Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-05-23
GRN. EDWARD LACEY
Lion Hearted Champion of
American Liberty.
YORK'S EARLY HISTORY IN REVIEW

YORK'S EARLY HISTORY IN REVIEW.
Interesting Old Pamphlet That Gives
the People Of the Present Generation
Some Idea of the Part Their Fathers
played In Establishing Their lnde.
pendenee.
reprint OF Pamphlet Published by
DR.. Maurice A. Moore In 1881.
Before the mountain men arrived
certainly to meet Ferguson's army,
they learned that he had made re-
trogade movement, report said he was
some fifty or sixty miles south of
them. They had also assurances, la
ter, from two men, that Ferguson had
gone to the British post at Ninety
Six, which was a hundred miles fur
ther off. The men had volunteered for
"a short term and the leaders were
doubtful what course to pursue. The
|defences at the post Of Ninety-Six had
teen recently repaired, It was strong
ly garrisoned with four hundred reg
ulars and some militia. (16) The prob
ability was that the post would re-
sist an assault and not having ord
nance on camp equipage,t to carry on
siege. they had about reached the con-
clusion to return over the mountains.
But to return to the Patriots near
Kings Mountain. In consultation
between Hill, Lacey, Williams Bran
don and Roebuck, Hammond, Ham,
bright, Graha-a, Hawthorne and
Chronicle, 1t was agreed that an ex-
press should be sent to Colonels Camp
bell, Cleveland. Mcdowell, Shelby, and
Sewer, to let them know colonel Fer
guson's whereabouts, position and
force and to invite (1O them to come.
with forces and attack Ferguson on
Kings Mountain.
Most fortunately for the American
cause, Colonel Edward Lacey rode
that express QS) sixty miles in one
day; late at night, he entered the
Whig camp, he was suspected to be
Tory spy, and was taken prisoner and
lblindfolded, but he had the address to
convince the commanders that he was
not an imposter He told them the
position held by Ferguson, his force
and so on, urged the officers by all
means to come at once and he felt
sure that the combined Whig force
could undoubtedly capture Ferguson
and his army. and that delay might
prove fatal to success. Q9) for Colo
mel Ferguson had sent an express to
Lord Cornwallis, (20) who was at
Charlotte, N. c., requesting reinforce
ments. That night, In council, Camp
bell had abandoned the chase. and
had determined to return over the
mountains: upon the earnest soiicita-
ton of Colonel Lacey, a second coun-
ell of war was held and they recalled
their decision and resolved to pursue
Ferguson as far as Kings Mountain.
Lacey's jaded horse was well fed, and
he himself had but a frugal repast. af-
ter few hours sleep he was dismissed
before day to carry the good news to
his comrades that the mountain men
would be at the Cowpens about the
9Th Of October.
On that day, a little before sundown
the mountain men came to the place
of rendezvous. The Patriot force now
amounted to about three thousand.
(21) Although raining, they started
In the dark-Lossing says with nine
hundred men: Major Tate, who fought
in Sumters brigade under Lacey, says
there were sixteen hundred picked
men. Shelby says that there were
nine hundred and ten well picked,
we'll mounted men, who started from
the Catawba in Burke county, North
Carolina, leaving weak horses and
footmen behind; Colonel Hill says
that there were nine hundred and
thirty of the South Carolinians start
ed from the Cowpens, we'll mounted
leaving an equal number OF foot and
badly mounted in camp. altogether
this would make one thousand. eight
hundred and forty-three men who
went in pursuit of Ferguson. The Of
fcers (22) all met just before the
battle began. and elected Colonel
Campbell, commander in chief: he
was the youngest Colonel and his
home the most distant. On October
1st, a week before, Campbell had been
elected the chief In command OF the
forces under Shelby. Sewer, Cleveland
and Mcdowell
The tradition has always been, that
inasmuch as Colonel Lacey had ridden
the express, that Colonel Campbell
gave to him the honor (23) Of COM
mencing the battle. He led on his
men from the western (2G and most
level side Of the mountain, engaging
the attention of the foe. while the reg
iments and battalions Of Cleveland,
Shelby, Sewer. Campbell. Mcdowell,
Williams, Brandon, Roebuck, Ham,
mond. Hambright. (25) Clark, Hill,
Hawthorne, Graham and Chronicle,
marched around it's base, so as COM
pletely to encircle Ferguson's army.
At the first fire of the enemy, Laceys
fine horse was shot dead under him.
| (26) However, he was we'll repaid, In