USA > North Carolina > Historical sketches of North Carolina : from 1584 to 1851, Vol. I > Part 44
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The Tories, seeing the effect of their fire, came down the hill a little dis- tance and were in fair view. The infantry of the Whigs kept the road to the point between the glade and the corner of the fence opposite the centre of the Tories. Here the action was renewed; the front fired several times before the rear came up. The Tories being on their left, they deployed to the right in front of the glade, and came into action without order or system. In some places they were crowded together in each other's way; in other places there were none. As the rear came up, they occupied those places, and the line gradually extending, the action became general and obstinate on both sides. In a few minutes the Tories began to retire to their posi- tion on the top of the ridge, and soon fell back a little behind the ridge to shelter part of their bodies from the fire of the Whigs, who were fairly ex- posed to their fire. In this situation their fire' became very destructive, so that the Whigs fell back to the bushes near the glade, and the Tories, leaving their safe position, pursued half way down the ridge. At this moment Capt.
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Harden led a party of Whigs into the field, and, under cover of the fence, kept up a galling fire on the right flank of the Tories ; and some of the Whigs discovering that the ground on the right was more favorable to protect them 1 from the fire of the Tories, obliqued in that direction towards the east end of the glade. This movement gave their line the proper extension. They con- tinued to oblique in this direction until they turned the left flank of the Tories ; and the contest being well maintained in the centre, the Tories began to retreat up the ridge. They found part of their position occupied by the .Whigs. In that quarter the action became close, and the parties mixed to- gether in two instances ; and, having no bayonets, they struck at each other with the butts of their guns. In this strange contest, several of the Tories were taken prisoners, and others, divesting themselves of their mark of dis- tinction. (a twig of green pine top stuck in their hats) intermixed with the Whigs, and all being in their common dress, escaped unnoticed.
The Tories, finding the left of their position in possession of the Whigs, and their centre being closely pressed, retreated down the ridge toward the pond, exposed to the fire of the centre and of Captain Harden's company behind the fences. The Whigs pursued until they got entire possession of the ridge, when they discovered, to their astonishment, that the Tories had collected in force on the other side of the creek beyond the mill. They expected the fight would be renewed, and attempted to form a line, but only eighty-six men could be paraded. Some were scattered during the action, others were attending to their wounded friends, and, after repeated efforts, not more than one hundred and ten men could be collected.
In this situation of things it was resolved that Maj. Wilson and Capt. Wm .. Alexander, of Rowan, should hasten to General Rutherford and urge him to press forward to their assistance. Rutherford had marched early in the morning, and, at the distance of six or seven miles from Ramsour's, was met by Wilson and Alexander. Maj. Davie's cavalry was started at full gallop, and Col. Davidson's infantry were ordered to hasten on with all "possible speed. At the end of two miles they were met by others from the battle, who informed them that the Tories had retreated. The march was continued, and the troops arrived on the ground two hours after the battle had closed. The dead and most of the wounded were still lying where they fell.
... As soon as the action began, those of the Tories who had no arms, and several who had, returned across the creek.' They were joined by others when they were first beaten up the ridge, and by two hundred well-armed, who had arrived two days before, from Lower Creek, in Burke County, under Captains Whiston and Murray. Col. Moore and Maj. Welch soon joined them. Those of the Tories who continued the fight to the last crossed the
. creek and joined as soon as the Whigs got possession of the ridge. Believing that they were completely beaten, they formed a stratagem to secure their retreat. About the time that Wilson and Alexander were dispatched to Gen. Rutherford, they sent a flag under a pretence of proposing a suspension of hos- tilities, to make arrangements for taking care of the wounded and burying the dead. To prevent the flag-officer from perceiving their small number, Maj. Jas. Rutherford and another officer were ordered to meet him a short distance from the line. The proposition being made, Maj. Rutherford demanded that the Tories should surrender within ten minutes, and then the arrangements should be made that were requested. In the meantime, Moore and Welch gave orders that such of their men as were on foot, or had inferior horses, should move off singly as fast as they could, and when the flag returned, not more than fifty remained. They immediately fled. Moore, with thirty men, reached the British army at Camden, where he was threatened with a trial by a court-martial for disobedience of orders in attempting to embody the Royalists before the time appointed by the Commander-in-Chief. He was treated with disrespect by the British officers, and held in a state of disagree- able suspense; but it was at length deemed impolitic to order him before a court-martial.
