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On September 5, 1780, the NC General Assembly appointed William Lee Davidson as Brigadier General (Pro Tempore) over the Salisbury District Brigade of Militia, a temporary assignment while Brig. Gen. Griffith Rutherford was imprisoned as a result of the battle of Camden, SC on August 16, 1780. The NC General Assembly made this appointment knowing full well that the Board of War had earlier appointed Henry William Harrington as Brigadier General (Pro Tempore) in July to lead the Salisbury District Brigade of Militia while Rutherford was marching to join up with Maj. Gen. Horatio Gates. After appointing Davidson, the NC General Assembly and the Board of War never bothered to inform Harrington, who retained his temporary rank until December, when he finally resigned in disgust.

William Lee Davidson acceded to "retirement at half pay for life" on January 1, 1781, and therefore was no longer a NC Continental officer.

Brig. Gen. (Pro Tempore) William Lee Davidson led the Salisbury District Brigade of Militia at the battle of Cowan's Ford on February 1, 1781, where he was killed by a British sniper who was focused on Davidson's blue jacket, part of his Continental uniform that he was so proud to wear. This simple fact is probably what caused his death on that fateful day.

William Lee Davidson, the son of George Davidson and Margaret Ware, was born in 1746 in Lancaster County, PA. He married Mary Brevard on December 10, 1767 in Rowan County, NC, and they had six known children - Margaret Lee, Pamela, John Alexander, Jean, Ephraim Brevard, and William Lee Jr. He was killed on February 1, 1781 at the battle of Cowan's Ford, along the boundary of Lincoln and Mecklenburg County, NC.

https://www.carolana.com/NC/Revolution/patriot_leaders_nc_william_lee_davidson.html