Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-06-03
TUE BATTLE or KINGS MOUNTAIN.

SUCCESSORS should model their lie lllei
from the stand amid tempest of applause.
! ----->s>N---
THE BATTLE or KINGS MOUNTAIN.
We are glad TO have opportunity of bringing TO the no
tice OF our readers the following historical papers, throwing
valuable light on the incidents one of the most inportan
events OF our Revolutionary war; and which supposed
have had an important influence upon its result
Extract Of letter from the Abngdon Literary Club 10 tn
Editors Of the abingdon Trginidn.
10 revive In the memory Of young countrymen th
deeds OF their oreathers TO keep alive the spirit Of the Re
vuluon which achieved independence and established
be valued the Literary Club OF Abingdon send you the fol
loving document for publication. 1t is taken entirely from
BRUSH writer's and has never appeared far have
seem IN any American history or publication II is the
British account OF Col Ferguson and their own account
the consequences of the battle of Kings Mountain The
reader will particularly notice the account which Col Fer
gson gave to his BROTHER Dr. Adam Ferguson Scotland
oI scene that took place al the Baltic Of Bandywine
about that iHe in l in which Col Ferguson states he
had inY Hhls power TO have killed both Gen Washing
and Gen. Lafayette and declined To do 90 bs order
given 10 three OF his rlernen at one time and recalled
He himself bad evecd his rihe and elenled! Gen
Washington was about hundred yards from him. Fer
gnson aid his men were perfect maksmen. He had him
sell invented The he used BY his corps which superior
to any in our army Ii Gen Washington had fallen on that
day. what would have been the fate OF the American Rcvo-
luton! How slight the Incidents in the course of evcnts
which scem 10 give direction the affairs of this world
The fate of this great republic and rising empire of the
West seemed to have hung this occasion the detem-
Il
occr who afterwards slain in battle by the volunteer
OF Virginia. of North and South Carolna on the summit u:
Kings Mnuntain in October, 1880.
The time in winch this battle fought gave great i'm.
prrancc 10 lis consequences The and fall Of 76J
was pcrhups the most gloomy period OF the American Rev
oion. The tide of disaster had against US for nearly
year In the fall OF l7I9 army rcpuse Savannah
with immense loss Here fell the brave Pole General
Pulaski In the May following Charleston surrendered u
large army with three four frgaes, and large quantity
o military \ few weeks afterwards Col. Buford,
rcfu %
British army. ln August following Gen. Gates whole army
destroyed al Camden and few days afterwards Gen.
Suuper was surprised and entirely defea:ed In Sepem
her 50, Arnuds detected And this period
our iinauccs all exhausted the credit OF the country
At the lowest cb and the paper money worthless We
hid no means 10 cotc and feed army Gen. Washing
ton himself almost the Of depair. His letters
hi, period show the greatest anxiety and distress of
and that he thought the cause almost hoplesS.
In sch gloomy period OF o"r countrys distress and al
OF despair there up Southwestern VIRGINIA and
in East Tennessee gallant army OF brave young men, whu
without and without any orders from their Government
volunteered their services fight the battles Of their country
Tncg seized their rifles and mounted their horses
and marched two hundred les through wlldeTnr-. and
lofty mounains and in less than weeks from the
time they mad e The place OF rendezvous they demolished
entirely British army Of formidable character. They
turned the tide of ia favor of country They
broke up tie British generals plan Of campaign against
North Carolina and Virginia, extngushed nearly forever
the aid he rccering from the uries in the South, ana
compelled him 10 retreat back into South Carolina 10 save
the country thought entirely conquered and sabtued
TIE documents that follow will prove these statements They
contain The Acknowledgements o British WRITER'S and o Lord
CORVALLIS himself
Are not these "reminiscences calculated to attach this
Cnon Can think OF laying purricldal hands
upon the work o Fathers Can dare to attempt
the destruction of that Government which their herolsn
rbutcd greatly csabshing-which has attracted to-
wards us the wonder and dnira ton OF The world and has
given degree Of prosperity and happiness which no other
If which history has given any account ever enjoyed
before
BRITISH account Of Co Ferguson and the consequences Of
he Bauie of Rng'S Mountain.
