USA > North Carolina > The state records of North Carolina, Vol XV > Part 10
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precarious, for the enemy have now marched in force into the strongest part of the State. On the 24th Ult. they entered Char- lotte, & by the last accounts were on their march towards Salis- bury-our Militia flying before them. Genl. Davidson, who com- mands for the pres't at the Westward, writes from Phifer's that he shall endeavour to make a stand on the North side of the Yad- kin. Should he be unfortunate in this attempt it will have a very unhappy effect on our affairs, for the country below the Yadkin, to within twenty miles of Hillsborough, is chiefly disaffected, and has been so from the beginning of the war. For the present I fear we have little to expect from the Maryland & Delaware Troops now at Hillsborough; their late loss of, in short, everything necessary for troops in the Field renders them useless until they can be refit- ted. Of this I suppose Gen. Gates has fully apprised Congress. On our part we have been doing everything in our power to refit the remains of that very valuable little army, consisting, when I came from Hillsborough, as Gen'l Smallwood told me, of about 800 men. I hope Congress have taken some measures for supply- ing them, for I assure you they must for the present constitute a great part of the security of this State. The Enemy, it is true, are not strong in this quarter in old troops, but their new levies are numerous and under much better discipline than our Militia ; not- withstanding we shall call forth and exert our utmost force to repel them, & in due time shall expect the aid which Governor Rut- ledge writes me Congress intend sending hither. Before I con- elude I think it my duty once more to mention to yr. Excellency that it will be, in my opinion, unsafe to depend much on this State for provisions unless Congress do in time give orders to their own officers to purchase on the general credit. All the funds of this State have been exhausted in the course of the late campaign. The horses, wagons, tents, arms, camp equipage of every kind, the pay and bounty of the militia, and the provision of beef, pork, flour, spirits, sugar, coffee, wine, medicines, &c., ce., all fell upon us, besides the paym't of very large sums on Congress dranghts, & all was lost in a single hour. Judge then, Sir, if money can at this time be expected of ns to purchase a new supply of provisions, &e., sufficient for an army equal to the defense of the Southern States. I hope Congress will consider our distresses, and the
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imminent danger to which we are now immediately exposed, & grant ns such aid and support as will consist with the general safety.
With the highest respeet,
Sir, I have the Honor to be,
Yr. Excellency's most ob't serv't, A. NASH.
His Execllency Samuel Huntington, Esq., Pres't of Congress.
BATTLE OF KING'S MOUNTAIN-BY ENSIGN ROBERT CAMPBELL.
[From the Annals of the Army of Tennessee, Oct., 1878, MSS. of the Ten- nessee Historical Society.]
The following account of the Battle of King's Mountain was found amongst the papers of James Campbell, deceased. It was written by Robert Campbell, an Ensign in Capt. Dysart's com- pany, who, upon Capt. Dysart's being wounded early in the action, commanded the company afterward. The scene is not within the limits of our State, but as we were then a portion of the Territory of North Carolina, and as many of our families had relatives engaged in it, I have thought proper to transcribe it, to be filed with the other historical documents of our Society.
JOHN R. EAKIN.
NASHVILLE, Tenn., 1848.
In the fall of the year of 1780, when the American cause wore a very gloomy aspect in the Southern States, Cols. Arthur and William Campbell, hearing of the advance of Col. Ferguson along the mountains of the State of North Carolina, and that the Whigs were retreating before him, unable to make any effectual resist- ance, formed a plan to intercept him, and communicated it to the commanding officers of Sullivan and Washington Counties, in the State of North Carolina. They readily agreed to co-operate in any expedition against Col. Ferguson. Col. Arthur Campbell imme- diately ordered the Militia of Washington Co., Virginia, amount- ing to near four hundred, to make a ready march under command of Col. Wm. Campbell, who was known to be an enterprising and active officer. Cols. Shelby and Sevier raised a party of three hundred, joined him on his march, and moved with forced
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marches toward Col. Ferguson. At the same time Cols. Will- iams, Cleveland, Lacey and Brandon, of the States of North and South Carolina, each conducted a small party toward the same point, amounting to near three hundred. Col. Ferguson had notice of their approach by a deserter that left the army on the Yellow Mountain, and immediately commenced his march for Charlotte, dispatching at the same time different messengers to Lord Cornwallis with information of his danger. These messen- gers being intercepted on their way, no movement was made to favor his retreat.
