USA > South Carolina > The history of South Carolina in the Revolution, 1775-1780 > Part 50
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1 Wheeler's Hist. of No. Ca., 181. Wheeler quotes from a manuscript written under the eye of General Davie by his son, then on file in the archives of the Historical Society, at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, but which has unfortunately been lost. Lee's Memoirs of the War, '76, 169.
2 Ibid., 177.
8 Davie's MS. in Wheeler's Hist. of No. Ca., 192.
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This proposal to attack Rocky Mount and Hanging Rock was agreed to, and it was determined that Sumter with the South Carolinians under Hill and Lacey, and the men from Mecklenburg under Irwin, should proceed against Rocky Mount, while Davie with his corps and a part of the North Carolina volunteers under Colonel Heaggins should march on Hanging Rock to watch the motions of the gar- rison, to procure exact intelligence of the condition of the post, and to be ready to unite with Sumter in the intended blows.
Rocky Mount station was fixed upon the comb of a lofty eminence encircled by open wood. This summit was surrounded by a small ditch and abatis; in the centre were three log buildings, constructed to protect the garri- son in battle and perforated with loopholes for the annoy- ance of the assailants. On the 1st of August Sumter approached this position with his characteristic impetu- osity, but the British officer was found on his guard and defended himself ably. Three times did Sumter attempt to carry it, but was always foiled, and having no artillery to batter down the house, he ordered an assault led by Colonel Andrew Neel. The assailants penetrated the abatis, but Colonel Neel and five of his men fell in the attempt, and many were mortally wounded.1 Sumter then ordered a retreat, which was effected without an- noyance or further injury. The British loss was one offi- cer killed, one wounded, and about ten men killed and wounded.2
Major Davie with about forty mounted riflemen and a like number of dragoons approached Hanging Rock the same day, and while reconnoitring the ground to commence
1 Lee's Memoirs of the War, '76, 176; Wheeler's Hist. of No. Ca., 191.
2 Tarleton's Campaigns, 94.
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the attack, he received information that three companies of mounted infantry, a part of Bryan's North Carolina regi- ment of Loyalists returning from an excursion, had halted at a house near the post. This house was in full view of Hanging Rock. Davie at once determined to fall upon the party, and this he did with complete success.
Advancing cautiously and eluding the sentinels in one quarter with his infantry, and gaining the other point of at- tack with his horse undiscovered by marching through some adjoining woods, he placed the enemy between the two divisions. The riflemen, whose dress was similar to that of the Tories, passed the enemy's sentinels without sus- picion or challenge, dismounted in the lane leading to the house, and gave them a well-directed fire. The surprised Loyalists fled to the other end of the lane, where they were received by the dragoons, who charged them boldly. Finding their front and rear occupied, the Loyalists at- tempted to escape in another direction believed to be open, but were disappointed. Davie having anticipated the movement, and detached thither a party of his dra- goons in time to meet them, the party was cut to pieces in the face of the whole British camp at Hanging Rock. There was no time for taking prisoners. The Loyalists were all, except a few, killed or wounded. Sixty valuable horses and one hundred muskets were the booty taken from the enemy. The British camp beat to arms, but this brill- iant but bloody affair was over and Davie out of reach before their forces were in motion, or their consternation and panic subsided from this daring and successful at- tack. Davie reached his camp safely without the loss of a single man.1
On the 5th of August the detachments met again at
1 Wheeler's Hist. of No. Ca., 191, 192; Lee's Memoirs of the War, '76, 176, 177.
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Landsford on the Catawba. Their strength was little diminished ; Major Davie's corps was intact. The North Carolina militia under Colonel Irwin and Major Davie's corps numbered about 500 men; the South Carolinians under Colonels Sumter, Lacey, and Hill, about 300. Sumter well understood that, composed as his command was, it must be constantly employed. He understood that the minds of such men are greatly influenced by enterprise. It was also a matter of great importance to remove the enemy from their posts in this neighborhood, and it was supposed that if one of them was taken the other would be evacuated. Upon a meeting of the officers, it was determined to attack Hanging Rock the following day. As this was an open camp, they expected to be on a more equal footing with the enemy; and the men, whose approbation was required, on being informed of the deter- mination of the officers, entered into the project with spirit and cheerfulness. The troops marched in the evening and halted about midnight within two miles of the enemy's camp, when a council was called to settle the mode of attack. Accurate information had been obtained of the enemy's situation.