Historical Justice taness require that should in
m what the British writers have said of their own gallant
officer with whom mountaneers contended on their go
riOus field ot fame Justice to an enemy an attribute OF
ml.ianimy, and he who cannot find in his heart any
prnmngs of this noble and impulse unit 10 urie
history He may without this manly virtue, write eulogi-
us aud invcctivcs and I'll! his pages with defamation but
they N not b: read by The candid and The iSe The sacred
rtcJrds If truth Let s justice Col Patrick Ferguson,
vino commanded III: British nrmy at Kings Mountain lie
was the eminent Scotch Judge James Ferguson OF
pifou Lord of Session and Judiciary and nephew Of
bnan Of great literary talents, viz Patrick Murray Lod
Ehlnk deemed by Robertson Ferguson, Hume, and con-
temporary slgcs in genius and erudon equal TO the authors
Of the Scottish Ausus'an age Patrick Ferguson says
British wer) who commanded the British army at King 8
Mountain sought fame by different direction out eas of
equally rigorous and brilliant porers In carly youth ne
entered the army and while suballern OF eighteen 10 tne
German war, distinguished by courage as cool as 1t
was determined his principal object being TO become bench
rial BY professional skill and effort Before the battle of
Kings Mountain he had already displayed tha comohaon
vi intrepid herusH inventive genius and sound Judgment
which constitute the valiant soldier and able commander
Before the American he had employed the interval oil
peace in England By improving himself IN military Kno"edee
and science When the disputes between Britain and her
colonies vergng civil war; the boasei skill OF the
Americans in the Of the rifle exhibited as an object
Of terror to the British troops These runors operated on
the genius of Ferguson and his invention produced new
species The c which he could load al the breech With
using the turning the muzZle away from the
enemy and with such quckness OF repetition as 10 re ers
lines in minute. The rifemen meanwhile, might be pros
on the ground and protected from The shot OF Inc enc
my BY the smallest emnence, either natural or articlal-
Ferguson displayed his contvance to the satisfaction oi
Lord Townsend master of the ordnance and other military
men When the war commenced his regiment not being
ordered for wake service he extremely anxious to be
actively employed for his King and country. lie was ac'
cordnpv introduced to the commander -chlef ana appoint
ed l., command corps drafted from regular regiments ana
discipline them for The practice Of this new inrentl2n.
Al battle Of Brandywinc he presented the hst
the of his rilenen and 0otanca slcal P"se io' ~
skill and successful efforts.
rhr Showing is the account given BY the writer of Fer
cuson conduct and services in the battle OF
Gen Washington being informed that the BRUSH army
was arrived in Pcnnsy ylvana W landed from Inc hcau oi ue
Chesapeake as is well known) crossed the Delaware win
his army the lth OF September Hl lhe bntsh troops
advanced to Brandywinc river which, running from he
west falls into the Delaware below Philadelphia On the e
hank next to The city, the Americans posted themselves and
ectcd batteries Chads Furd where they presumed the
ynya army would attempt TO pass under cover o the pat
trirs body of them also occupied the right bank zen
Howe detached Lord CUnwalls with two baallons OF bn
sh rrpnadicrs as many Of light troops two 0aallons ol
lis; regiment the river further up and thus gam le
nnvs rear At the time Gen. knyphauscn, win an
her DIVISION marched Chads Ford, against the provln
% who were placed there In this service the German eS-
srenccd very important assistance from corps OF f
commanded By Col Patrick Ferguson The dcxerty OF me
royncals murksmen had been frequently quoted and held
ont as an object OF the British troops Ferguson as
man of genius which exercised in professional at.
rainmens invented species of rifle, that combined
unpeccdcncd qucknGss Of repetition with certainty ol e-
feet and security 10 the soldiers.
'rhe invention being not only approved, but hghy ad-
red its author appointed 10 orm and train corps or
the purpose Of practice but opportunity did not offer ol
calling their skill into action until the period at which we are
now arrived Ferguson with his supported by WEI.
miSss American Ringers appointed TO cover Tue foh'
f knypausens troops and secured the ground SO ETecs-
auy that there shot fired by the Americans " an
no? the column in lis march, SO secured knyphausen was
enabled To advance without interruption attacked The enemy
Obliged he though protected by their batteries 10 cross
IN. river made good the passage OF his own dSsioh anu
opened the way the rest Of the army.
Tie meroriuus conduct OF Col Ferguson was acano" .
eged by whole army and publicly aested oy oras OF
the commander n-chie Ferguson, in private 'ee', VI
which Mr. Alan Ferguson has transmitted me copy! ine
ions very curious incident from which appears INA. Tue
life OF the American General in Imminent dansei.L
While Ferguson lay with part Of his renen on sAl "
wood in front Of Gen. !.nyphausens DIVISION uG eitct m
stance happened OF which the letter in question gives w
Lowing accounts: