Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-10-14
deliberate counselor and steady actor in times
fhat fry man e SOILS -

deliberate counselor and steady actor IN times
that try mems souls.
Mcdowell, too, had come, with knightly ar
dor, to avenge his peoples wrongs, and one
hundred and siXty-fve Of his men had rallied
again around him. And there, too, were the
sharp-shooters and hard riders of Fincastle,
Botetourt and W.: lington counties, Virginia,
four hundred strc g, under Colonel William
Campbell, natiI of Augusta county, sprung
OH both sides frol the Caledonian race, of a
powerful, well-kn t frame, full six feet high,
of reserved and thoughtful caste of mind, a
lion when in actie n, a man and leader OF
men. He wore b his side "Andre Ferrera,' y
''The Claymore If the Argyle" which his
grandfather had borne in the older wars OF
Scotland, fighting for the ''kirk and coven-
ant" and he had an arm that could WELD, and
an eve that could direct it's stroke in manner
not unworthy of his sires.
Old men mingled in the throng, giving coun-
sci and cheer. Mothers and wives, and Sis
tiers, too, fingered by the sides OF sons and
husbands and brothers, assisting in the last
details of slender preparation, in giving the
farewell kiss that would glow in the hearts
and send electric thrills along their arms on
the day of battle.
No time was lost. On the morning of Sep
tember 26th, the united band assembled. A
solemn prayer was said amidst awe and ST.
lence. The last goodbye was spoken, and
through the wilderness, over the yellow noun
tainS, rode the mountain men to seek the bloody
trail of the wild beasts who had made home
their prey and humanity their victim.
On the 30th of September, they met on the
eastern side of the mountains, on the banks
of the Catawba, Col. Benjamin Cleveland and
Major Joseph Winston, with three hundred
and fifty men, from Wilkes and Surry counties,
''who were creeping through the woods, de-
string to fall in and join any party who might
be going to oppose the enemy" The 1st OF
October was rainy day and the command
rested with their welcome allies.
Up to this time there was no commanding
officer. William Campbell was the youngest
colonel present, but he had come the longest
distance, and had brought the largest detach-
ment. His character and his mien alike be-
spoke his fitness, and Colonel Isaac Shelby
proposed him as temporary cOmmander-in-
chief, while Colonel Mcdowell was dispatched
to General Gates for an experienced General
to take command of the whole corps. Ere
that messenger returned, Campbell had won
his spurs OH Kings Mountain, and the noun
tain men had become immortal. These were
the men who, with Campbell, set their heads
and rode into Gilbert Town on October 4th,
upon the heels of the retiring Ferguson.
On the night of October 4th, Campbell con.
vened council of war at Gilbert Town. His
adviceS were that Ferguson had decamped and
gone to the British Fort at Ninety-SiX, which
had lately been repaired and reinforced 1t
was concluded that the game had flown and
that naught was left but to abandon the chase
The expedition was on the eve Of failure the
resolution had beer passed to give it up, when
late that night a hOrseman, who had ridden
sixty miles that day, came dashing into camp
with tidings of great import. Apprehended as
spy, he was blindfolded and led into the com.
mander's presence wien he introduced himself
as Edward Lacy, of the South Carolina militia.
He brought the news that Ferguson was in the
neighborhood of the Cherokee Ford, on Broad
river that the story of his march to Ninety.
Six was only feint to mask his movement and
throw Campbell off his track, and that he was
really trying to rejoin Cornwallis, at Charlotte,
to which place he had dispatched for reinforce.
mentS. Further, Lacy related that he had
been sent, after conference with Williams,
Hill. ROebuck, Graham Hammond, Ham
bright, Brannon, Hawthorne and Chronicle,
officers of the North and South Carolina mill.
tia, who had been lowering around Ferguson
with their commands, to urge a junction OF all
the forces in the field at the CowpenS, twenty
miles from Gilbert Town, on the 9th instant,
and a combined movement against the COM
mon foe.
A second council of war was at once called.
The plan thus wisely suggested was at once
agreed to, while Lacy galloped back to state
that the mountain men were coming, and on
October 9Th, at sun down, sure enough they ar
rived at tthe Cowpens, where Col. Williams. with
about four hundred South Carolinians, and
Major Chronicle with sixty North Carolinians,
from Tryon county, had already bivouacked
in waiting.
We have seen that when Ferguson left Gil
bert Town, October 4th, protesting that as a
feint he was going to Ninety-SiX he had really
snuffed terrible danger in the breeze, and was
trying to get to Corvallis camp. On the 9Th
of October he crossed Broad River at Tate's
Ferry, near the present crossing of the All
Line Railroad. On the 9th, he passed Oh the
Yorkvile road through mountain gap, and
took position upon a ridge of stone and slate
formation, about mile in length north and
SOUTH very narrow upon its summit and about
one hundred feet in average height above the
ravines that surrounded it. This eminence he
called in loyal reverence of his sovereign,
kings Mountain"
1t is, indeed, mountain which kings may
well remember While the wary partisan was,
as the sun went down, October 9Th, posting his
followers on this natural fortress, nine hun
dred of the fleetest horsemen in the combined
camp of Campbell and his allies were prepar-
ing for the daring ride that was destined to
eventuate on the morrow. A hasty mOuthful
was swallowed. At s O'Clock every man was
in the saddle, and all through the black night
and amid torrents of rain, Campbell's men
rode swiftly OH the trail of Ferguson, their
guns wrapped in their overcOats and blankets,
in Cp1 hnf ho rim
to keep their powder dry.' Just before
sunrise of October 7th, they passed a little be-
low the Cherokee Ford of Broad River, and
soon came to FerguSOn's camp of the 5th.
The trail was fresh now, and the hearts of
the hunters beat high with "the stern joy that
warriors feel" Twelve miles farther on they
met some men coming from Ferguson's camp,
and they, as well as boy in a field near by,
related that Ferguson was just three miles
farther on 1t was just about II O'Clock. The
rain ceased, the clouds lifted, and the October
sun in meridian splendor burst forth,
Turning with alchemy of its precious eye
The meagre, cloddy earth to glittering gold"
Auspicious. glorious omen to the brighter SUM-
burst that was soon to wrap the grand old
mountain in glory that would be undimmed
forever. The order, Spartan in it's brevity and
in it's import, was passed down the line from lip
TO up, lie up OVercOaIS, PICK tOucll-nOleS,
fresh prime, and be ready to fight" The peo-
pie of the country. side gathered in, plough
boys and seedsmen left the fields, guides were
selected, the word Forward !" was given,
and in twenty minutes the head of the column
caught, through the opening of the woodland,
the glittering sheen of British bayonets firing
ing the mountain top. Within mile of their
destination courier of Ferguson, with dis
patches for CORVALLIS, was captured. In that
last message to his commander, Ferguson said:
and all the rebels out of hell cannot drive me
from it, These words were read at the head
of Campbell's men. They spoke not word.