The British post was occupied by the infantry of the Legion, the Prince of Wales's American regiment, part of Browne's corps of Provincials, and Colonel Bryan's North Carolina Loyalists, a part of which had been cut to pieces by Davie a few days before. Colonel Bryan was one of the Loyalists who had promised to await Cornwallis's ad- vance in the fall, but Moore's precipitate rising and Ruth- erford's subsequent movement had forced him to action, and with 800 Loyalists from the Yadkin he had reached the Seventy-first Regiment, then stationed in the Cheraws.1 The garrison of Hanging Rock now amounted to 500 men,
1 Tarleton's Campaigns, 91.
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of which 160 were of the infantry of Tarleton's Legion.1 The post was under the command of Major Carden of the Prince of Wales's American regiment.2 The whole front of the British camp was covered by a deep ravine and creek. The regulars were posted on the right; a part of the Legion and Browne's regiment were at some houses in the centre, and Bryan's Loyalists on the left, separated from the centre by a skirt of wood.
Colonel Sumter proposed that the attack should be made in three divisions, each to march directly to the centre en- campment, then dismount, and attack its corresponding camp of the enemy. This plan was approved by all the officers but Major Davie, who insisted on leaving the horses where they were and marching to the attack on foot, urging their confusion necessarily consequent upon dismounting under a fire, and the certainty of losing the effect of a sudden and vigorous attack. His advice was, however, overruled. The divisions were soon formed, and as the morning of the 6th of August broke the march to attack began. The general command was conferred on Colonel Sumter as the senior officer ; Major Davie led the column on the right, consisting of his own corps, some volunteers of North Carolina, and some detached companies of South Carolinians. Colonel Hill commanded the left, composed of South Carolinians, and Colonel Irwin the centre, formed entirely of North Carolina Mecklenburg militia. The column turned from the road to avoid the enemy's picket and patrol, with the intention to return to it under cover of a defile near the camp; but the guides, either from igno- rance or timidity, led them so far to the right that the three divisions all fell on Bryan's Tory encampment. These
1 Tarleton's Campaigns, 92; Davie's account, Wheeler's Hist. of No. Ca., 192 ; Memoirs of the War of 1776 (Lee), 177.
2 Steadman's Am. War, 202.
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people were attacked in front and flank, and routed with great slaughter. They fled in confusion toward the centre encampment, from which the Americans pressing in pursuit were received with a deadly fire from the British Legion Infantry and some companies of Browne's regiment posted behind a fence. Their impetuosity was not, however, for a moment checked by this unexpected fire. They pressed on and broke the Legion Infantry, who joined the flight of the Loyalists, and yielded their camp to Sumter's men. At this moment a part of Colonel Browne's regiment had nearly changed the fate of the day. By a bold and skilful manœuvre they passed into a wood between the Tory and centre encampments, drew up unperceived, and poured in a heavy fire on Sumter's men forming from the disorder of the pursuit on the flank of the encampment; but these brave men returned the fire with deadly effect, and in a few minutes there was not a British officer standing, many of the regiment had fallen, and the rest, on being offered quarter, threw down their arms. The remainder of a British line who had also made a movement retreated hastily toward their former position, and formed a hollow square in the centre of the cleared ground.
But now in the moment of victory an occurrence took place which was the first of a series of events which seemed inevitably in Sumter's career to lose him the full fruits of his courage and enterprise. The rout and pursuit of the enemy by a part of his command, and the plunder of their camp by others, threw the victorious Americans into great confusion. The utmost exertions were made by Sumter and the other officers to press the men to attack the British square, but the ranks had become so disordered that only two hundred men and Davie's infan- try could be brought into array. These were collected and formed on the side of the road, and a heavy but in-
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effectual fire was opened on the British troops. But Sumter could not, by all his exertions, bring his troops to risk close action with his well-posted enemy, supported by two pieces of artillery. On the other hand, a large body of the enemy, consisting of the Legion Infantry, Browne's regiment, and the Tories, were observed rallying and forming on the opposite side of the British camp near the woods. Upon this Major Davie passed round the camp under cover of the woods and fell upon them, routing and dispersing them.
