February 2, 1781 Crossing the Yadkin River

On Groundhog Day, February 2, 1781, troops from Maryland and Delaware along with militia from North Carolina, crossed the Yadkin River. The weather in Greensboro NC on February 2, 2015 had a high of 46 and a low of 29 degrees.

River Crossings
Battle of Cowpens Jan. 17
Catawba River Jan. 23
Yadkin River Feb. 2
Dan River Feb. 14

As Peter Marshall and David Manuel related in The Light and the Glory, at the crossing of each river, the Americans could cross just in time before the British arrived and then the British were unable to follow. Rain had been in the area in each instance. Conditions were right when the Americans would attempt a crossing. However due to rains providentially placed and timed when the British tried to cross the Catawba, the Yadkin and the Dan the conditions were not right for the British. Cornwallis eventually got so far away from his supply lines that he stopped pursuing once the Continental Army arrived in Virginia by crossing the Dan.