The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1881-01-23
rhc Kings ssonntain with.


In the Magdsiae of american History for
December Gen. j. Watts be petster presents an I'M
portant contribution to the critical and military his
Tory of the war of the Revolution, in memoir on the
battle of Kings Mountain whose centennial was
celebrated In August last. According TO Gen,
to that decisive sst in manner so complete and
exhaustive that the popuist notion Of the conflict is
tissue OF errors In the major rs vel as the minor
particulars. Translating the epigrairinatc state.
uent OF witty Partisan essayist, they have managed
with more less cleyerness to deny that which Is md
demonstrate that which Is not. The popular nara
tive is that the battle was fought between corps
Of British regulars commanded by Mai. Fat
rick Fcrguson-the one armed devil, as the Wings of
Carolina styled him-and n force OF raw backwoods-
men, inferior In number and equipments to their we'll
trained adversaries but impelled by fervid patriot
ism that was as Irresistible as destiny. Ferguson
fell, and the British surrendered II is always pity
to spoil stirring narrative, particularly when iis
tendency Is eleynting but modern historical a., ctisi
OF william Tell and the tryant Gessler has been writ
ten down myth. there Is no reason why the Kings
predecessor. Marshal Ney's dead horses at Waterloo
have been shown to be Imaginary animals by NJ
what the Remusat memoirs are tchis private lfc and
1t now appears that the last desperate charge OF the
royal troops at Kings Mountain came near driving
Our people of the field. The charge was led by Abra-
ham DE Peyster senior captain In the Fourth Regi-
ment New York rcyaists, heardess young man of
twenty two upon whose papers, compared with those
of others who took part IN the Tight the memoir of
Gen. DE peyser is founded. This charge was
executed some time after Ferguson fell, and
slope of the hill with rapdty that nearly amounted
tofon. But the gallantry of seventy men could not
the day; by one they were picked of by the
rifles of the Whlgs until only twenty remained and
these were crowded into heap and compelled to SUR
render. Not escaped death or capture. 1t APP
that there were few, II any British regulars engaged
In the battle. Tho command of Ferguson consisted
almost wholly Of picked men frotii the American vol
untcer regiments. There were, besides Nal. Fer
guson, two British officers present, and pos
sbly few regular soldiers selected account Of
their DrpfiCpuCy SblrnSlOOtprS
they were merely incorp Dr,ted with the command
and had no special organization OF their own. Hav-
ing disposed of these two historic misconceptions
Gen. DE Peyster discusses the question of the relative
numbers of the combatants. The British force did
not exceed 900 men, and was probably not more than
$50, inclusive of militia, who began to desert In
numbers several days before the BATTLE and vanished
| like men of mist when the conflict actually COM
menced, leaving the 100 picked men to fight 1t out.
The Americans have been yariOusy estimated, and,
against FergusOn their numbers probably fuctuated
from day to day. DE Peyster calculates our reliable
forces at 49, and the British at from $50 to 960 The
whole fighting OF this decisive engagement was done
within area less than half that of Madison square;
and with strange want Of Judgment Ferguson had
assaiants had the shelter of the surrounding woods.
To make the matter worse, the plateau was paddle.
shaped $500 to GOO yards long by 90 to 20 broad adj
hitting of sheltered assault In front, flank and rear
| II was the bunder OF making stand against the
experienced and unerrlng riaemen trained to long
and turned the scale of the revolution III our favor
by revivng the dropping ardor of our troops after the
disaster ut Camden. There Is something inCongruous
In the fate Of nation being balanced upon the Issue
of trihing skrmisll in the backwocds of Carolina,
but many historical parallels could he cited.-N. T.