The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-10-03
ISAAC SHELBY.
"A Leader in. the Battle Of Kings Mountain
--Governor Of Kentucky.
81. ioni> HrrnbHc

important event was at Musgrovc S
MIL where 100 men, led by Coloncls
shelly Clarke and Williams, routed
the British, they having g.; killed and
100 wounded and taken, While the
American loss was four killed anl nine
wounded. The Americans designed
TO make stand before Ninety Six
that evening; but IN express, bearing
dispatches from Governor caswcll,
Informed the leader, Of the defeat Of
Gcneraiiiatcs at Jamicn. The Amer
cans had 10 retreat in haste, but sue.
cccdcd in getting away with all their
prisoners. The brillancy Of this
affair was obscurcd, as indeed we're all
the minor events Of the war previous,
by the deep gloom which ovcrspread
the public mind after the disastrous
defeat of Gates at Camden.
The British, who thought lie ere
bellion' now nearly ended, began call
ing upon the inhabitants Of Virginia
and the Caroinas to come to their
headquarters and declare their loyalty.
Colonel Ferguson, with a considerable
force, went to the westward. He sent
word to Shelby, then at Wautauga, that
ne and his men must come into their
camp or he would proceed against
them and scatter them to the four
winds. Encampcd at Gilbert town.
he sent these threatening messages
throughout the whole country. Shelby
concluded that he would have n 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 drubbing. This
was one OF the most critical periols Of
the whole revolution. CORVALLIS was
at Charlotte, y. e., and Ferguson, as
before stated, was at GilHcrt town
farther west. She!oy's proposition
was that the Americans surprise Fer
guson in the night and attack him
Colonel Campbell, Of Virginia, was
also invited to help with the exrcdi-
ton, and he assisted They raised a
force from the several counties, the
hardy settlers rallying 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 for
ces had been scattered by the British.
This was in the fall of 1880.
For 36 hours the Americans pursued
Ferguson, without alighting from their
horses to refresh, but once, at the
Cowpens, 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 mile long. Ferguson had de-
clared the evening before the battle
that he was the King 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 front and rear, and as.
saulted him, he having all the advan-
tage Of position. The result >7as vic
tory. Ferguson was killed, with 375
of his officers and men, and over 700
captured. 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
established the independence of the
United States. This victory, SO i'm
portant to history, was achieved by
raw, undisciplined riAemen, without
any authority from the government
under which they lived; without pay,
rations, ammunition, or even the ex-
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