Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-11-01
Out of the Past.


Yorkville Enquirer, Il letter from MI
w. +. Houseal, associate editor oi the
Lutheran Visitor, and also we are re-
producing the interesting document TO
which Mr.. Houseal refers in the letter
Along about 1923 there arose con-
troversy as to the parts that were act
uaily played by various of the partici-
pant commanders in the battle OF
Kings Mountain.
1t seems that shortly after the war;
the Virginia legislature, In recognition
of the services of Col. Campbell, as
commander of the patriot forces. voted
TO him a horse and sword, the horse
10 be one of the best to be had and the
sword the finest that could be produc-
ed in France. The horse was procured
and presented to Col. Campbell during
his lifetime; but for one reason ana
another the purchase of the sword was
DELAYED until many years afterward:
when it went to VIM. c. Preston COL
Campbell's grandson.
During the period following the war;
when so much credit was going to Col.
Campbell. there developed good deal
of jealousy OF the part of Coils. Sewer
and Shelby, and in connection with the
sword presentation Col Shelby wrote
Col Sewer a letter in which he alleg-
ed that Campbell was getting a great
deal more credit than he was entitled
to. He said in the letter that as mat
ter of fact Campbell had disappeared
during the latter part Of the battle,
and did not rc-appear until after the
British had surrendered themselves as
prisoners.
These letters were of private ma
ture, written after Campbells death In
1910, and were not made public Tor
some ten or twelve years later. when
they were given to the press by son
of Col. Sewer, who did not like the
way that Mr.. Preston was making II
appear that Col. Campbell had been so
nearly the whole thing in winning the
battle.
Mr. Preston came back at Col. G. w.
Sewer, son of Col. John, one Of the he
roes Of Kings Mountain. for the man
ner in which he had reflected on Col.
Campbell, and Col. Sewer went to
work to back up what he had to say
with affidavits. These affidavits, most
" from Campbell's Virginia men,
seemed to question the veracity OF Col.
Shelby, and that put Col. Shelby to
work gathering affidavits from Ten
nessee and North Carolina men to es-
tablish what he had said.
Reams and reams Of affidavits were
submitted on both sides Of the question
and many of them were published at
the time.
Shclby's contention was that not only
did Col. Campbell disappear during
the latter part Of the battle: but that
he did not show up until some twenty
minutes afterward, when Campbell
said to him, Shelby: "Sir, cannot ac-
count for my conduct in the latter part
Of the action"
A number Of officers and men under
the immediate command Of Col. Camp
bell swore that they saw him actively
engaged in the battle at different
times and that they saw him at the
close still in active command. Col.
Shelby and his witnesses all represent
ed Campbell as riding a black horse,
while all Of campbell's witnesses testi-
fed that he rode bay horse during
the battle. though his favor'iatc horse
was a black one.
or course after it was all over. the
partisans of both sides were left to be-
licve as they chose.
The affidavit reproduced from the
Lutheran Visitor was evidently one
that had been asked for and given In
behalf OF Col. Campbell: but so far as
we are able to say. it has never before
been published.