The distance of the square from the woods prevented the Americans from making any considerable impression on the British troops, so that on Major Davie's return it was agreed to plunder the camp and retire. The British commissary stores in the centre of the encampment were taken, and unfortunately a number of men became intoxi- cated. Many also were loaded with plunder, and those in a condition to fight had exhausted their ammunition; about an hour had been employed in plundering the camp, taking the parole of the British officers, and pre- paring litters for the wounded. A retreat had now become absolutely necessary. This was commenced about twelve o'clock, very leisurely, in the face of the enemy, who did not attempt an interruption. As Sumter began to move off, a party was seen drawn up on the Camden road, with the appearance of a renewal of the contest. This was two companies of the British Legion return- ing from Rocky Mount, who, hearing the cannon and musketry at Hanging Rock, had made a circuit to get into the Camden road to reinforce their companions. Davie at once charged them with the dragoons, when they took to the woods.
The British consoled themselves with military music and an interlude of three cheers for King George, which
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was at once answered by three cheers from the Americans. Sumter's men at length got into the line of march, Davie and his dragoons covering the retreat. The loss of the Americans was never correctly ascertained, from the want of regular returns and many of the wounded being carried home from the action. The British historians assert that about one hundred dead and wounded were left on the field.1 The corps of Davie suffered most.2 He lost many while tying their horses and forming under a heavy fire, a measure against which he had advised in the council which had decided the mode of attack. Captain John McClure was mortally wounded. He had been shot through the thigh early in the action, but stuffing the wound with wadding he rushed ahead of his men, and his clear voice was still heard urging them to continue the charge. Just as the Tories broke he fell, with several wounds. He was removed to Charlotte, where he died on the 18th. In his death the country lost a hero, and his fellow-soldiers an officer who was all energy and vigilance in his warfare. Davie spoke of him as "the bravest of the brave."3 Cap- tain Reed of North Carolina was killed; Colonel Hill, Major Winn, and Lieutenant Crawford of South Carolina, and Captain Craighead and Ensign McClure of North Carolina, were wounded.
The British loss exceeded that of the Americans. Tarle- ton states that Captain McCullock, who commanded the Legion Infantry with much distinction, was killed with two other officers and 20 men, and upwards of 30 of the same corps were wounded; that the detachment of Colonel Browne's regiment had likewise lost some officers and men killed and a few taken prisoners; but that Colonel Bryan's North Carolina refugees were dispersed,
1 Tarleton's Campaigns, 95. 3 Johnson's Traditions, 346.
2 Memoirs of the War of 1776 (Lee), 178.
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and did not suffer considerably.1 Lieutenant Mckenzie, an officer of the Seventy-first Regiment, denies this latter statement, and says that it is attributable to Tarleton's partiality for his own corps which caused him to consign to oblivion the gallantry of those with which he was not immediately connected,2 and in justification of this state- ment points out Tarleton's silence as to the loss of Lieu- tenant Brown of North Carolina, who fell in a desperate charge. Besides Lieutenant Brown, Mckenzie states the loss in the North Carolina regiment at no less than 70 killed and wounded.3 Major Hanger, in reply to the strictures of Mckenzie, states that the loss the Prince of Wales's regiment sustained was heavy, that both the officers and men were nearly destroyed; and adds in a note that the regiment consisted of about 80 or 90 men, of which every private, except 18 or 20, and every officer, were killed or wounded.4 From the British authorities, there- fore, their losses were in the Legion Infantry killed and wounded 52; in the North Carolina Loyalists 70; in the Prince of Wales's regiment 70, and some officers and men killed and taken in Browne's regiment. The British loss can therefore be safely put down at something over 200.
Ferguson, as has been seen, had been steadily advancing from his camp on Little River through Union and Spar- tanburg. When Colonel McDowell became convinced that his movement threatened the invasion of North Carolina, he not only promptly raised what force he could from the sparsely populated settlements on the heads of
1 Tarleton's Campaigns, 95.
2 Strictures on Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton's History, by Roderick Mckenzie, Lieutenant Seventy-first Regiment (London, 1787), 26.
