Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-09-15

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own expense is service great for any
time and any age, and Shelby but
proved his mettle again and gave prom
ise Of what he would do in the future.
The. frontier was under the control
Of John Sewer, "Nolichucky jack" the
one Of those who had early settled near
Watauga and penetrated further west
ward into Kentucky. Shelby fought the
Indians to the west Of him and the
British to the east of him. He was
with the Americans, and In command,
at Cedar Spring, where over 80 British
were taken. The next important event
was at Musgrove's Mill, where 700 men,
led by Colonels Shelby, Clarke and
Williams, routed the British, they hav-
ing 63 killed and 100 wounded and TAX
en-, while the American loss Was four
killed and nine wounded. The Amer
leans designed to make stand before
Ninety-Six that evening; but an ex-
press, bearing dispatches from Cover
nor Caswen, informed the leaders Of
the defeat Of General Gates at Camden.
The Americans had to retreat In haste,
but succeeded In getting away with
all their prisoners. The brilliancy Of
this affair was obscured, as indeed
were all the minor events Of the war
previous, by the deep gloom which
overspread the, public mind after the
disastrous defeat Of Gates at Camden.
The British, who thought the "re-
bellion" now nearly ended, began cali
ing upon the inhabitants Of Virginia
and the, Carolinas to come to their
headquarters and declare their loyalty.
Colonel Ferguson, with considerable
force, went to the westward, He sent
word to Shelby, then at Watauga, that
he and his men must come into their
camp or he would proceed against
them and scatter them, to the four
winds. Encamped at Gilbert-t6wn. he
sent these threatening : messages
Throughout the whole country. Shelby
concluded that he would have a hand
in the little game Of scattering to the
four Winds" so he went to see Sewer
and proposed that they collect force
and give Ferguson a: drubbing. This
was one Of the most critical periods Of
the whole Revolution. CORVALLIS was
at Charlotte, N. c., and Ferguson, as
before stated, was at Gnbert-town far
ther west. Shelby's proposition was
that the Americans surprise Ferguson
in the night and attack him. Colonel
Campbell, of Virginia, was also invited
to help with the expedition, and he as
sisted. They raised a force from the
several counties, the hardy settlers raj
lying to the call Of the three men
whom they. knew and trusted.
The force Of Colonels Shelby, Sewer
and Campbell was augmented by the
arrival of Colonel Cleveland, with 300
men, and Colonels Williams and Lacey
and other refugee officers, whose forces
had, been scattered by the British This
was in. the fall Of 1880. -
For SO hours the Americans pursued
Ferguson, without alighting from their
horses to refresh, but once, at the Cow
pens, for an hour. The day Of action
was SO wet that the men could only
keep their guns dry by. wrapping their
bags, blankets, and hunting shirts
around the locks, which exposed their
bodies to heavy rain during the pur-
suit.
They found Ferguson encamped on
Kings Mountain, which was about half
a mile long. Ferguson had declared
the evening before the battle that he
was the klng Of the Mountain and
that God Almighty could not drive
him from It,"
Upon him came the Wautauga boys,
however, and their fellows. The plan Of
battle was excellently arranged. The
Americans climbed the mountain at
Ferguson's front and rear, and assault
ed him, he having all the advantage Of
position. The result was victory. Fer
guson was killed, with 375 Of his off,
GERS and men, and over 700 were cap
tured. The Americans had sixty killed
and wounded.
This glorious achievement occurred
at this, the most gloomy period of the
Revolution, and was the first link in
the chain Of events at the South which
esta blished the independence Of the
United States. This victory, so i'm
portant to history, was achieved by
raw, undisciplined rifemen, without
any authority from the government
under which they lived; without pay,
rations, ammunition, or even the ex-
pectation Of reward, other than graft
fication at having advanced the cause
of liberty. The Tories, hitherto so ar
rogant, were completely dispirited, and
CORVALLIS, immensely alarmed, fled
with all his army to the seacoast, from
which he did not again venture to
move until reinforced.
The legislature Of North Carolina
passed a vote Of thanks to Colonel
Shelby and several other officers, and
that each be presented with
an elegant sword for their patriotic
conduct in the attack and defeat Of
the enemy on Kings Mountain, on the
memorable day Of October Z, 1850.
This resolution was carried into effect
as to Colonel Shelby in the summer Of
1918, just at the moment when, in the
language Of Secretary Monroe, dis |
claiming all metaphysical distinctions
tending to enfeeble the government"
he was about to lead his troops far be- ]