Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-11-18

lion. Shelby, impulsive as ever, re
piled, 81 will not stop until night, if
follow Ferguson into Cornwallis's
lines" They had proceeded but
mile when they learned that Ferguson
was only seven miles from them, a
Kings Mountain. Ferguson, finding
that he could not elude the "BacE
Water Men," as he called them, had
marched to Kings Mountain, which
he considered strong post, and which
he had reached the night previous
The mountain, or ridge, was quarter
!, of mile long, and so confident was
Ferguson in the strength Of his posi-
ton that he declared the "Almighty
could not drive him from it,"
When the patriots came near the
mountain, they halted, tied all theil
loose baggage to their saddles, fastcn
ed their horses, and left them under
charge of few men, and then prepar
ed for an immediate attack. About
o'clock the patriot force was led to the
attack in four columns. Colonel Camp
bell the right-centcr column, Colone
Shelby the left-center, Colonel Sewer
the right flank column, and Colone
Cleveland the left flank. AS they
came to the foot Of the mountain, the
right center and right flank column
deployed to the right, and the left cen
ter and left flank to the left, and thus
surrounding the mountain, they march
ed up, commencing the actions on al
sides. Ferguson did all that an officer
could do under the circumstances
His men, too, fought bravely; but his
position, which he thought impregna
bile against any force the patriots could
raise, was really a disadvantage t.
him.
The summit was bare, whilst the
sides of the mountain were covered
with trees. Ferguson's men were
drawn up in close column Oh the sum
nit and thus presented fair marks foi
the mountaineers, who approached
them under the cover of the trees
AS either column would approach the
summit, Ferguson would order d
charge with fixed bayonets, which was
always successful, for the ritiemen re-
treated before the charging column
slowly, still firing as they retired
When Ferguson's men returned TO re-
gain their position on the mountain
the patriots would again rally and
pursue them. In one of these charges
Shelby's column was considerably
broken. He rode back and rallied his
men, and when the enemy retired to
the summit, he pressed his men Oh and
reached the summit, whilst Ferguson
was directing charge aginst Cleve'
land. Colonel Sewer reached the sum
init about the same time with Shelby
They united and drove back the enemy
to one end of the ridge. Cleveland
and Campbell's columns were still press
ing forward and firing as they came
up. The slaughter of the enemy was
great, and it was evident that further
resistance would be unavailing.
Still Ferguson's proud head could not
think of surrendering. He swOre "he
never would yield TO such lot of ban
ditli," and rushed out from his men
sword in hand, and cut away until he
broke his sword and was shot down
His men, seeing their leader fall imme
diately surrendered. The British loss
in killed and prisoners was 1,lO5. Fer
guson's morning report showed force
of 1,125.
A more total defeat was not practi
cable. Our loss was about 40 killed
Among them we had to mourn the
death of Colonel Williams, most gal
ant and efficient officer. The battle
lasted one hour.
The victors encamped on the noun
tain that night, and the next morning
took up their line Of march for the
mountains under a bright sun, the firsI
they had seen for several days. They
made the prisoners carry their own
arms, as they could not have carried
them any other way. Among the pris
oners, Shelby found some officers who
had fought under him few weeks
previously at Musgrove Mill. They
said they had been compelled to join
Ferguson, and when they had been
examined, and their account found tc
be correct, they were well treated.
After the battle of Kings Mountain
this force, like all other partisan
bodies called out for particular emer
gency, was difficult to be kept EN-
bodied. The men, one after another
returned home, SO that when they
reached the Catawba there were not
more men than prisoners.
Those patriots who desired to con.
tinue in the service after the battle OF
Kings Mountain wished to be Joined
into corps and to be under the COM
mand of General Morgan. TO effect
this, Colonel Shelby went to head
quarters and saw Morgan, who said
they were just the men he wanted
General Gates consented, and the
board of war of North Carolina order
ed out these militia, who marched up
and Joined Morgan. Most of unem
were with him in the next campaign
and proved the stuff they were made
of at the nobly-won battle of the Cow
pens. 1t appears that under the same
Divine power that so advantageously
conducted the right-hand column OF
the Wings to the battle of Kings
Mountain, from that period good for
tune seemed TO preponderate in every
direction in favor of the common
cause of liberty.
The defeat of General Gates at
Camden, on the 10Th Of August, 1880,