These several corps of American volunteers, amounting to near one thousand men, met at Gilbert Town, and the officers unani- mously chose Colonel Campbell to the command. About seven hundred choice riflemen mounted their horses for the purpose of following the retreating army. The balance, being chiefly foot- men, were left to follow on and come up as soon as they could. The pursuit was too rapid to render an escape practicable. Fer- guson, finding that he must inevitably be overtaken, chose his ground, and waited for the attack on King's Mountain. On the 7th of October, in the afternoon, after a forced march of forty-five miles on that day and the night before, the volunteers came up with him. The forenoon of the day was wet, but they were for- tunate enough to come on him undiscovered, and took his pickets, they not having it in their power to give an alarm. They were soon formed in such order as to attack the enemy on all sides. The Washington and Sullivan regiments were form'd in the front and on the right flank ; the North and South Carolina troops, under Cols. Williams, Sevier, Cleveland, Lacey and Brandon on the left. The two armies being in full view, the centre of the one nearly opposite the centre of the other, the British main guard posted nearly half-way down the mountain, the commanding offi- cer gave the word of command to raise the Indian war-whoop and charge. In a moment King's Mountain resounded with their shonts, and on the first fire the guard retreated, leaving some of their men to crimson the earth. The British beat to arms, and immediately formed on top of the mountain, behind a chain of rocks that appeared impregnable, and had their wagons drawn up on their flank across the end of the mountain, by which they made a strong breast work.
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Thus concealed, the American army advanced to the charge. In ten or fifteen minutes the wings came round, and the action became general. The enemy annoyed our troops very much from their advantageous position. Col. Shelby, being previously ordered to reconnoitre their position, observing their situation, and what a destructive fire was kept up from behind those rocks, ordered Robert Campbell, one of the officers of the Virginia line, to move to the right with a small company to endeavor to dislodge them, and lead them on nearly to the ground to which he had ordered them, under fire of the enemy's lines and within forty steps of the same ; but, discovering that our men were repulsed on the other side of the mountain, he gave orders to advance, and post themselves opposite to the rocks, and near to the enemy, and then return to assist in bringing up the men in order, who had been charged with the bayonet. These orders were punctually obeyed, and they kept up such a galling fire as to compel Ferguson to order a com- pany of regulars to face them, with a view to cover his men that were posted behind the rocks. At this time, a considerable fire was drawn to this side of the mountain by the repulse of those on the other, and the Loyalists not being permitted to leave their post. This scene was not of long duration, for it was the brave Virginia vol unteers, and those under Col. Shelby, on their attempting rapidly to ascend the mountain, that were charged with the bayonet. They obstinately stood until some of them were thrust through the body, and having nothing but their rifles by which to defend themselves, they were forced to retreat. They were soon rallied by their gallant commanders, Campbell, Shelby and other brave officers, and by a constant and well directed fire of their rifles, drove them back in their turn, strewing the face of the mountain with their assailants, and kept advancing until they drove them from some of their posts. Ferguson, being heavily pressed on all sides, ordered Capt. DePeyster to reinforce some of the extreme post with a full company of British regulars. He marched, but to his astonishment, when he arrived at the place of destination, he had almost no men, being exposed in that short distance to the constant fire of their rifles. He then ordered his Cavalry to monnt, but to no purpose. As quick as they were mounted they were taken down by some bold marksman. Being driven to des- peration by such a scene of misfortune, Col. Ferguson endeav-
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ored to make his escape, and, with two Colonels of the Loyalists mounted his horse, and charged on that part of the line which was defended by the party who had been ordered round the mountain by Col. Shelby where it appeared too weak to resist them. But as soon as he got to the line he fell, and the other two officers, attempt- ing to retreat, soon shared the same fate. It was about this time that Col. Campbell advanced in front of his men, and climbed over a steep rock close by the enemy's lines, to get a view of their situation, and saw that they were retreating from behind the rocks that were near to him. As soon as Capt. DePeyster observed that Col. Ferguson was killed, he raised a flag, and called for quarters. It was soon taken ont of his hand by one of the officers on horse back, and raised so high that it could be seen by our line, and the firing immediately ceased. The Loyalists, at the time of their surrender, were driven into a crowd, and being elosely surrounded, they could not have made any further resist- ance.
