Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-08-24
Mistnrp uf 8. Garulima.
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
OF THE
EarIy Settlement of South Carolina.
BY REV. ROBERT LATHAM.

BY REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
THE RETREAT FROM CHARLOTTE.
The battle of Kings Mountain was the
turning point in the Revolutionary war. We
do not mean that up to that time the British
had always been successful, and after it the
Americans were victorious in every engage
uent. Before the battle of Kings Mountain,
the British had been steadily gaining ground
not so much by gaining signal victories, as by
wearing out the Americans and exhausting
their resources. The American army, ever
in crippled condition, was gradually, but
surely, becoming weaker with each successive
year. The people generally had become de-
pressed in spirit. The treasury of the coun-
try, never full, was noS empty; the credit of
the country, never great was now almost
worthless. Congress was expected to do much
for the relief of the suffering army, but it
could do absolutely nothing. Georgia and
South Carolina were, to all human appear
auces, hopelessly conquered. Gates was
ruined and CORVALLIS was on his way to flank
Washington.
Because no titled officer led veteran hosts
against Ferguson at Kings Mountain, the af:
fair has been treated by American historians
as mere skirmish. It was no childs play.
It saved Washington, and it saved America
from British tyranny. Had the heroes of
Kings Mountain failed, as did Gates at Cam.
den, and CORVALLIS been permitted to pass
Charlotte, the American rebellion would have
resulted as have most of the Irish rebellions.
It would have riveted the chains of British
domination upon the Wings of America, and
the stars and stripes would to-day have only
legendary existence. Whether South Caro-
lima and North Carolina enjoy the blessings
of American liberty or not, they did more to
secure it than any two States in the Union.
This is said dispassionately, with the full con-
viction of its absolute truth. The history of
other sections of the Union has been written
and rewritten. The lives of those who acted
nobly on other battle.6elds constitute the nur.
sery tales of the region in which they were
born, whilst the names of Campbell, Shelby,
Chronicle, Sewer, Williams, Lacey, Hill,
Roebuck and Hambright, are scarcely known
in American history. The place that marks
the resting place Of Williams is unknown,
and a miserable, undressed stone, marks the
place where sleeps the dustof William Chron-
icle John Mattocks, William Robb and John
Boyd. Multitudes of those who fell at Kings
Mountain are unknown to history. Their
very names are forgotten. Their noble deeds
still remain.
CORVALLIS had actually commenced his
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When the news, vague and unsatisfactory as
it was, reached Charlotte, that the Wings were
preparing to attack Ferguson, CORVALLIS de-
layed his onward movement until he would
receive satisfactory intelligence from Fergu-
son. The unwelcome news was brought that
Ferguson had been actually attacked and
completely defeated. To learn the true state
of the case, Tarleton, with a very considera'
BILE force, was sent out on the 10th Of October.
On the same day, at Smiths Ford, on the Ca
tawba, Tarleton received certain intelligence
of Ferguson's fate. Not long after, the facts
were communicated to CORVALLIS.
It was a sad blow to the British, and Corn
wallis felt it. He saw at once that it was i'm.
possible to advance. Rumor declared that
the same undisciplned yeomanry who had
out-generaled and out.fought the brave Fer
guson, were fastening to make an attack upon
CORVALLIS at Charlotte Fear invaded the
British camp, and on the night of the 14th Of
October, CORVALLIS began to retreat. Instead
of conquering North Carolina, he now began
to fear lest North Carolina would capture
him. The country was full of Wings The
fighting men of Fairfield, Lancaster, Chester
and York, except those in camp with Hill
and Lacey on Bullocks creek, York county,
were scattered over Mecklenburg and Rowan
counties, North Carolina. These men were
ready to join any expedition, under any chief:
tain, who would lead them against the enemy.
When CORVALLIS set out from Charlotte,
he had no particular point in view. The
place where he would be safe from the attacks
of the invincible Scotch-Irish, was the best
spot on earth. He was forced to direct bis
movements in conformity With the circum.
stances by which he was surrounded. No
doubt, Camden was the point of destination
in his mind when be quilted Charlotte, but
he found the way thither blocked by the
Wings who had collected in considerable force
at New Providence and WaxhaT
The night on which CORVALLIS left Char
lotte, he met with many Inconvenience and
considerable loss. For more than ten days,
it had been wet and was still raining. The
roads were bad and the creeks and rivers
were swollen. CORVALLIS employed wealthy
Scotchman by the name of William McCafer-
ty, to act as guide to the retreating army.
The Scotchman was not well informed with
respects to the roads, and made great blum
ders.
The Wings followed in the wake of the re-
treating foe, and before the morning Of the
18th, relieved the British of much of their
baggage. Twenty wagons loaded with army
supplies and printing press, fell into the
hands of the Wings All the baggage be-
longing to Tarleton's troops fell into the hands
of the Americans. This was bad enough,
but it was not the worst thing connected with
that nights retreat. Many Britton and to-
ry was made to bite the ground. No strag.
oIer from the main BODY was safe.