As there was no organization of either party, nor regular returns made after the action, the loss could not be ascertained with correctness. Fifty-
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six lay dead on the side of the ridge where the heat of the action prevailed. Many lay scattered on the flanks and over the ridge toward the mill. Itis be- lieved that seventy were killed, and that the loss on each side was equal. About one hundred men on each side were wounded, and fifty Tories were taken prisoners. The men had no uniform, and it could not be told to which party - many of the dead belonged. Most of the Whigs wore a piece of white paper on their hats in front, and many of the men on each side being excellent riflemen, this paper was a mark at which the Tories often fired, and several of the Whigs were shot in the head. The trees behind which both Whigs and Tories occasionally took shelter, were grazed by the balls ; and one tree on the left of the Tory line, at the root of which two brothers lay dead, was grazed by three balls on one side and by two on the other.
In this battle neighbors, near relations, and personal friends fought against each other, and as the smoke would from time to time blow off, they would recognize each other. In the evening and on the next day the relations and friends of the dead and wounded came in, and a scene was witnessed truly afflicting to the feelings of humanity.
After the action commenced, scarcely any orders were given by the officers. They fought like common soldiers, and animated their men by their example, and they suffered severely. Captains Falls, Dobson, Smith, Bowman, and Armstrong were killed ; and Captains Houston and McKissick wounded. Of the Tories, Captains Cumberland, Murray, and Warlick were killed ; and Capt. Carpenter wounded. Few either of the officers or men had ever been in battle before.
ROUTE OF THE BRITISH ARMY, UNDER LORD CORNWALLIS, THROUGH LINCOLN COUNTY.
After the battle of the Cowpens on the 17th of January, 1781, Lord Corn- - wallis, being joined the next day by reinforcements under General Leslie, at Winnsboro', advanced rapidly to intercept Morgan with his prisoners.
I am enabled, by means of an original manuscript of Lord Cornwallis, now on file in the archives of the Historical Society of the State, at the Uni- versity ; and the excellent maps in Tarleton's campaigns ; and the History of Stedman, to trace accurately the movements of the British army.
General, Leslie's head-quarters on the 17th January, 1781, were at Sandy Run, in Chester District, a branch of Broad River. -
At Hillhouse's plantation, York District, on the 18th, General Leslie re- turns his thanks to the troops under his command for their ready obedience, and informs them that all orders in future will issue from Lord Cornwallis and the Adjutant-General. At eight o'clock at night Lord Cornwallis issues his orders to the army to march at eight o'clock in the morning in the follow- ing order :-
1, Yagers; 2, corps of pioneers; 3, two three-pounders; 4, Brigade Guards ; 5, Regiment of Bose; 6, North Carolina Volunteers ; 7, two six- pounders ; 8, Lt .- Colonel Webster's Brigade ; 9, wagons of the General ; 10, field officers' wagons ; 11, ammunition wagons ; 12, hospital wagons ; 13, regiment wagons; 14, provision train ; 15, bat horses; a captain, two sub- alterns, and one hundred men from Colonel Webster's brigade, to form a rear guard.
On the 19th the army camped at Smith's House, on Broad River, near Cherokee Iron Works; on the 20th at Saunders' plantation, in South Carolina, on Buffalo Creek; on the 23d they reached Tryon Court House, in the west part of Gaston, about 20 miles from Lincolnton; on the 24th at Ramsour's mill, near where Lincolnton now stands. Here the army remained until the 28th, when they marched to Beattie's Ford. The river, from recent rains, being deemed impassable, Lord Cornwallis falls back to FORNEY's plan- tation, now occupied by James Anderson, Esq., where he remained drying his powder and procuring forage for his cavalry, until the first of February, when, at half past two in the morning, he took up his line of march, and crossed the Catawba River at Cowan's Ford, about six miles below Beattie's Ford. Here about six hundred militia, under General Davidson, were posted, and a slight skirmish occurred. A British Colonel (Hall) and three privates
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were killed, and thirty-six wounded. Lord Cornwallis' horse was shot from under him, and fell dead as he reached the bank.
The brave Davidson fell here of our side, by the hand of a Tory.
