Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1854-10-14
EVENING STAR,
THE BATTLE OF RANsAoUR's MILLS.
The Daring Sons of s6.


| We present our readers with most bril-
liant partisan adventure of the heroes Of '7s.
and we think it will be read with much in
| terest. we regret to say that it has been
much neglecte in the history of our country
We take it from DR.: CaIdwelI's Memoirs Of
the Life of Gen. Greene:
Equally, perhaps, unknown to most of tho
inhaoltants, and singularly neglected in the
| tory OF our country, is another gallant mar
tisan adventure, achieved on the 22d of Juse
l1o0 Neither American regulars nor British
soldiers having any concern in this spirited
affair, it was fought entirely by raw militia
men, Of the whig and tory parties 81
| About twelve hundred Of the latter having
assembled under the command of Col. Moore
encamped In strong position at Ramsaour
| Mill, few miles westward from the Catawb ba
river, and in tie vicinity of the line which
separates North from South Carolina In
which of the two states the encampmept W 8
situated, is not at present distinctly recolect
ed, although the writer of this narrative has
been frequently on the spot - -.
| In addition to rapine, and the production Of
general distress, a favorite object of this parly
was to overawe and weaken the adj jacent coun-
t.y 1y capturing and carrying within The
| British lines a number of s most inf :entiai
inhabitants. Besides being thus prevented
from taking lead in the active measures Of
| resistance, these were to be held as hostages
for the good conduct and neutrality of their
friends. u-.- g.. =.
10 defeat the mischievous purposes of this
party, and to dislodge them fl ON their s. rong-
hoid, the most spirited of the wings from Ire
dell, neighboring county, assembled 10 the
number of thee hundred men, under the com
mand OF Col Locke. These consisted princi-
pally OF foot, but in part of a small corps of
mounted Infantry, armed with rifles pistols.
and sabers, led by Capt Falls, an officer of
peculiar gallantry and worth
This hasty levy of soldiers presented spec
tacle elninently interesting. they were fresh
from heir homes their private habits uphro
ken, no discipline or concert of acton estab-
lished among them, and all their domestic
feelings cliDging around their hearts.
| They were, In the true sense of the express.
sion, band Of friends and .neighbors being
all from the same settlement, and perfectly
known to each other in private life In the
whole party there was not an individual who
lad not repeatedly united with the others in
rurai sports and social enjoynents.4 As citi
| zens they were all Of the same rauk, and re
spectacle They were masters Of the soil they
had assembled to defend
| VI this corps of pati lots, the military prow-
eSs was entirely untried; not one of them. with
the exception of Capt. Falls, having ever con
fronted an enemy in the field Their only
Warilke acquirementwas great expertness and
/ skiii In the use OF the rife In that quaIif.
cation they had few superiors
Being all dressed in their common apparel
they exhibited no uniformity of appearance
! I0 remedy this, and to distinguish them from
the tories, who we're known to be dressed i'm
the same way. they fastened over the crowns
Of their hats, from back to font, descending
| to the rims on each side, strips of white papeT
/ abou' two inches broad. Each one brought
to the place of rendezvous his own rifle. fifiy
4. Of pH holI
and light blanket. That they might be per
fectly unincumbered, neither baggage wagon
nor pack-horse was attached to the party.
Thus accoutred, eager for battle, and pant.
ing for glory, without waiting for considera-
bic force that was assembling in Rowan, a
neighboring county, under Gen. Rutherford
to join them, they moved in haste and silence
| towards the scene of action
The second days march brought them
into the, Immediate vicinity Of their object
They encamped for the night, determined to
! strike and hoping to surprise the enemy in the
j morning. But in this they were disappointed
i On advancing to the attack, about break Of
| day, they found the foe on the alert, and ready
. to receive them They, therefore, resolved to
wait until it should be completely light, that
| the aim Of their rifles might be the more
deadly.
The morning opening, disclosed to them a
preparation for defence and resistance, much
more than they expected to find The enemy:
were posted on top Of a hill covered with tim
| Der, which afforded them a shelter Their
t1anks were protected by swamp, a small
stream of water flowing in she rear In front
of their encampment was erected of stakes
and brushwood, breastwOrk Sc compact as to
be proof against small arms, and to Impede, in
great measure, the operation Of cavalry. A
strong detachment Of the foe was stationed in
| advance of breastWork, armed with rifles and
co: cealed behind trees.
| At first this array of men and means was
appalling. But the hubcon was passed Re-.
treat would be ruin, accompanied with dis
grace-battle might also be ruinous, but could
not be dishonorable Without hesitation, there
| fore, the latter was resolved on
| At his OVID request, Captain Falls, with his
| mou. ted infantry led the attack. When at
the distance of about eighty PAGES he recsived
the fire of the ememy's advance. Returning
this with considerable effect, he rushed sword
in hand, into the midst of them, thew them,
into confusion, and forced them to fall back
Pressing his fortune with too much ardor he
received ball through his breast, and he fell
dead from his horse. ...-...
His party, however undismayed by the loss
of their leader, continued the actioftawith great
gallantry, until the foot advanced to their sup
port, when the enemy was driven behind his
| breastwork.
| Here ensued most murderous conflict. The
wings, having go far leveled the obstruction as
to. render it passable, rushed over it, mingled
win the enemy, and in many instances Crap
Piled with them man to man. Every instrument
and means of death was now resorted to- The
bullet, the sword the rihe-butt, and even the
Ratchet, with which some were provided, were
abundantly employed. Rarely. in any case,
has blood been moro inexorsbly, or by the
same number of combatants, more prodigally
shed. ..,... .-.. ...E. - "a;
For time the issue was doubtful. Pressed
By superior numbers, the wings were once co n
pelled to give ground, some of them retreatipg
across the breastwOrk. But resolutely bent on
victory or death, they returned to the charge
with such fierce impetuosity and great effect
as bore down all resistance. - --.s:
The tories broke and fed in confusion, the
wings for some distance hanging on their rear
with terrible slaughter. '-'''
Thus terminated an affair in which so many
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