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Elevation lines + sightlines<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Notes on slope, visibility, and obstructions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>&nbsp;So Why Did the British Choose That Route?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Because they were:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Avoiding artillery and militia clusters<\/strong> near Beatties Ford<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Using <strong>Tarleton<\/strong> to fake movement at other fords (east of the river)<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Crossing <strong>early in the fog<\/strong>, hoping to <strong>outflank<\/strong> Davidson\u2019s forces<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If there were <strong>cannons on that ridge you found<\/strong>, they might\u2019ve:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Fired on the crossing at Cowan\u2019s Ford<\/strong> (if within 1 mile)<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Or <strong>blocked the trail south into Charlotte<\/strong>, had they been placed correctly<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\ud83d\udee1\ufe0f Historical Importance of This Spot<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1. The Overlook<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The high point you&#8217;re describing would have:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Visual command of both fords<\/strong> (Cowan\u2019s &amp; Beatties)<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A <strong>line of sight to British movement<\/strong> north and south<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Been used to <strong>relay signals<\/strong> to forces west of the Catawba and down toward Charlotte<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2. Trail Convergence Point<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>Great Wagon Road<\/strong>, the <strong>Trading Path<\/strong>, and the <strong>Catawba Trail<\/strong> intersect here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Meaning this site could control <strong>travel between Philadelphia, Augusta, Charleston, and Charlotte<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Likely hosted <strong>trading posts<\/strong>, <strong>indigenous stone markers<\/strong>, and <strong>wagon camps<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ideal for hidden <strong>Patriot supply dumps<\/strong> or <strong>ambush lines<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3. Just South of Cowan\u2019s Ford<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>British forces under Cornwallis crossed <strong>north to south<\/strong>, with <strong>Tarleton on the east bank<\/strong>. Your position could\u2019ve:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Held a <strong>reserve camp for Davidson\u2019s militia<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Been a <strong>fallback site<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Or the <strong>last southern defensive observation post before the crossing<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>HISTORIC ROAD NETWORK CONTEXT \u2705 Great Wagon Road Split (Near Present-Day Charlotte) In the late 1700s, the Great Wagon Road: Artillery near Northlake Mall would: \ud83d\udccc GEOGRAPHIC LAYOUT &amp; FIRING ARCS (Approx.) Let\u2019s use a hypothetical ridge artillery site: From this location: Target Distance Direction Within Range of 6-pdr? Beatties Ford ~3.8 miles W ~265\u00b0&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2211","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","texture-woo-product-list","opn-qv-enable","real-estate-elementor-woo-hover-","open-single-product-tab-horizontal","open-shadow-","open-shadow-hover-"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nodanights.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2211","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nodanights.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nodanights.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nodanights.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nodanights.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2211"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nodanights.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2211\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2212,"href":"https:\/\/nodanights.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2211\/revisions\/2212"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nodanights.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2211"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nodanights.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2211"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nodanights.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2211"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}