In this sharp action, one hundred and fifty of Col. Ferguson's party were killed, and something over that number were wounded. Eight hundred and ten, of whom one hundred were British regu- lars, surrendered themselves prisoners, and one thousand five hun- dred stand of arms were taken. The loss of the American army on this occasion amounted to thirty killed, and something over fifty wounded, among whom were a number of brave officers. Col. Williams, who has been so much lamented, was shot through the body, near the close of the action, in making an attempt to charge upon Ferguson. He lived long enough to hear of the surrender of the British army. He then said, " I die contented, since we have gained the victory," and expired.
The third night after the action the officers of the Carolinas complained to Col. Campbell that there were among the prison- ers a number who had, previous to the action on King's Moun- tain, committed cool and deliberate murder. and other enormi- ties alike atrocious, and requested him to order a court martial to examine into the matter. They stated that, if they should escape, they were exasperated, and they feared they would commit other enormities worse than they had formerly done. Col. Campbell complied, and ordered a court martial immediately to sit, composed of the Field Officers and Captains, who were ordered to enquire
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into the complaints which had been made. The court was conducted orderly, and witnesses were called and examined in each case. The consequence was that there were thirty two condemned. Out of these nine who were thought the most dangerous, and who had com- mitted the most atrocious crimes, were executed. The others were pardoned by the commanding officer. One of the crimes proven against a Captain that was executed was that he had called at the house of a Whig, and enquired if he was at home, and being informed by his son, a small boy, that he was not, he immediately drew out his pistol and shot him. The Officers on the occasion acted from an honorable motive to do the greatest good in their power for the public service, and to check those enormities so fre- quently committed in the States of North and South Carolina at that time, their distress being almost unequalled in the annals of the American Revolution.
KING'S MOUNTAIN-BY COL. ISAAC SHELBY.
In 1815, and again in 1819, Gen. Martin D. Hardin, of Ken- tucky, had conversations with Gov. Shelby with special reference to the battles of Musgrove's Mill and King's Mountain, which he carefully noted down at the time ; and which his son, the late Hon. John J. Hardin, of Illinois, communicated to the American Review for December, 1848. That part relative to King's Moun- tain is as follows :
In the early part of the year 1780, Col. Shelby was appointed Colonel of Sullivan County, North Carolina, with the authority of County Lieutenant. Col. Sevier held the same command in Washington County, North Carolina. These Counties are situated west of the Alleghany mountains, and now constitute a part of Tennessee. Col. William Campbell, at the same time, commanded a regiment in Washington County in Virginia, but was not the County Lieutenant. After the defeat of Gen. Gates, at Cambden, on the 16th of August, 1780, the patriots were very much dis- spirited. Many who resided in the eastern portions of North and South Carolina sought safety and liberty in the mountains of North Carolina and Virginia, amidst the hardy, patriotic moun- taineers of those districts.
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In September, 1780, Majr. Ferguson, who was one of the best and most enterprising of the British officers in America, had snc- ceeded in raising a large body of Tories, who, with his own corps of regulars, constituted an effective force of eleven hundred and twenty-five men. With a view of cutting off Col. Clarke, of Geor- gia, who had recently made a demonstration against Augusta, which was then in the hands of the British, Ferguson had marched near the Blue Ridge, and had taken post at Gilbert Town, which is situated but a few miles from the mountains. Whilst there he discharged a patriot, who had been taken prisoner, on his parole, and directed him to tell Col. Shelby (who had become obnoxious to the British and Tories, from the affair at Musgrove's Mill) that if Shelby did not surrender he (Ferguson) would come over the mountains, and put him to death, and burn his whole County.
