The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1889-05-09

therefore, Lord CORVALLIS began his
celebrated march from Charleston
through South Carolina and North
Carolina into Virginia. He cal
culated upon embodying the loyal
element wherever he went and en-
couraging it to join him and swell
his forces. This was reasonable
after the shameful disaster at Cam
den, and to a great extent this ex-
pectation was justified by large num-
bers of loyalists joining him in
South Carolina, whilst quite num-
Der either did, or attempted, the
same in North Carolina. But his
presence and proclanations were
two edged weapons; they not only
called out the Tory element, but
reused and brought to arms every
patriotic Wing in the regions through
which he marched. These alone
proved more than sufficient to deal
with their countrymen who took
sides with the British.
The first great serious check which
his hitherto triumphant advance had
received was at Kings Mountain in
October, 1880. Preceding his adj
vance into North Carolina, Cornwall
lis had sent Major Ferguson with a
battalion of regular troops to call
out and embody all the Tory element
of the western part of the two Caro-
linas. This he did with consider
able success, and incorporated with
his own forces q large number of
volunteers. But the effort to do so
had alarmed the Wings of the noun
tains of North Carolina and Vir-
ginia. These gallant frontiersmen
sprang up as by magic. and crossing
the great Iron and Yellow Noun
tains from the valleys Of the Holston
and sNollichucky, assembled in the
valley of the Catawba and made
their final arrangements to dispose of
Ferguson and his Tories. Advance
ing by forced marches, receiving re
cruits at every step, their array be-
came SO formidable that Ferguson
took the alarm and retreated to
Kings Mountain, vainly imagining
that the raw militia from the wilder
ness would not dare to attack him
there. But little did he know of
the spirit Of these men. Like a
mountain avalanche they swept on
ward after their prey, and like an
eagle when found they seizedi it, in de-
fiance of all military rules, in its
own chosen position of strength.
Authors, orators and military critics
have dweltalike upon this wondrous
feat OF arms, its timely importance
to the patriotic cause and its un-
exampled heroism.
To me, it appears impossible for
language to over estimate its impor-
lance or to do adequate justice to the
courage, audacity and war-like skill
which enabled unframed militia,
without artillery, without bayonets,
without even discipline, with simply
hunting rifles and inadequate ammu-
milton, to assault fortified mountain
heights, defended by almost equal
numbers,a part of whom were trained
veteran troops-and carry them by
storm.
The next most serious check
which was given to the royal advance
was inflicted at the Cowpens in De
cember 1880. Furious at the de-
struction of Ferguson's command,
CORVALLIS hurried forward to re-
,trieve the disaster of the celebrated
and hitherto invincible cavalry
commander, Colonel Tarleton, with a
considerable force Of splendid troops.
He was met at the Cowpens by Gen
eral Morgan with a large force of
the patriotic militia of North and
South Carolina of whom
had participated in the victory at
Kings Mountain and was signally
defeated with the loss of a large
number of killed, wounded and
prisioners.,iii 9ni957A ~ ,iei-'a.t1
III Thus two most Important detach-
ments of the royal invading army
having been defeated being alb
solutely destroyed-Lord CORVALLIS
being justly alarmed for the success
of the campaign and smarting from
humiliation and defeat, determined
upon a prompt and aggressive adj
vance which should subdue all OPP
position and restore all lost prestige
Of his army. From this time for
ward until fate compelled him to re-
treat from the State, it is impossible
to withhold from him our admira-
ton at his high military. qualities,
as evidenced by the discipline of his
troops and the wisdom and modera-
ton of his conduct. But it was de-
creed that he should fail, and on
this spot where we now stand, in
1881, the finishing blow was given
to all his prospects for subjugating
the Southern colonies, and which
drove him to his ships at Whining
ton and finally to the end at Y ork-
ton.o fa iV- 100 ,,S.s
From this day dates the real free
dom and independence of North
Carolina, Had he not been here
successfully resisted had the army
of General Greene been destroyed as
Ferguson's had s1been at Kings
Mountain, beyond all question the
Independence Of these colonies would
have been indefinitely postponed.