Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-09-28
Kings Mountain.


remaining vestige of opposition to
their authority.
OF the patriots who had been doing
partisan service throughout the war,
some hid in the swamps and forests,
but most Of them crossed the border
into the adjoining sections Of North
Carolina, while still others took refuge
in the new settlements that had been
established beyond the Great Smoky
mountains, along the valleys of the
Watauga and the Nolichucky rivers.
Having proceeded as far as Gilbert
Town, in Rutherford county, N. c.
without having met with a great deal
Of opposition, Ferguson was here con-
fronted with the quandary, as to what
would happen If he should return,
and the partisans who had passed on
before him should come back to ques-
ton the rights of the Tories and 10y
alists who had been put in possession
Of their previous holdings during their
absence, and instead of going on af-
ter them, Ferguson established his
headquarters and sent word to the
leaders who were troubling him, that
If they did not come in and surren-
der, he would cross the noun :ains and
hang them.
Upon receipt Of Ferguson's ominous
message Isaac Shelby, John Sewer
and others, Immediately bestirred
themselves in the raising Of force
with which to descend on Ferguson at
Gilbert Town. They secured the CO.
operation Of Col. William Campbell Of
Virginia, along with the help Of a
number Of other leaders, and on the
25th Of September, 1880, mobilized
quite a respectable little army at
Sycamore Shoals on the Watauga-
The army left Sycamore Shoals on
September 26, and proceeded as rapid
ly as possible toward Gilbert Town,
gathering additional strength as it
came, but when it finally reached the
vicinity of the place whele 1t expected
to find the British force, it developed
that Ferguson had already commenced
a rapid retreat toward, they were told,
Ninety-Six, and as the result Of con-
ference it was decided to proceed no
further.
But the mobilization at Gilbert Town
was not the only gathering Of Amer
leans to take part in the overthrow OF
the invading army. News of what
was up had passed among the true
and tried like wildfire, and the parti-
sans in Chester, York, ldeclSlenburg,
Caswell and other surrounding coun-
ties, were also gathering to have a
hand in the great enterprise that they
knew was on foot, and when they
were all together, they numbered
more than two thousand.
Communication was established be-
tween the two patriot forces, and the
South Carolinians having sent word
to the North Carolinians and Virgin
ians at Gilbert Town, arranged a con-
junction of forces at Cowpens. In the
meantime, it had been ascertained that
instead Of going to Ninety-Six, Fer
guson was on his way to Charlotte,
and it was unanimously agreed to
overtake him and cut him to pieces.
Altogether the forces assembled at
Cowpens numbered more than four
thousand men, the numbers under the
South Carolina leaders on the one
hand and under the North Carolinians
and Virginians on the other hand be-
ing about equal. But most Of the men
were poorly mounted, armed and
equipped, and it was not considered
practicable to move such a force with
sufficient rapidity to catch the re-
treating foe. 1t was resolved, there
fore, to reduce the forces by selection
Of the best and when the elimination
of forces was over the pursuing army
consisted of 910 from the North Car
olina army and 933 of the South Car
olinians.
Leaving Cowpens in heavy rain at
about o'clock on the evening Of Oc-
tober 6, this carefully picked army
marched all night and reached the vi
cinity of Cherokee Ford, where Fer
guson had camped the night Of the
5th, at about daylight the next morn
ing. The trail was fresh and the
Americans pushed on almost without
stopping AS the result Of a hurried
conference on the road, 1t was decided
that Campbell should take the chief
command, and when a few hours later
Ferguson was definitely located on
Kings Mountain, the plan of battle
was arranged and agreed upon.
There were in the patriot army
quite a number Of men who had hunt
ed deer and wolves on Kings Noun
tain, and they being thoroughly ia
miliar with the ground, it was COM
paratively easy to plan an arrange
ment, whereby, approaching the hill
from the southwestern end, and a part
of the troops going to the right while
the others went to the left, and both
divisions continuing until they met,
the enemy would be completely sur
rounded at the northeastern extremi-
ty, and this plan was agreed upon.
The battle commenced at O'clock
being opened by the British with
volley on the troops of Col. Shelby a.
they were marching to their assigned
position. Col Mcdowell replied and
soon the firing became general. The
battle lasted for an hour and five min
utes, and is easily to be classed as a
wild, fierce struggle, characterized by
herosm and bravery on both sides.
For bayonets, the British used the
sharpened handles of their butcher
knives stuck into the muzzles of their
rifles and muskets The Americans
fought principally with their rifles;
but there were numerous single COM
bats at close quarters, and the grit.
valor and daring of the combatants
was proved to the utmost. The most
marked feature of the battle was the