Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-07-17
BATTLE OF KINGS. MOUNTAIN.
A Notable Contest That Was Fought In
the Revolutionary War.

Two or three days later word was
brought to Ferguson that the Backwater
men had come over the mountains; that
the Indian fighters of the frontier, leav-
ing unguarded their homes on the west
ern waters, had crossed by wooded and
PERCEPTIONS defiles to the help of the
beaten men of the plains. Ferguson at
once fell back, sending out messengers
for help. When he came . to Kings
mountain, a wooded, hogback hill on
the border line between North and South
Carolina, lie camped on its top, deem
ing that there he was safe, for he sup
posed that before the backwoedsmen
could come near enough to attack him
help would reach him. But the back
woods leaders felt as keenly as he the
need of haste, and choosing out their
picked men-the best warriors of the
force and the best mounted and armed
they made long forced march to as
sail Ferguson before help could come to
him. All night long they rode the dim
forest trails and splashed across the fords
of the rushing rivers. All the next day,
the 9th of October, they rode, too, until
in mid afternoon they came in sight of
Kings mountain.
The little armies were about equal in
numbers. Ferguson's regulars were
armed with the bayonet, and so were
some of his Tory militia, whereas the
Americans had not a bayonet among
them, but they were picked men, conf
dent in their skill with the rifle, and
they were SO sure of victory that their
aim was not only to defeat the British,
but to capture their whole force! The
backwoods colonels, counse1ing together
as they rode at the head Of the column,
decided to surround the mountains and
assail it on all sides. Accordingly the
bands Of frontiersmen split one from the
other and soon encircled the craggy hill
where Ferguson's S forces were encamped.
They left their horses in the rear and
Immediately began the battle, swarm
ing forward on foot, their commanders
leading the attack.
The march had been so quick and the
attack SO sudden that Ferguson barely
had time to marshal his men before the
assault was made. Most of his militia
he scattered around the top of the hill
to fire down at the Americans as they
came up, while drawing up his regulars
and few picked militia he charged in
person with the bayonet, first down one
side of the mountain and then down the
other Sewer, Shelby, Campbell and the
other colonels Of the frontiersmen led
each his force of riflemen straight to-
ward the summit. Each body in turn
when charged by the regulars was forced
to give way, for they had no bayonets
wherewith to meet their foes, but the
backwoodsmen retreated only SO long as
the charge lasted, and the minute that
it stopped they stopped, too, and came
back ever closer to the ridge and ever
with deadlier fire. Ferguson, blowing
silver whistle as signal to his men,
led these charges, sword in hand, ON
horseback. At last, just as he was once
again rallying his men, the rifemen of
Sewer and Shelby crowned the top of
mander became a fair target for the
backwoodsmen, and, as for the last time
he led his men against them, seven bull
let's entered his body, and he fell dead
With his fall resistance ceased. The reg
ulars and Tories huddled together in a
confused mass, while the exultant Amer
leans rushed forward. A flag of truce
was hoisted, and all the British who
were not dead surrendered. -" Hero
Tales From American History" by
Theodore Roosevelt, i'll st. Nicholas