The Battle of Torrence's Tavern (also referred to as the Battle at Tarrant's Tavern) was an engagement of the American Revolutionary War that took place in what was the western portion of Rowan County, North Carolina, approximately 10 miles east of the Catawba River near modern-day Mooresville in Iredell County. Torrence's Tavern was a part of the larger Southern campaign of the American Revolution, which, by 1780–1781 involved a series of clashes between the British Army and Loyalist militia and the Continental Army and Patriot militia in the Piedmont region of North and South Carolina. Throughout the winter of 1780-81, the British Army in the Carolinas, under the command of Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis, pursued the southern Continental Army, commanded by Greene, from central South Carolina to North Carolina. At the Battle of Cowpens on January 17, the Continental Army scored a victory against a force, detached from the main British Army, commanded by Tarleton. After the defeat, Cornwallis set out to pursue Greene into nearby North Carolina. Morgan then set about establishing defenses on the Catawba River, which Cornwallis' army would be forced to cross in order to drive into central and eastern North Carolina. Defensive positions were established at every ford on the river in that state in expectation of the British assault.

Cornwallis, whose army took longer to cross the Catawba, wanted to prevent Greene's forces from withdrawing quickly and being able to regroup, and so he ordered Colonel Tarleton, the commander of the British Legion, to pursue the militia formerly commanded by Davidson. After the engagement at Cowan's Ford, citizens between the Catawba and Yadkin rivers who were sympathetic to the Patriots became panicked, and many fled their homes with whatever valuables they could pack in a short period of time. Despite lacking support from Cornwallis' main army, Tarleton's cavalry struck immediately upon arriving at the scene, charging into the militia's makeshift camp. While the battle was small, the defense provided some additional time for Greene's main army of regulars to cross the Yadkin River without harassment near Salisbury, which allowed that force to regroup and resupply. While the battle was a minor engagement, the defense provided some additional time for Greene's main army of regulars to cross the Yadkin River without harassment near Salisbury, which allowed that force to regroup and resupply. The battle's impact on the Revolutionary War in the southern theater was minor, but the failure of Patriot militia to significantly stall Cornwallis at Cowan's Ford and Torrence's Tavern caused Greene to hasten his retreat towards his ultimate goal, Guilford Courthouse.