Texas National Register. (Washington, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 49, Ed. 1, Wednesday, December 17, 1845 Page: 4 of 8
eight pages : illus. ; page 13 x 18 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
388
TEXAS NATIONAL REGISTER.
December 17
v
K
Froik the Southern Literary Messtrtgc .
BATTLE OF KING'S MOUNTAIN
Mr. Editor: The following account
of the Battle of King's Mountain is a
copy of the original paper drawn up by
the late General Joseph Graham father
of the present Governor of N. Carolina of
Lincoln countv N. Carolina the county
in which the site of the battle is located.
This graphic account given by an un.n-
terrested individual of the battle that
led to the retreat of Cornwallis tb.en on
his advance through Carolina may afford
interesting information to youc readers
lhat love to dwell upon the scenes of the
Revolution.
Very respectfully yours.
After the defeat of Geueryl Gales and
ibe army under his commaud on the 16th
of August 17S0 and the defeat of Gen.
Sumpterl'wo daysafterwards ncarRocky
Mount 03' Col. TarUon lbs South was
almost entirely abandoned to the enemy.
Most of the troops both officers and men
who had escaped from Gales' defeat
passed through Charlotte North Carolina
where most of ibe militia of Mecklenburg
county were assembled in consequence
of the alarm. The regular troops chiefly
passed on to Hillsborough where Gen.
Gales finally established his head quar-
ters. William L. Davidson who had
served as Lieutenant Colonel of the regu-
lars in the Northern army was appointed
Brigadier General of the militia in the
Salisbury District in the place of Gen.
Rutherford who was taken prisoner at
Gates' defeat. He formed a brigade and
encamped on McAl pin's creek about
eight miles below Chailotle anil in the
course of two or three weeks was rein-
forced by Gen. Sumner (a Continental of-
ficer) but having no regulars to com-
mand he took command of the militia
from the counties of Guilford Caswell
Orange &c.
After Gales' defeat the attention of
Lord Coruwallis was chiefly occupied
with burying the dead taking care of the
wounded and forwarding under suita-
ble guards ihe great number of prison-
ers be had taken to the city of Charles-
ton and regulating the civil government
lie was establishing in South Carolina
and examining the posls occupied by his
troops on the Congaree Ninety-Six and
Augusta. By the first of September he
had hisnrrangements made and detached
Col. Ferguson over the Waleree with
only 110 regulars under the command of
Captain Dupiester and about the same
number of Tories but with an ample sup-
ply of arms and other military stores
His movements were at first rapid en-
deavoring to intercept the retreat of a
patty of mountain men who were har-
rassing the upper settlement of Tories in
South Carolina. Failing in this he af-
terwards moved slowly and frequently
hailed to collect all the Tories he could
persuade to join him. He passed Broad
river and before the last of September
encamped ai a place called Gilbertslown
within a short distance of where the
thriving village of Itutherfordton now
stands.
His forces had increased to upwards
of one thousand men. On his march to
ihij place he had furnished arms to such
of his new recruits as were without them.
The greater pan "of them had rifles but
to a part of riiern he' had lliem to fix a
Jarge knife they usually carried made
small enough hl the butt-end for two
inches or more-of the handle to slip into
the muzzle of the rifle so that it might be
occasionally used as a bayonet.
Although Col. Ferguson-failed to over-
take the detachment of mountain men
alluded to he look two of them prisoners
who had become separated from their
comrades. In a day or two he paroled
them and enjoined them to inform the
officers on the western waters that if"
they did not desist from their opposition
to the British arms and take protection
under his standard he would march hi
tsultation with Cnl. John Sevier and Cob
Isaac Shelby "as to 'what plan should be
pursued whtm the two paroled men spo-
ken of arrived and delivered their mes-
sage from Col. Ferguson.
It was decided that each of them
should use his best efforts to raise all the
"men that could be enlisted; and that
their forces when collected should meet
on the Watagaon the 25th of September.
It was also agreed lhat Colonel Shelby
should give intelligence of their move-
ments to Col. 'William Campbell of the
adjoining county of Washington in Vir-
ginia with the "hope that he would raise
what force he could and co-operate with
them.
They met on the Wnlnga the day ap-
pointed and passed the mountain on the
30th September where they were joined
by Col. Benjamin Cleveland and Major
Joseph Winston from Wilkes and Surry
counties.
On examining their forces they were
found to number as follows: I
From Washington county. Virginia
under Col. W. Campbell
From Sullivan county N. Carolina
under Col. Isaac Shelby
From Washington county N. Caro-
lina under Col. John Sevier
From Burke and Rutherford coun-
ties N. Carolina under Colonel
Charles M'Dowell
From Wilkes and Surry counties N.
Carolina under Colonel BemVnin
Cleveland and Mnj. Joseph Winston
rmv over the mountains ham; their
f.
i.
leaders and lay the couut y waste with
fire and sword.