Lord Cornwallis, in his general orders, at camp, on the 2d, returns his " thanks to the brigade of Guards for their cool and determined bravery in the passage of the Catawba, while rushing through that long and difficult ford under a galling fire." A part of the British force: crossed at Beattie's Ford (Col. Webster's Brigade). They united at the House of Alfred D. Kerr, where a skirmish had taken place-then called Torrence's.
Another order from his manuscript order book does credit to his head as well as his heart.
" HEAD QUARTERS, Cross Roads to Salisbury, Ist Feb., 1781.
"Lord Cornwallis is highly displeased that several houses were set on fire during the march this day-a disgrace to the army. He will punish with the utmost severity any person or persons who shall be found guilty of com- mitting so disgraceful an outrage. His Lordship requests the commanding officers of corps to find out the persons who set fire to the houses this day."
General Morgan had previously crossed safely the Catawba, at the Island ford ; and met General Greene on the east bank of the river, and with him continued his retreat from the advancing forces of the British. The Americans crossed the Yadkin at Trading. Ford, on the night of the 1st and on the 2d of February ; which on the 2d, from rains, was so swollen that the British attempted in vain that day to cross. Lord Cornwallis, after an ineffectual cannonade over the river, returned to Salisbury, and on the 7th crossed at the Shallow Ford.
GEN. JOSEPH GRAHAM.
Among the citizens of Lincoln, the name of JOSEPH GRAHAM stands con- spicuous. I am allowed to present a sketch of this meritorious officer by an able and faithful hand. «
General Graham was born in Pennsylvania, October 13th, 1759. His mother being left a widow with five small children, and slender means to support them, removed to North Carolina when he was about seven years of age, and settled in the vicinity of Charlotte. He received the principal part of his education at an academy then taught in Charlotte, and was, distinguished among his fellow students for talents, industry, and the most manly and con- ciliating deportment. His thirst for knowledge led him at an early period to become well acquainted with all those interesting events which preceded and prepared for, our revolutionary struggle. He was present in Charlotte, on the 20th of May, 1775, when the first Declaration of Independence was for- mally and publicly made. The deep impression made upon his mind by the solemn and illustrious decisions of that day, gave good evidence that he was then preparing for the noble stand which he took during the war.
He enlisted in the army of the United States in the month of May, 1778, at the age of nineteen years. He served in the 4th Regiment of North Carolina regular troops, under Colonel Archibald Lytle, and acted as an officer in Captain Gooden's company. The troops to which he was attached were ordered to rendezvous at Bladensburg, in Maryland. Having proceeded as far as Caswell county, they received intelligence of the battle at Monmouth, and that the British having gone to New York, their services would not be needed. He returned home on furlough.
He was again called into service on the 5th of November, 1778, and marched under the command of General Rutherford to Purysburg, on the Savannah River, soon after the defeat of General Ashe at Brier Creek.
He was with the troops under General Lincoln, in the trying and painful struggles against General Prevost, and fought in the battle of Stono, on the 20th of June, 1779, which lasted an hour and twenty minutes. During nearly the whole of this campaign he acted as quarter-master. In July, 1779, he was taken with the fever, and after two months' severe illness was discharged near Dorchester and returned home.
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After recovering from the effects of sickness and privation, he aided his mother in the support of her family, and was ploughing in her field when he received intelligence of the surrender of Charleston, and that the British had defeated Col. Buford at the Waxhaw, and were within forty miles of Char- lotte. Instead of being deterred by the sufferings of the previous campaign, or the perils of that alarming moment, he resolved at once to leave his plough, and enter the army. He was immediately appointed adjutant of the Mecklenburg regiment, and spent the summer with them in opposing and assailing the troops of Lord Rawdon.
