Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-01-13

which il is surrounded, and about a mile long,
is not more than thirty yards wide, and the
Sides especially on the north, are prccipitous.
1t is situated in York county, South Carolina,
about a mile and half from the North Car
olina iinc Many Of the men in Col. Will
liams' command were Wings, from the sur
rounding country. They had left their hiding
places when, in the language Of IN old Rcvo-
iutionary war song, "Old Williams came from
| Hillsborough, they focked to him amain."
These men understood the nature of the
ground accurately. They had hunted deer
on the same place frequently. In view Of
this fact, guides for the other troops were
chosen from Williams men.
When the exact location Of Fcrgusons
camp was learned, the army of purSucrs
marched in four columns. Col. Campbclls
regiment, with part Of Clcveand's regiment,
commanded by Major WINSTON formed the
right centre Col. Shelby regiment, the left
centre Col. Sewers regiment composed the
right wing; and the troops under Col. Will
iams and the remainder Of Col. Clevclands
regiment, commanded by himself, formed the
left wing.
On arriving in full view Of the enemy, and
having tied their horses and leaving small
guard to watch them, the troops, commanded
by Shelby, Sewer, Mcdowell Campbell and
Winston, were ordered to file to the right and
pass round the enemy's camp on thcmountan.
Those under Cleveland, Chronicle, Hambnght
and Williams, were to file to the left and pass
round. Both parties were to continue their
march without firing until they met. Then
the encmy'S camp would be completely sur
rounded. The order was then to face toward
the enemy, raise the Indian war-whoop and
rush forward upon the foe.
1t was near three o'clock on the 7th Of Oc-
tobcr. The destiny of American liberty was
in the hands of few undSciplincd militia
1t never was in better hands than when it was
entrusted to those brave men who fought and
blcd and died and won the victory over Col.
| Ferguson on Kings Mountain. The order
is given to march. On they so, with the
steadness of veterans Every order is exc
cuted with as much promptness as if they
| had been trained regulars.
The British commenced to fire upon Shell
by's men as the right wing passed round the
mountain. Mcdowell returned the fire, and
the action became general. The keen crack
Of the deadly Dcckhard rifle, and the Indian
war whoop, heard all round the cnemys camp,
announced that every man was in his place.
Ferguson ordered his regulars to charge
upon the right wing of the Wings This
drove Mcdowell, Shelby and Campbell back;
but at this very moment Chronicle, Ham
BRIGHT Cleveland and Williams had ascendcd
the opposite extremity of the mountain and
driven the British and tories behind their
wagons. Ferguson was here himself. Ills
men were falling on all sides. He Immediate
" sent for DePeySer, who had led the charge
against Mcdowell, Shelby and Campbell. As
DcPcyStcr passed back along the ridge, the
South Caroinians, under Williams, poured
in deadly fire upon him. His ranks were
confusion. They, however, soon rallied and
made dreadful push against Chronicle and
Cleveland, driving them down the mountain.
Here Chronicle was killed. The charge Of
the British upon the left of the Wings was
mistaken by the right under Shelby, Mellow
ell and Campbell, for retreat, and the shout
was raised, "Huzza, boys, they are rctrcating.
Come on" On, on, the left wing OF the w hlgs
in solid phalanx, rushed upon the enemy.
Ferguson was now forced to meet the right
wing. The left wing, as the right wing before
had done, mistook the charge OF the British
! for retreat, faced about and rushed upon, ,as
they thought, the rctreating foe. thus each
charge Of the enemy was mistaken by the
Wings on the opposite side tora retreat. Fer
guson gallopcd back and forth along his
! lines, encouraging his men with cntreaties and
with curses In spite Of all his skill and the
! Of i, bis
taken from him and he was forced to occupy
a small portion of the ridge near the north
ern extremity. He ordered his cavalry to
mount but this move proved unavallng.
The men were shot down as soon as they
mounted. He prepared fora last and deSper-
ate charge. The tories were ordered to sharp
en- the handles of their butcher knives and
fasten them in the muzzles Of their guns, and,
with the British regulars, charge upon the
rebels. This also was of no avail The Wings
were all around them, and confusion was III
the British camp. DcPcyster hoi$tcd a white
flag Ferguson pulled it down. DePeySter
raised it at the other extremity Of the British
camp. Ferguson saw it and dartcd, at the
full galop, and with his sword, cut it down,
swearing that he would never surrender to
militia. He had been wounded in the hand,
but in this wounded hand he bore silver
whistle, whose shrill sound inspired courage
in the already vanquished. A ball from some
unknown rifle, threw the hero from his char
ger, and DcPeystcr again hoi>ted white flag.
The tories and British ceased firing, but the
Wings either not understanding thempOrt OF
white flag, or knowing that it had been
hoistcd twice before and was pulled down, con-
tinucd to fire. The officers ordered their men
to cease firing; but the blood Of the Wings
was warm and fire they would. Col. Shelby
then ordered the British to lay down their
arms, and the men would understand this asa
sign that they surrendered This was done,
and the British were ordered to leave their
guns most of which were loaded, and march
to another place. The Wings then marched
up and took possession Of the cncmyS camp.
The victory was complete. Neither horse
nor man cSca ped. The whole force Of the
British amounted to eleven hundred and
twenty-five men, of which number eleven hun
drcd and five fell into the hands Of the Wings.
Twenty were out on plundcrlng expedition.
OF the eleven hundred and five taken by the
Wings, five hundred and five were either dead
or 50 badly wounded as not to be able to be
moved The Wing loss was twcnty-cisht
killed and sixty wounded. Everything per
tanning to the camp Of Ferguson fell into the
hands Of the Viii g< Besides his provisions
and camp equpage, the Why's so' Il number
of splendid horses and fifteen hundred stand
of arms and supply Of powder aud bullets.
WL,u tbr n.triOts saW what thew had achlcy-