The Coolidge examiner., 1935-09-27
Diagram otthe Battle orKhnq5 Mountain

States Five thousand acres OF this land win
comprise the national military park. The re-
malndcr win be- used as rccrcauonal area foT
the poor aud underpriyileEed classes. especially
those in the mill towns ~ the northwestern part
~ the states. Camps are TO be organized where
they win BE- provided with facilities for all kinds
81 outdoor sports at low cost Thus Is the
patriotic impulse 90 honor the memory Of the
past being put % nn emlnsnily practical and
Humanitarian use Tor present and future genera.
tions % Americans.
The Battle of Kings Mountain OF the
most dramatic events % the Revolution both as
10 is actors and the circumstances Under which
q was fought So far as the numbers engaged
we're Concerned q was a minor affair. But It's re-
suits lifted " 20 a position ~ major Importance
in a campaign which eliminated In victorious
end TO the Fight fer liberty.
BLACK iTSo~ the patriots called g. as the
sixth year % their weary struggle opened. Down
IN the south two states. South Carolina and
Georgia. lay prustraie before the enemy. Sir
Henry Clinton had captured Charleston with its
garrison ~ 500 men True. such noted partisan
leaders as Marion. the swamp Fox" Sumter. the
Carolina Gamecock" and Plckens were still
harassln= the enemy with their guerilla warfare
but nothing conclusive could D. expected Of them.
With only these scattered bands Of patriots 20
piete his conquest of the south by invading North
Carolina. As a part of his plan Mai Patrick
Ferguson of the scventy-arst regiment was sent
toward the hack country OF the Carolinas 10
crush any patriot opposition which might de-
velop. but primarily 10 rally the Tories and re
crui5 them TO the British standard.
Meanwhile the scattered patriots began making
desperate efforts TO resist his advance. Col
Charles Mcdowell OF Burke county. y. G.. was
on the Broad river Just over the South Carolina
line when he heard 81 Fergusons advance. He
sent call for help across the mountains to
John SEWER and Isaac Shelby. leaders OF the
pioneers who had settled In what is now eastern
Tennessee.
SEWER had his hands fun fighting the cherO-
KEGS. but he sent 30 men 10 McDowell's aid aud
Shelby crossed over with a similar force from
Sullivan county. There a short period of
guerilla fighting In which Shelby won a minor
succrss at Musgroye's Mills Then came the
news of the crushing defeat Of Gates American
army az Camden by Lord CORVALLIS aud the
death of Baron DE Kalb. Two days later the
Americans suffered another disaster. Tarleton
one of CORVALLIS most brilliant officers. had
surprised the Willy Sumter at Fishing Creek and
cut his command 10 pieces
North Carolina now lay wide open to Corn
wallis invasion. lie advanced to Charlotte with
little opposition and Ferguson marched
north through the back country.
In the meantime Shelby and Sewer had with.
drawn across the mountains to make plans for
resisting Ferguson or any other British force
which should operate along the eastern slopes OF
the Blue Ridge. They also sent word 10 the
leaders In Wilkes and Surrey counties 70 gather
their men and prepare for a counterstroke
against the British.
Ferguson learned that the mountain men were
ralyine. At Gilbert Town he paroled one OF his
prisoners and sent him TO Shelby with n letter In
which he Informed the Back Water Men" as he
called the mountaneers. that II they did not
-desist from their opposition TO the British arms
he would march his army across the mountains
hang the leaders and lay the country waste with
FIRE and sword"
When Shelby received Ferguson's letter he rode
hastily 20 hold a conference with Sewer. The
two leaders resolved 10 muster their forces and
strike Ferguson before he could secure enough
reinforcements TO carry out his threat TO invade
their country could fan back TO a position In
closer touch with CORVALLIS larger force
Immediately they sent out a call to arms TO
every settlement west OF the mountains Syca-
more Shoals on the WatauEa river near the pres
ent town OF Elizabethion Tenn. was named as
the rendezvous and there on September - gath
cred more than 1000 frontierSmen most OF them
mounted and armed with long rifles Shelby was
there with 30 North Caronans from Sullivan
county and Sewer brought an equal number
from Washington county. Col Charles Mellow.
ell came with 1G0 men from Burke and Ruther-