When it was understood that the British were marching to Charlotte, he was commanded by General Davidson to repair to that place, and take com- mand of such force as should collect there, and to join Colonel Davie. The British army entered Charlotte the 26th of September, 1780. General Gra- ham was assigned the command of those troops which sustained the retreat of General Davie, and opposed Tarleton's cavalry and a regiment of infantry for four miles on the road leading to Salisbury. After a heavy and well- directed fire upon the British from the court house to the Gum Tree, General Graham retreated with the men under his command and formed on the planta- tion now owned by Joseph McConnaughey, Esq., and, again attacked their advancing column of infantry.' There his life was providentially preserved from the bursting of a gun, fired by the soldier who stood at his side, and whose arm was wounded. After again retreating, he formed on the hill above where Sugar Creek church now stands. There, owing to the imprudent, but honest zeal of a Major White, they were detained too long, for by the time they reached the Cross Roads, a party of British dragoons were coming up the road leading from Captain Kennedy's, and after close pursuit for nearly two miles, overtook them. Colonel Francis Locke, of Rowan county, an intelligent and brave officer, was killed upon the margin of a small pond, now to be seen at the end of Mr. Alexander Kennedy's lane. Between that spot and where Mr. James A. Houston now lives, General Graham was cut down and severely wounded. He received nine wounds; six with the sabre and three with lead. His life was again narrowly and mercifully preserved by a large stock buckle which broke the violence of a stroke, which to human view, must otherwise have proved fatal. He received four deep gashes of the sabre over his head and one in his side, and three balls were afterward removed from his body. After being much exhausted by loss of blood he reached the house of Mrs. Susannah Alexander, who yet lives near the same place, where he was kindly nursed and watched during the night, and his wounds dressed as well as circumstances would permit. The next day he reached his mother's, where Major Bostwick now lives. From that he was taken to the hospital, and was two months recovering.
Thus, at the tender age of twenty-one years, we see this. gallant officer leading a band of as brave men as ever faced a foe, to guard the ground first consecrated by the Declaration of American Independence, and when the foot of tyranny was treading it, and resistance proved unsuccessful, leaving his blood as the best memorial of a righteous cause, and of true heroism in its defence.
While the whole country was in distress, its property pillaged, its houses forsaken, and its defenceless inhabitants flying from the shock of arms, a few noble sons of Mecklenburg compelled Lord Cornwallis to designate Charlotte as the Hornet Nest of America.
As soon as he recovered from his wounds, he again entered the service of his country. General William Davidson, who had command of all the militia in the western counties of North Carolina, applied to him to raise one or more companies, promising him such rank as the number of men raised would justify. It proved not only his energy of purpose, but great influence, that, at that difficult and hazardous period, he could raise a company of fifty- five men in two weeks. They were mounted riflemen, armed also with swords, and some with pistols. They supplied themselves with horses, pro- cured their own equipments, and entered the field without commissary or quarter-master, and with every prospect of hard fighting and little compen- sation.
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After Tarleton's signal defeat at the Cowpens, Cornwallis resolved to pur- sue General Morgan. At that time General Greene had received the com- mand of the Southern Army, and had stationed himself at Hick's Creek, on the north of the Pedee, near to Cheraw. After Morgan's victory and suc- cessful retreat, General Greene left his main army with General Huger, and rode one hundred and fifty miles to join Morgan's detachment. . The plan of opposing Lord Cornwallis in crossing the Catawba River, was arranged by General Greene, and its execution assigned to General Davidson. Feints of passing were made at different places, but the real attempt was made at Cowan's Ford. Soon after the action commenced, General William Da- vidson was killed, greatly lamented by all who knew him, as a talented, brave, and generous officer. The company commanded by General Graham was the first to commence the attack on the British as they advanced through the river, which was resolutely continued until they reached the bank, loaded their arms, and commenced a heavy fire upon his men, two of whom were. killed. It was supposed that General. Davidson was killed by a Tory, who was pilot to the British in crossing the river, as he was shot with a small rifle ball. Colonel William Polk and the Rev. Mr. McCall were near to him when he fell. His body was found that night and buried in the present graveyard of Hopewell Church.
The North Carolina militia were then placed under the command of Gen. Pickens, of South Carolina, and continued to pursue the British as they ad- vanced toward Virginia. General Graham with his company and some troops from Rowan County, surprised and captured a guard at Hart's Mill, one and a half miles from Hillsborough, where the British army then lay, ;and the same day were united to Colonel Lee's forces. On the next day he was in an action under General Pickens with Colonel Pyles, who commanded 350 Tories, on their way to join Tarleton. These Tories supposed the Whigs to be a company of British troops, sent for their protection, and commenced crying "God save the king." Tarleton was about a mile from this place, and retreated to Hillsborough. Shortly afterwards, General Graham was in an engagement under Colonel Lee, at Clapp's Mill on the Alamance, and had two of his company killed, three wounded, and two taken prisoners. A few days afterwards he was in an action at Whitsell's Mill, under the command of Colonel Washington.