Col. Charles McB.owell.of Burke coun-
ty on ilie approach pf FergusoriYwith so
large jajurce haaNgooe avrtrJe mount-
ains lo obtain assistanccjianU was id con-
Ferguson until ihey should overtake him
leaving such as were not able to go to
come after as fast as they could. The
nex evening the selection was made and
910 men includingoflicers were marched
before leaving the others to follow.
They came to the Cowpens where
Ferguson had encamped on the night ol
the 4th and there met Col. Williams
of South Carolina with near 400 men
and about GO from Lincoln county who
had joined them on their march under
Col. Hambritc and Major Chronicle.
After drawing rations of beef the whole
proceeded on a little before sunset tak-
ing Ferguson's trail towards Deer's Fer-
ry 011 Broad river. Night coming on
and being very dark their pilot got out
yards. A united and destructive firo
soon compelled him to order his parly
back to the top of the mountain. To
ward 01T the deadly attack from Col.
Williams Ferguson again charged with
fury down ihe mountain. When Shel-
by's men saw this they raised the cry
"come on men ihe enemy is retreating."
They rallied by the time Ferguson re-
turned from the charge against the South
Carolinians and renewed their fire with
great resolution. Ferguson again charged
upon Shelby but not so far as before.
Col. Williams's men in turn called cut
"the enemy is retreating come on men."
At this stage of the action Hambrito
and Winston had met and a brisk fire
was poured upon Ferguson's men ail a-
---j ...-- - r . .
of the right way and for some lime they J round the mountain. As he would ad-
were lost; but before daylight Uiey 1 vauce towards Uampbell feevier Wins-
reached i.ear the Ferry and by direction ( ton and Ilambrite he was pursued by
of the o flicers.flho pifol led them lo the j Shelby McDowell Williams and Cleve-
Cherokee Ford about a mile and a hall land. When he would turn hi3 forco
below as it was not known but the ene- against the latter the former would presi
my might be in posses-inn of the eastern j on in pursuit. Thus he struggled on.
J bank of the river. It was on the morn-j making charges and retreat but his left
400 ''na "' l'e 7lh before sunrise when they I was rapidly losing ground. His men
crossed the: nver and marched aooui iwo were rapidly tailing oelore the skilllul
miles lo the place where Ferguson had aim and unbending courage of the Whigs
encamped on ihe nighl of ihe fifth. j Even after being wounded he fo-.ght on
lliero tliev liahed a short lime and with courage lie made everv ehnrt that
240
240
160
took such breakfast as their wallets and
saddlebags could afford. The day was
with courage.
could oe done ry a urave and skillful
officer according to his position. At
showry dnd they were obliged to use; length he was shot dead and his whole
their blankets and great coats to protect command driven up into a group of sixty
their arms from wet. They passed on at yards in length and not forty in width
dozen of miles without seeing any per- The British officer Captain Dupiester
who look tire command ordered a white
350 ' son al length they met a lad in an old
1
field by the name of Fonderin about
flag to be raised in token of surrender
Total 1390
Col. Ferguson having accurate intelli-
gence of the force collecting against him
early on the 4th of October ordered his
men to march and remained half an
hour after they had started writing a
it within less than three miles. A fiait
was ordered and the Colonels met in
consultation. Several persons knew the
despatch to Lord CornwaIlis.no doubt t ground well on which the enemy was
informing him of his situation and soii- encamped agreeably to the information
citing aid. The letter was committed to given by the boy of their position. The
the care of the noted Abraham Collins
(since of counterfeit memory) and another
person by the name of Quin with instruc-
tions to deliver it as soon as possible.
They set out and attempted to pass the
direct road to Charlotte but having to
pass through some Whig settlements
they were suspected and pursued and
being compelled lo secrete themselves by
day and travel by night the did not reach
Charlotte until the morning of the 7th
October (ihe day of the battle.) Col.
Ferguson encamped the first night at the
noted place called the "Cowpc7is" about
twenty miles from Gilbertslown. On the
5th of October he crossed Broad River
at what is now called Deer's Ferry six-
teen miles. On the Glh be marched up
the Ridge road between the waters of
King's and Buffalo creeks until he came
l the fork turning to the right across
Kings Creek and through a gap of the
mountain towards Yorkville about four-
teen miles. Then he encamped on the
summit of lhat part of the mountain lo
the right of the road where he remained
until he was attacked on the 7th.
When the troops from the different
counties met at the head of ihe Catawba
river the commanding officers met and
finding thai ihey were all of equal grade
and no general officer to command it was
decided that Col. Chailes McDowell
should go to head-quarters supposed to
be between Charlotte and Salisbury to
obtain Gen. Sumner or Gen. Davidson lo
take the command. In the meantime it
v was agreetl that Col. William Campbell
who had ihe largest regiment should take
the command until the arrival of a gene-
ral officer who was to act according lo
the advice of the Colonels commanding
and that Major Joseph McDowell should
take command of the Burke and Ruther-
ford regiment until the return of Colonel
McDowell.
