Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-06-19

folded. He begged to be taken, without delay,
to the commanders quarters. He was at first
regarded as spy by all, and had he not been a
true Wing, and shown it by every word and
action, he would have paid the penalty in few
minutes.
That day Campbell and his mountain men
had reached Gilbert Town, and finding Fergu-
son had decamped, and learning that he was
gone to Ninety-Six, which had lately been re.
paired and reinforced, a council OF war had
been held but short time beDre Lacy arrived,
andit was concluded to abandon the chase.
Lacy then informed them that Ferguson was
in the neighborhood Of Cherokee ford-that he
was not aiming to reach Ninety-SM but his
point of destination was Charlotte, North Car
olina. They were urged to annul the previ-
GUS resolution Of the night, and meet the
troops under Williams, Hill and other leaders
at a place called the Cowpens, on the sixth.
This was done, and after Lacy had fed his
horse, eaten a supper of what the partisan
camp could afford, and enjoyed few hours
sleep on the ground, he was up and away to
join his command, which was now on its way
to the Cowpens.
Let us leave the two armies and trace the
movements Of Colonel Ferguson. On the 4th
of October-the day that Campbell and his
men arrived at Gilbert Town-Ferguson had
broken up his camp. The two deserters from
Campbell's command had informed him OF
what was going on. He knew the men he mad
to deal with He had met some of them be-
fore. Wisely, he concluded that his safety de-
pended on getting out Of their way. 1t would
not be true to say that Col. Ferguson was
for no Drawer man ever lived or
fought or died on battlefield but he most
assuredly felt that he was in a critical situa-
tion. Cornwallis had already perceived the
danger with which Ferguson was surrounded,
and had ordered him to join him at Charlotte.
Ferguson now saw that it would require all
his skill to reach that point. On breaking up
his camp at Gilbert Town, hesent two tories
Abe Collins and Peter Quinn-to CORVALLIS
at Charlotte, to inform that officer ofhis cr1ti-
cal situation and to request aid. The messen-
gers were hindered on the way by the presence
of the Wings in the neighbOrhood, and did not
reach Charlotte until the 7th; consequently
the aid was not received. Ferguson, on leav-
ing Gilbert Town, made the impression that he
was going to Ninety Six, and when Campbell
and his party arrived at Gilbert Town, they
were told that Ferguson was distant fifty
or sixty miles. This was feint. On the
4th of October, Ferguson camped at the Cow
pens. about twenty miles from Gilbert Town.
On the 9Th, he crossed Broad river at Tate's
(since Dear's or Adair's) Ferry, and spent the
night about mile above the ferry. On the
9Th, he pushed on up the ridge road between
Kings Greek and Buffalo Creek, until he came
to the fork. There he took the right prong,
leading across Kings Creek, through pass
in the mountain, and on in the direction OF
Yorkville. Here, short distance after cross
ing Kings Creek, on the right Of the road,
about two hundred and fifty yards from the
pass in the mountain, on an eminence which
he called Kings Mountain, and which still re-
tains the name, he encamped, determined to
remain until his reinf6rcements from Cornwall
lis would arrive.
From Gilbert Town to Kings Mountain, he
evidently was retreating., He felt that ne had
a terrible foe to deal with. He begged, he en-
treated the tories and lOyalists to turn out
and render him assistance. Finding that gen.
tie measures accomplished nothing, he threat
ened to hang them If they did not shoulder
their muskets and march against the rebels.
His threats were as unavailing as his entreat-
les. On arriving at Kings Mountain, he
granted some of the royalists and tories per-
mission to go into the surrounding country for
the purpose Of beating up recruits.
The inhabitants of the region surrounding
Kings Mountain, were, with a few exceptions,
tories. These recruiting officers OF Ferguson
went to plundering their Wing neighbors. In
stead of hunting up recruits for the Kings
army, they went to robbing the gardens and
killing the hogs of the Wings in the communl-
ty. Here, strongly posted on Kings Noun
tain, let us, for short time, leave COL Fer
gusOn.
On the 9th of October, according to ap-
pointment, the troops under Williams, Lacy
and Hill arrived at the Cowpens; and about sun
down. the back-mountain men under Camp
bell, came up All the weak men and horses
belonging to each party had been left behind,
and only the best marksmen and best rl1es Sc
lected for the occasion. The united FORCES,
selected for this bold enterprise, amounted to
eighteen hundred and forty-three. Many OF
the officers were without commands, occupy
ing simply the position of men in ranks. 1t
was raining and dark, but all were enthusias-
tic. They had set out to find Ferguson, and
find him they would. An hour was given the
troops to rest, during which time two beeves
were killed, but the time was 80 short that
some of the men did not get mouthful pre-
pared. There were several bands Of tories In
the neighborhood, which they could have easi-
ly captured, but they were in search OF Fergu-
son, and they let the tories alone, although it
was known that these tories were to join Fer
guson the next day. BY eight O'Clock every
man was in the saddle and on the trail OF Fer
guson. It rained all night, and was dark. The
guide got lost for time. The men, in order
to keep their guns dry, wrapped them up with
their oyer-coats and blankets when they had
them, and with their hunting shirts when
these we're wanting. On the morning OF the
7th, just before sunrise, they reached Broad
river, about mile and half below cherokee
Ford, expecting to ind Ferguson on the east
bank. They crossed the river, and marcned
n
camp of the night of the 5th. Here halt
was made. and those who had anything to eat,
eat it, and those who had nothing did without.
The delay was only for moment. Although
hungry, wet and tired, they pushed on with as
much zeal as if the search had just COM
menced. Ferguson's trail was fresh, and they
knew that they would soon see who would DO
the hanging For distance Of twelve miles,
they saw no one but their own party, and
learned nothing of Ferguson's whereabouts.
When they had gone about twelve miles, after
crossing Broad river, the advanced party met
some persons coming from Ferguson's camp.
At the same time, boy about fourteen years
old. by the name Of Fonderin, was found in
an old field. The boy said his brother was in
Ferguson's camp. The story of the men and
boy agreed, and from them it was learned that
Ferguson's camp was only three miles distant.
The location was accurately described by these
men and young Fonderin, and the intentions
of Ferguson learned. A dispatch, which he
had sent to Cornwallis for aid, was afterWard
intercepted. From this his force was learned,
and also what he thought about being able to
defend himself. In that dispatch he boasting-
ly, or rather profanely, we should say, declared
that such was the nature of the place he had
chosen for camp, "that all the rebels out of
hell could not drive him from it," This dis.
patch, with the exception of the statement OF
the number of Ferguson's force, was read
aloud to the men. The officers held consul
tation on horseback, and concluded upon the
mode of attack.
1t was agreed that since Campbell had come