Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-09-06

some consequence. happily tnelr ledu'
ers are obliged to feed their followers
with such hopes and 80 to flatter then
with accounts Of our weakness ant
fear, that, If necessary I should hope
for success against them myself; bu
numbers compared, that must be bu
doubtful. I am on my march towards
you by a road leading from Cherokee
Ford north Of Kings Mountain. Three
or four hundred good soldiers, par
dragons, would finish the business
Something must be done. This is theil
last push in this quarter.
Patrick Ferguson"
This was written and forwarded the
day before the battle. 1t Is not certain
whether or not Col. Ferguson intended
to march forward and join Cornwallis
at Charlotte. To him he wrote, Il an
on my march towards you by q road
leading north of Kings Mountain
The brief line seems to have breathed
call for assistance, assistance fol
which he waited as vainly as did Cor
don at Khartoum, and which never
came.
The Fateful Scene.
At length, after crossing the creek
on the right Of the road, about 25O
yards from the pass. he came to
Kings Mountain. That portion Of II
where the action took place has little
or no claim to the distinction Of q
mountain. The Kings Mountain range
is about sixteen miles in length, ex-
tending generally from the northeast In
North Carolina in a southwesterly
course. The principal variation in this
range Is a sort Of lofty tower, called
the pinnacle, some six miles distant
from the battle-ground. That portion
of the oblong hill or stony ridge now
historically famous Is in York county,
S. c., about mile and at half south of
the North Carolina line. 1t is about
600 yards long and $50 from one base
across to the other. $50 narrow" says
one writer, that a man standing on 1t
may be shot from either SIDE" Its
summit was about 60 feet above the
surrounding country. Col. Ferguson's
observing eye was attracted to this
commanding eminence and regarding
1t as fit camping place he concluded
to tarry there. This was October 6.
He apparently awaited the expected re-
turn Of furloughed parties Of loyalists
and others, and he must have cherish
ed q hope for re-inforcements froil
Tarleton and the militia from the dis
trict of Ninety-Six. He flattered him
self that with these reinforcements he
could gain the victory over the Back
water men. So retreat might betray
a sign Of fear, and whatever were his
faults, cowardice was not one, and
too, by retreating he might lose the
chance Of a lifetime Of distinguishing
himself on the field of Mars and win
ming undying honors and fame for
king and country. "The situation on
Kings Mountain" says Arthur McFall
one of his loyalist followers, was so
pleasing that he concluded to take post
there, stoutly affirming that he would
be able to destroy or capture any force
the Wings could bring against him."
"King Of That Mountain -.
$50 confident" says Shelby, was
Ferguson in the strength Of his posi-
ton that he declared that "he was on
the kings mountain, that he was the
king of that mountain and God AL
mighty could not drive him from It"
But much Of this confidence was on
the outside, for we'll he knew how like
a full foodtide the Backwater men
might become. It was a time when
courage was to be kept up and he told
his men that 'fn a sovereign's need, 1t
is each mans duty to be bold" Some
one says true courage consists In do
ing the things you are afraid to do.
Ferguson possessed the courage that
took him into battle when he knew
in his heart that the outcome was
even II he was victorious,
and yet he hesitated not a moment but
plunged headlong to receive whatever
fate the God Of Battles had in store.
One young Ponder was to bear dis
patches, but he was over-taken and
held Interrogated as to the kind OF
dress Ferguson wore, he replied that
while that officer was the best uni
formed man on the mountain, they
could not see his military suit as he
wore a checkered shirt or duster over
1t. Colonel Hambright, colonial Of
ficer. at once called the attention of his
men to this peculiarity Of Ferguson.
Before the action it was we'll known
that Ferguson welded his sword In
his left hand the admonition had been
given from officer to man, Look out
for Ferguson with his sword in his left
hand and wearing a hunting shirt"
Ferguson's provincials or rangers,
as Tarleton calls them, were not a
permanent corps, but made up for
special service from other provincial
bodies. They were, the kings Amer
lean regiment, raised in and around
New York, the queens fingers and
the New Jersey volunteers. These
royal colonial troops were clad IN
the early part Of the war In green
afterwards they wore scarlet coats.
The provincfals were we'll trained and
Ferguson relied largely upon them In
consequence Of the practiced skill In
the use Of the bayonet and in case
of necessity for such Of the Tory
troops as were without that imple-
ment he had provided a long knife
made by the blacksmiths of the
country, the butt end Of the ham
die of which was the proper size to
insert snugly in the muzzle Of the
rifle, with a shoulder or button two
inches or more from the end, 80 that
1t could be used as an effective sub
stitute.
Tho Forces.
His troops consisted of seven bat
talions of militia-over 1000 men
and composed Of persons well affect
ed to the British government and so
regulated that $500 men could be
furnished at short notice for frontier
or home duty. What was the exact