It required no further taunt to ronse the patriotic indignation of Col. Shelby. He determined to make an effort to raise a force, in connection with other officers, which should surprise and defeat Ferguson. With this object in view, he went to a horse race near where Jonesborough has since been built, to see Sevier and others. Shelby and Sevier there resolved that if Col. Campbell would join them they would raise all the force they could, and attack Fer- guson ; and if this was not practicable they would co-operate with any corps of the army of the United States with which they might meet. If they failed, and the country was over run and subdned by the British, they would then take water, and go down to the Spaniards in Louisiana.
Col. Campbell was notified of their determination, and a place of rendezvous in the mountains appointed, east of Jonesborough. At the time appointed, September 25th, Campbell joined them, and their united force numbered about one thousand riflemen. They crossed the mountains on the 27th, in a ravine, and fell in, accidentally, with Col. Cleveland, of North Carolina, who had under his command about four hundred men.
The force having been raised by officers of equal rank, and being without any higher officer entitled to command the whole corps, there was a general want of of organization and arrangement. It was then determined that a board of officers should convene each night and decide on the plan of operations for the next day ; and further, that one of the officers should see those orders executed as
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officer of the day, until they should otherwise conclude. Shelby proposed that Col. Campbell should act as officer of the day. Campbell took him aside, and requested Shelby to withdraw his name, and consent to serve himself. Shelby replied that he was himself the youngest Colonel present from his State, that he had served during that year under several of the officers who were pres- ent, and who might take offence if he commanded; that Gen. McDowell, who was with them, was too slow an officer for his views of the enterprise in which they were engaged, and added that as he ranked Campbell, yet as Campbell was the only officer from Virginia, if he (Shelby) pressed his appointment no one wonld object. Col. Campbell felt the force of this reasoning, and consented to serve, and was appointed to the command as officer of the day.
The force of the detachment was still considered insufficient to attack Ferguson, as his strength was not known. It was agreed that an express be sent to invite Gen. Morgan er Gen. Davidson to take the command. Gen. McDowell tendered his services for this purpose and started on his mission. Before proceeding far he fell in with Col. Williams, of South Carolina, who was at the head of from two to three hundred refugees. Gen. McDowell advised them where the patriot force was encamped. They joined the army, and thus made a muster roll of abont sixteen hundred men.
The board of officers determined to march upon Ferguson. In the meantime two or three of their men had deserted after their first rendezvous, and had gone to Ferguson and advised him of the intended attack. The Army marched to Gilbert Town and found that Ferguson had left it several days before, having taken the ronte towards Fort Ninety-Six.
Finding that Ferguson was retreating, and learning what was his real strength, it was determined on Thursday night, the 5th of October, to make a desperate effort to over take him before he should reach any British post or receive any further reinforce- ments. Accordingly, they selected all who had good horses, who numbered abont nine hundred and ten, and started the next morn- ing in pursuit of Ferguson, as soon as they could see.
Ferguson, after marching a short distance towards Ninety-Six, had filed off to the left towards Cornwallis. His pursuers never
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stopped until late in the afternoon, when they reached the Cow- pens. They there halted, shot down some beeves, ate their sup- pers & fed their horses. This done, the line of march was resumed and continued through the whole night, amidst an exces- sively hard rain. In the morning Shelby ascertained that Camp- bell had taken a wrong road in the night and had separated from him. Men were posted off in all directions and Campbell's corps found and put in the right road. They then crossed Broad river and continued their pursuit until twelve O'clock, the 7th of Octo- -ber. The rain continued to fall so heavily that Campbell, Sevier and Cleveland concluded to halt, and rode up to Shelby to inform him of their determination. Shelby replied : . I will not stop till night, if I follow Ferguson into Cornwallis' lines." Without replying, the other Coloneis turned off to their respective com- mands and continued the march. They had proceeded but a mile when they learned that Ferguson was only seven miles from them, at King's Mountain.
Ferguson, finding that he could not elude the rapid pursuit of the mounted mountaineers, had marched to King's Mountain, which he considered a strong post, and which he had reached the night previous. The Mountain, or ridge, was a quarter of a mile long, and so confident was Ferguson in the strength of his position that he declared the Almighty could not drive him from it.