3 Ibid., 26.
4 Address to the Army in Reply to Strictures by Roderick Mc Kenzie, etc., Hanger (London, 1789), 28.
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the Catawba, Broad, and Pacolet rivers to take posts in his front, but dispatched a messenger with the alarming intelligence to Colonels John Sevier and Isaac Shelby on Watauga and Holston, and those over-mountain regions then a portion of North Carolina but now of East Ten- nessee, urging those noted border leaders to bring to his aid all the riflemen they could, and as soon as possible.1 Sevier, unable himself to leave his frontier exposed to the inroads of the Cherokees, responded at once to the appeal by sending part of his regiment under Major Charles Robertson ; and Shelby, being more remote and having been absent on a surveying tour, was a few days later, but joined McDowell at the head of 200 mounted riflemen about the 25th of July, at his camp near the Cherokee Ford on Broad River,2 near the junction of the present counties of Union, York, and Spartanburg.
When Colonel Elijah Clarke returned to Georgia, he found warm and zealous advocates in the members of the council of the revolutionary government in rousing into action and resistance the Whigs of the western district of the State. The greatest exertions were used to stimulate them to join their countrymen and resist the enemy ; but during their continuance in that State it was necessary to secrete the recruits in the woods, and privately to support them by their friends. This mode of living soon became insupportable, and a general wish prevailed to leave the State and join those who were in the field in South Caro- lina, where their services would be useful. Clarke's men were therefore again assembled, crossed the Savannah, and marched along the slope of the mountains until they met Colonel Innes, near the line between South and North
1 For sketches of Sevier and Shelby, see King's Mountain and its Heroes (Draper) and The Winning of the West (Roosevelt).
2 King's Mountain and its Heroes, 84.
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Carolina. Always choosing the most advantageous posi- tion, Clarke often shifted his camping ground to guard against surprise. His little force was augmented from time to time by small parties from Georgia, and by Cap- tain James McCall, of South Carolina, of whose capture and escape from the Indians we have told, with about twenty men from Colonel Pickens's regiment from the Ninety-Six region. With this body Clarke pushed on and joined Sumter on the Catawba.
Draper relates this story of the capture of Captain Pat- rick Moore, a noted Loyalist. Moore had escaped from the slaughter at Ramsour's Mill on the 20th of June, when his brother, Colonel John Moore, safely returned to Camden. Anxious for the capture of Captain Moore, Major Joseph Dickson and Captain William Johnson were sent out early in July to apprehend this noted Tory leader, and others if they could be found. On Lawson's Fork of Pacolet River, near the old Iron Works, since Bivings- ville, and now known as Glendale, the parties met and a skirmish ensued, in which Captain Johnson and the Tory leader had a personal rencontre. Moore was at length over- powered and captured, but in the desperate contest John- son received several wounds on his head and on the thumb of his right hand. While bearing his prisoner toward the Whig lines a short distance away, he was rapidly approached by several British troops. Attempting to fire his loaded musket at his pursuers, it unfortunately missed in conse- quence of the blood flowing from his wounded thumb and wetting his priming. This misfortune on his part enabled his prisoner to escape, and, perceiving his own dangerous and defenceless condition, he promptly availed himself of a friendly thicket at his side, eluded his pursuers, and shortly after joined the command.1
1 King's Mountain and its Heroes, 85, 86.
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At this time or soon after Moore commanded Fort An- derson, or Thicketty Fort as it was more generally called, situated a quarter of a mile north of Goucher Creek and two and a half miles above the mouth of this small water- course which empties into Thicketty Creek, a western tribu- tary of Broad River uniting with that stream a few miles above the junction with Pacolet. It was a strong fortress, built a few years before for a defence against the Chero- kees, and was surrounded by a strong abatis well fitted for a vigorous defence. It became a great place of resort and protection for Tory parties. They would sally forth from Thicketty Fort and plunder Whig families in every direc- tion, so that women and children were often left without clothing, shoes, bread, meat, or salt.