Shortly after these measures were a-
dopled' intelligence was received lhat
CoL. Ferguson had left Gilbertstqwn and
it was decided that they would march
after him by lhat place and on their way
received evidence that it was his design
to evade an engagement with them. On
the evening of the 6th of Oct. the Colo-
nels in council unanimously resolved that
ihey would 'select' aUhq men and horses
fit. for service and.imrqeciiately pursue
twelve or fourteen years of age who had but the bearer was instantly shot down
a brother and oilier relations in Fergu- He soon had another raised and called
son's camp ami who was directly from out for quarter. Col. Shelby demanded
l 1 1 1 1 t''il 1 1 I tii
11 iney surreiiciereu wny uid tney not
throw down their arms. It was instantly
done.
But still the firing wa3 continued un-
til Shelby and Sevier went inside thr.
lines and ordered ihe men to cease.
Some who kept it up would call out
"Give them Beaufort's play;" alluding
to Beaufort's defeat by TarTelon where
no quarters were given. A guard was
placed over the prisoners and all re-
mained on the mountain during the night.
The parly which led the left wing
under Col. Harnbrite suffered very much
having to pass very difficult ground to
reach their place ol destination and with-
in eighty yards of the enemy's marks-
men. Col. Harnbrite was wounded and
Major Chronicle was killed. Col. Wil-
liams of South Carolina a brave and ef-
ficient officer was also killed. The Io
of the Whigs was not exactly ascertained
but believed to be about 30 killed and
50 wounded. The enemy had about 150
killed and all the rest taken prisoners.
plan of bailie was immediately settled
lhat the force should be nearly equally
divided and one-half would take to the
right cross over and occupy the south-
east side of the mountain and that the
other should advance to the north-west
side ; and thai each division would move
forward until they formed a junction-
when all should face to the front and
press upon the enemy up the sides of the
mountain. Orders were given to prepare
for battle by laying aside every incum-
brance examining well their arms and
guarding against alarm. The orders
were speedily obeyed and they moved
forward over King's creek and up a
branch and ravine and between two
rocky knobs which when they had pass-
ed the lop of the mountain and the ene-
my's camp upon it were in full view
about one hundred poles in front. Here
they halted and tied their horses leaving
the necessary guard with ihem. It was
now three o'clock in the afternoon.
The enemy's camp was to the right of
the road seventy or eighty poles in length
and on the summit of the mountain which
at this place runs nearly north-east and
south-west : (the shadow of the timber
at half-past one P. M. ranges with it.)
The troops were led on in the following
order : To the right Maj. Winston Col.
Sevier Col. Campbell Col. Shelby and
Major McDowell ; to the left Col. Harn-
brite Col. Cleveland and Col. Williams
of South Carolina.
Each division moved olT steadily to the
place assigned them in the order of baltle.
Some of ihe regiments suffered much
under the galling fire of the enemy be-
fore they were in a position to engage in
the action. Some complaints began lo
be uttered that it would 7ievcr do to be shot
down without returning the fire. Col.
Shelby replied "press on to your places
and then your fire will not be Idst."
The men led by Shelby and McDow-
ell were soon closely engaged and the
contest from the first was very severe.
Williams and Cleveland were soon in
their places and with the utmost energy
engaged the foe. Ferguson finding that
the end of his line was giving away or-
dered forward his regulars and riflemen
with .bayonets and madca furious charge
upon Shelby and McDowell charging
down the mountain some two hundred
On the morning of the Sth a court
martial was held and several of the pri-
soners who were found guilty of murder
and other high crimes were sentenced to
be hanged. About twenty were exe-
cuted. At the forks of the branch where Major
Chronicle and Captain Mattocks were bu-
ried a monument was erected. On the
easi side is the following inscription :
" Sacred to the memory of Major Wil-
liam Chronicle and Captain John Mat-
tocks William Robb and John Bovd
who were killed at this place on the 7th
October 17S0 fighting in defence of A-
merica." Inscribed on the western side of said
monument facing the battle ground :
"Col. Ferguson an officer of his Bri-
lanic Majesty was defeated and killed
at this place on the 7th October 17S0."
Be as Easy as you Can. Whatever
you have lodo happen what mny never
fidget foam or chafe; but endeavor to
preserve a temperate calmness of mind
which may be largely secured by habit
and which contributes not only to your
success but likewise is essential to your
general comfort. There is a happy me-
dium between phlegmatic and lazy indif
ference and self-destroying irritability
and it is .a medium combining at once
energy and calmness at which every one v
who has any thine to do in this world
snouict steaoiiy aim. w by what a lever
a man put himself into to-davy about
and yet so liVtleWd6rnfev?d leSrd'UgT jl
"
. t .JSSL
S" 'iT'i
fc.-r.KiBj
k
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Texas National Register. (Washington, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 49, Ed. 1, Wednesday, December 17, 1845, newspaper, December 17, 1845; Washington, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth80143/m1/4/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.