a council of war was held immediately to deliberate on the subject of the intelligence brought by the express , composed of the honorable john rutherford , lewis derosset , robert palmer , and sam cornell , of his majesty 's council , and the colonels and field officers of the army , wherein it was resolved that the army should change their route , get into the road at captain holt 's that leads from hillsborough to salisbury , pass the little and great alamance rivers with all possible expedition , and march without loss of time to join general waddell ; accordingly the army got under march , and before night encamped on the west side of little alamance , a strong detachment being sent forward to take possession of the west banks of great alamance , to prevent the enemy 's parties from occupying that strong post .