As the time for which his men had engaged was expired, and the country annoyed with Tories, General Greene directed him to return with his com- pany, and keep them in a compact body until they crossed the Yadkin, which they did, March 14th, 1781.
After the battle at Guilford, the British retired to Wilmington, and but little military service was performed in North Carolina during the summer of 1781. About the first of September, Fannin surprised Hillsborough, and . took Governor Burke prisoner. General Rutherford, who had been taken prisoner at Gates' defeat, and with many other distinguished citizens had been confined in custody, was discharged and returned home about this time. He immediately gave orders to General Graham, in whose military prowess and general influence he had the utmost confidence, to raise a troop of cavalry in Mecklenburg County. Three troops of dragoons and about two hundred mounted infantry were raised and formed into a legion, of which Robert Smith, Esq., who had been a Captain in the North Carolina line, was ap- pointed Colonel, and General Graham was appointed Major. They forthwith commenced their march towards Wilmington. South of Fayetteville, with ninety-six dragoons and forty mounted infantry, General Graham made a gallant and successful attack upon a body of Tories commanded by the noted Tory Colonels McNeil, Ray, Graham, and McDougal. This action took place near McFall's Mill, on the Raft Swamp, in which the Tories were sig- nally defeated, their leaders dispersed in dismay, and their cause greatly injured. That one hundred and thirty-six Whigs should attack and tri- umphantly defeat six hundred Tories, headed by four Colonels, reflects great honor upon the bravery and intelligence of their youthful commander.
A short time afterwards he commanded one troop of dragoons and two of mounted infantry, in surprising and defeating a band of Tories on Mr. Al-
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fred Moore's plantation opposite to Wilmington. On the next day, he led the troops in person which made a resolute attack on the British garrison, near the same place. Shortly afterwards, he commanded three companies in de- feating the celebrated Col. Gagny, near Waccamaw lake. Shortly after this, the war was terminated in the south by the surrender of Lord Cornwallis, at Yorktown in Virginia.
This campaign closed Gen. Graham's services in the Revolutionary War, having commanded in fifteen engagements, with a degree of courage, wis- dom, calmness, and success, surpassed perhaps, by no officer of the same rank. Hundreds, who served under him, have delighted in testifying to the upright, faithful, prudent, and undaunted manner in which he discharged . the duties of his trying and responsible station. Never was he known to shrink from any toil, however painful, or quail before any danger, however threatening, or stand back from any privations or sacrifices which might serve. his country. To secure her liberties, he spent many toilsome days and sleepless nights ; for her he endured much fatigue, and sickness, and suffering, without a murmur ; for her, his body was, covered with wounds ; to her wel-, fare he consecrated his time, and treasure, and influence, during a long and unblemished life. It was not by empty words or arrogant pretensions, but by self-denying and long-continued actions, that he proved himself to be a friend to his country.
After the close of the war, he was elected the first Sheriff of Mecklenburg county, and gave great satisfaction by the faithful and exemplary perform- ance of the duties of that office. He was afterwards, for a number of years, a prominent member of the General Assembly from the same county. About the year 1787, he was married to the second daughter of Major John David- son .* By this marriage, he had twelve children, seven of whom have sur- vived him.t Not long after his marriage he removed to Lincoln County, and engaged in the manufacture of iron, and for more than forty years before his death, conducted a large establishment with great energy and prudence.
In the year 1814, when the war with the Creek Indians was raging with violence, and Generals Jackson, Coffee, and Carroll, were repelling with signal bravery their ruthless aggressions, North Carolina determined to send 1000 men to aid the volunteers from Tennessee and Georgia, in the conflict with those savages. Gen. Graham's renown as an officer, and his worth as, a man, commended him as the leader of the troops from this Statc. He re- ceived the commission of General, and was strongly solicited by the Governor of the State to accept the appointment. Although the circumstances of his family rendered his absence one of great loss and self-denial, he promptly obeyed the call of his country, and marched at the head of a fine Regiment of Volunteers to the scene of conflict. They arrived about the time the last stroke of punishment was inflicted upon the Creeks by Gen. Jackson, at the battle of the Horse Shoe ; and in time to receive the submission of those they expected to conquer. Several hundred of the lower Creeks surrendered to them.
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