Sumter, hearing of Ferguson's inroads beyond Broad River, directed Colonel Clarke and his Georgians who had now joined him, together with such persons in that region as desired to aid in its protection, to repair to that quarter. Captain William Smith, afterwards the distinguished judge and senator from South Carolina, and his company availed themselves of this privilege. Arriving at Cherokee Ford, they met Colonel McDowell, where Colonel Shelby, Colo- nel Clarke, Colonel Andrew Hampton, and Major Charles Robertson of Sevier's regiment were detached with six hundred men to take Thicketty Fort some twenty miles dis- tant. The detachment took up the line of march at sunset on the 29th of July and surrounded the post at day- break the next morning. Colonel Shelby sent on William Cooke, who in after years was United States senator from Tennessee, to make a peremptory demand for the surrender of the garrison. Moore replied that he would defend the place to the last extremity. Shelby then advanced his lines to within musket shot of the enemy to make an assault. Upon this formidable appearance and decisive
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action Moore relented and proposed to surrender on condi- tion that the garrison should be paroled, not to serve again during this war unless exchanged. This was readily acceded to, as the Americans did not care to be encum- bered with prisoners. Thus ninety-three Loyalists with one British sergeant-major surrendered without firing a gun, and among the trophies of victory were 250 stands of arms, all loaded with ball and buckshot, and so disposed at the portholes that double the number of Whigs might easily have been repulsed. A letter taken among the spoils, after the battle of King's Mountain, states that the officer next in command and all the others gave their opin- ion for defending the post, and charged cowardice and treachery on the part of Moore.1 The capture of Thicketty Fort occurred on Sunday, the 30th of July. Shelby and his men, loaded with the spoils of victory, returned at once to McDowell's camp near Cherokee Ford.
McDowell's force at this time could not have exceeded 1000 men, while Ferguson's must have reached from 1500 to 1800. It was, therefore, the policy of the Americans to maintain their position near Cherokee Ford until they could increase their forces sufficiently to meet Ferguson and overcome him. In the meanwhile, Colonel McDowell again detached Colonels Shelby, Clarke, and William Graham with a combined force of 600 mounted men to watch the movements of Ferguson's troops, and whenever possible to cut off his foraging parties. This party moved down Broad River some twenty-four miles to Brown's Creek, in what is now Union County, for the better and closer observation of Ferguson's movements. They were, however, soon compelled, by a superior force, to bear off
1 Ramsey's Annals of Tennessee, 214; King's Mountain and its Heroes (Draper), 88 ; Colonial and Revolutionary Hist. of Upper So. Ca. (Landrum), 128, 134.
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thirty or forty miles to the upper portion of the Fair Forest settlement, within the present limits of Spartanburg. On the way they gathered strength. Hearing of these bold rebel troopers, Ferguson made several ineffectual efforts to surprise them; but Clarke and Shelby were constantly on the alert, and having no fixed camp, they were not easily found.
On the evening of the 7th of August Clarke and Shelby went into camp on Fair Forest Creek, nearly two miles west of Cedar Spring, at a point where the old road crossed that stream leading thence to Wofford's Iron Works and thence onward to the Cherokee Ford. These wary leaders did not omit, on this occasion, their habitual watchfulness ; and fortunate it was for them that they were so on their guard. Before day, the next morning, their scouts returned with the intelligence that the enemy were within half a mile of them. About the same moment the report of a gun was heard in the direction of the British party, which was afterwards ascertained to have been fired by one of Dunlap's men - a Tory who felt some compunctions of conscience at the idea of surprising and massacring his countrymen, but who protesting that it was accidental, was not suspected of treachery. Upon this alarm the Americans retreated, seeking a better position to accept battle. They fell back to the old Iron Works at Lawson's Ford of Pacolet, leaving Cedar Spring apparently a mile to the right, and not very far from the old orchard on Thompson's place which was three or four miles from the ford over Fair Forest, a mile and a half from the Iron Works, and about a mile from Cedar Spring. Here an advantageous position was found, and the men were formed for battle.
Before their retirement from their camp at Fair Forest the evening before, Josiah Culbertson - a son-in-law of
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Colonel John Thomas, Sr., who had, on a former occasion, shown great gallantry and determination,1 and who had recently joined Shelby - had obtained permission to return home two or three miles distant on Fair Forest Creek, charged, however, with the duty of making observation of any enemy he might find in that quarter. About daylight the next morning he rode fearlessly into the encampment he had left the evening before, supposing it still to be oc- cupied by his friends, not knowing that they had retreated and that Dunlap had occupied it. But Culbertson was equal to the emergency. Quickly discovering his mistake, with extraordinary coolness and presence of mind he rode very leisurely out of the encampment, with his rifle resting on the pommel of his saddle before him. As he passed along, he observed the dragoons getting their horses in readiness and making other preparations, indicating an immediate renewal of their line of march. No particular notice was taken of him in the British camp, as it was supposed he was one of their own men. He quietly left the camp in this way, but when out of sight he dashed off with good speed in the direction he inferred that Clarke and Shelby had gone, and soon overtook his friends, and found they had chosen their ground and were prepared for the onslaught.
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