When the patriots came near the mountain they halted, tied all their loose baggage to their saddles, fastened their horses and left them under charge of a few men, and then prepared for an imme- diate attack. About 3 O'clock the patriot force was led to the attack in four columns. Col. Campbell commanded the right center column, Col. Shelby the left centre, Col. Sevier the right flank column, and Col. Cleveland the left flank. As they came to the foot of the mountain, the right centre and right flank columns deployed to the right, and the left centre and left flank columns to the left, and thus surrounding the mountain they marched up, commencing the action on all sides.
Ferguson did all that an officer could do under the circum- stances. His men, too, fought bravely. But his position, which he thought impregnable against any force the patriots could raise, was really a disadvantage to him. The summit was bare, whilst the sides of the mountain was covered with trees. Ferguson's
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men were drawn up in close column on the sminmit, and thus pre- sented fair marks for the mountaineers, who approached them under cover of the trees. As either column would approach the summit, Ferguson would order out a charge with fixed bayonet, which was always successful, for the riflemen retreated before the charging column slowly, still firing as they retired. When Ferguson's men returned to regain their position on the moun- tain, the patriots would again rally and pursne them. In one of these charges Shelby's column was considerably broken ; he rode back and rallied his men, and when the enemy retired to the summit he pressed on his men and reached the summit whilst Ferguson was directing a charge against Cleveland.
Col. Sevier reached the summit about the same time with Shelby. They united and drove back the enemy to one end of the ridge. Cleveland's and Campbell's columns were still press- ing forward and firing as they came up. The slaughter of the enemy was great, and it was evident that further resistance wonld be unavailing. Still Ferguson's proud heart could not think of surrender. He swore "he never would yield to such a d-d banditti," and rushed from his men, sword in hand, and cut away until his sword was broken and he was shot down. His men, seeing their leader fall, immediately surrendered. The British loss, in killed and prisoners, was eleven hundred and five. Ferguson's morning report showed a force of eleven hundred and twenty-five. A more total defeat was not prac- ticable. Our loss was about forty killed. Amongst them we had to mourn the death of Col. Williams, a most gallant and efficient officer. The battle lasted one hour.
The victors encamped on the mountain that night, and the next morning took up their line of march for the mountains, under a bright sun, the first they had seen for many days. They made the prisoners carry their own arms, as they could not have carried them in any other way. Amongst the prisoners Shelby found some officers who had fought under him a few weeks previously at Musgrove's Mill. They said that they had been compelled to join Ferguson, and when they had been examined, and their account found to be correct, they were well treated.
Owing to the number of wounded, and the destitution of the army of all conveyances, they travelled slowly, and in one week
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had only marehed about forty miles. When they reached Gilbert Town, a week after the battle, they were informed by a paroled officer that he had seen eleveu patriots hung at Ninety-Six, a few days before, for being Rebels. Similar ernel and unjustifiable aets had been committed before.' In the opinion of the patriots it required retaliatory measures to put a stop to these atrocities. A copy of the law of North Carolina was obtained, which author- ized two magistrates to summons a jury, and forthwith to try, and if found guilty, to execute persons who had violated its precepts. Under this law thirty-six men were tried and found guilty of breaking open houses, killing the men, turning the women and children out of doors and burning the houses. The trial was con- eluded late at night. The exeention of the law was as summary as the trial : Three men were hung at a time, until nine were hung. Three more were tied ready to be swung off; Shelby interfered and proposed to stop it ; The other offieers agreed, and the three men who supposed that they had seen their last hour were untied. One of them said to Shelby, " You have saved my life and I will tell you a secret. Tarleton will be here in the morning ; A woman has brought the news."
It was then two O'clock at night, but no time was to be lost; the camp was instantly aroused, everything packed up, the wounded sent into secret hiding places in the mountains, and the line of march taken up. The next day it rained incessantly, but the army continued its mareh without stopping until they crossed the Catawba the succeeding night. The river was breast high when they crossed it ; The weary troops bivouacked on its banks, and the next morning it had risen so much as to be past fording. This obstaele being such as to prevent all pursuit, they leisurely retired with their prisoners. As an evidence of the hardships undergone by these brave and hardy patriots, Col. Shelby says that he ate nothing from Saturday morning until after they encamped Sunday night at two O'eloek A. M.
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