Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-09-06
COL. PATRICK FERGUSON.
Life Story of the British Leader at Kings
Mountain.
ABLE LEADER AND A BRAVE MAN.
Paid With His Life the Penalty OF His Own Conf
dence in Selecting Place for Making Stand
AGAINST His Pursuers.

OCl1SC HI SSASSsA6
Against His Pursuers
Columbia State.
The following paper on Col. Patrici
Ferguson, the commander Of the Brit
ish force defeated at Kings Mountain
was written by Mrs. Howard Cline OF
Hickory, N. c., and read by her at the
meeting Of the Nathaniel Greene chap
ter, d. A. R:
No man, perhaps, Of his rank and
years ever attained more military dis
tinction than Patrick Ferguson. He
was born at Aberdeenshire, Scotland
in the year 1744, the second son OF
James Ferguson, afterward Lord Pit
four, an eminent advocate and for
twelve years Of the Scottish judges
his mother being Anne Murray, daugh-
ter of Alexander, Lord Eibank.
His father and his maternal uncle
James Murray. Lord Elibank, were
both regarded as men Of large culture
equal in erudition and genius to the
authors Of the Scottish Augustan age
Having acquired an early educa-
ton, young Ferguson" says a British
writer, sought fame by a different
direction, but was of equally vigorous
and brilliant powers.
When only in his 18th year a COM
mission was purchased for him and
he entered the army July IL, 1853, In
the Royal North British dragons,
serving in the wars Of France and Ger
many, wherein he distinguished him
self by a courage as cool as deter
mined. He scon evinced the great pur-
pose of his I c-to become notably
beneficial to Great Britain by profess
sional skill and effort.
After various engagements with
the army in Germany, young Ferguson
was sent home on account Of illness
and remained the greater part OF six
years in Scotland and England.
He was then detailed to the Carrioee
islands in the West Indies, where ne
rendered important service and where
he remained five years or until about
1773. He was then sent to the peace
full garrison Of Halifax, in Novia Sco-
tia-but disdaining inglorious ease he
had himself recalled to England, and
here he assiduously employed his time
in acquiring military knowledge and
science, perfecting his plans. prepar-
ing himself, biding his time and wait
ing, a lesson hard to learn to one of
his active nature.
Invented Rife.
When the disputes between the
mother country and her colonies were
verging towards hostilities. great
stories had gone back to England OF
mighty men Of valor in the colonies,
and their wondrous skill and marks
manship.
Young Ferguson found it hard to
listen to those tales which seemingly
detracted from England's glory. and he
at once formed plans to remedy his
beloved country's shortcoming. These
rumors so operated on the genius OF
Ferguson that he set to work and In
vented a new species Of rifle, which
could be loaded with greater celebrity
and fired with more precision than
any then in use. He could load his
newly constructed gun at the breach
without using the ramrod with such
quickness and repetition as to fire
seven times in q minute. He was re-
garded as the best rife shot In the
British army and had only one dis
putant for the honor Of being the
best marksman living. In adroitness
and celebrity in loading and firing
whether PROSTATE or erect, he Is said
to have excelled the best American
frontiersman or even the expert In
dian Of the forest.
According to the testimony OF eye
witnesses, he could check his horse, let
the reins fall upon the animals neck
draw a pistol from his holster, toss 1t
aloft, catch it as it fell, aim and shoot
the head off Of a bird on an adjacent
fence.
He often practiced and exhibited
his dexterity in the use Of his rifle
both at Black Heath and Woolwich
One signal feat was performed In the
presence of Lord Townshend, master
of ordnance, when he hit the bulls eye
target lying fiat on his back on the
ground. This so pleased Lord Town
shend that he arranged a special ex-
hibition for the king, which George III
honored with his presence. A year Ia
ter a patent was granted for all his i'm
provements.
Briton Not Tory.
Patrick Ferguson was never q Tory
at heart. He was first and above all
a British soldier with all that means
to a lover Of the kingdom and the ar
my. He believed that Great Britain
was the greatest country on earth and
that 1t was the first duty Of every loya
son to uphold her supremacy and su-
periority at all hazards and at every
cost. For her great glory he wrought
and studied, for the maintenance of hel
power in the New World he gave his
life. He is always characterized as
fierce partisan" a Britisher who
served his king with greater zeal thar
he served his God.
And so, when England was in sore
distress and the loss Of her daughter
over the sea impending, King George
sent a messenger for Patrick Fergu'
son and had him brought before him
The king did not command this time
He desired Ferguson, through his grea
love for his country, to go to America
as his especial representative ane
there to use his personal power ant
his great military skill in bringing bacl
the wayward daughter safe to the
mother country's dominion. Yount
Ferguson was glad to go, for 1t was
quest that was to bring glory to Eng
land and honor to him. He accepted
the command willingly, but begged the
king for a little time to prepare. Ht
told his majesty that he could no