Director

More Info

On 2 March 1781, Col. Henry Lee led his Patriot forces of local militiamen and Catawba Indians in a surprise attack on Banastre Tarleton in a well planned ambush near Clapp's Mill.

Tarleton moved to cover as the first volley was fired. He deployed his troops against the Patriot forces. Under heavy fire, the second line panicked and retreated. Tarleton did not pursue them. The British had 21 casualties; the Americans, eight.

Battle of Clapp's Mill

American Revolution battlefields and skirmishes

North Carolina and the American Revolution: Battles and Skirmishes

Admin

The historical marker for the Battle of Rockfish is located on NC 11 south of Tin City.

Located in Duplin County, the Battle of Rockfish was a limited military engagement. It took place on 2 August 1781 between Major James H. Craig and his British forces and the Duplin County militia under Col. Thomas Kenan, supported by General Richard Caswell. It was part of a campaign by Craig throughout the Cape Fear in the late summer of 1781. It resulted in clear defeat of the Patriots, but proved of no importance with Cornwallis' surrender at Yorktown in October 1781.

Lacking proper equipment and supplies, the Patriots withdrew, easily defeated, poorly armed and lacking experience. About 60 Patriots were killed, Craig took 20-30 Whigs captive. The militia continued harassing Craig; no further battles or skirmishes followed. 

Battle of RockFish

The prelude to the battle began in early January when the British crown approved the plan former (i.e. exiled) North Carolina Governor Josiah Martin to retake control of the colony. The British agreed to send troops under two commands—one under Lord Cornwallis and the other under Sir Henry Clinton—to Cape Fear. They would join the loyalist force recruited by Martin, who planned to march to Wilmington.&nbsp; However, Col. James Moore, for whom the battle (and bridge) is named, got word&nbsp;of this plan and entrenched his force on the most direct route to Wilmington. To get around this blockade, Martin directed his force to cross at Moores Bridge. To counter this move, Moore ordered a portion of this force to the other side of the Moores Creek. They put lard on the bridge, making it very slippery and forcing the loyalists to cross single file. The patriots opened fire, killing and wounding dozens of the men including the commanders. The loyalists, now leaderless, fled and eventually&nbsp;most of&nbsp;the militia was captured. The battle marked the permanent end to British rule in North Carolina.&nbsp;

This historic site is where a decisive battle—the Battle of Moores Bridge—took place early in the American Revolutionary War. On the morning of February 27, 1776, a British loyalist militia force of around 800 men consisting of mostly Scottish Highlanders, who wielded broadswords, charged across the bridge to fight a contingent of North Carolina patriots (they were part of a much larger force of 1,000 men). With their cannons and muskets, the patriots easily defeated the loyalists, killing or wounding about 30 to 70 of them. The battle, which saw the last Scottish Highland broadsword charge, ended British hopes of regaining control of North Carolina and terminated British plans to invade the colony at Brunswick Town. It also spurred the colony to become the first one to vote for independence and encouraged the other colonies to follow suit. The site is managed by the National Park Service. There are trails and a visitors center open. Tours are given by reservation from Wednesday until Sunday.

Moores Creek National Battlefield

The historical marker for the Battle of Elizabethtown is located at NC 41/87 (Broad Street) in Elizabethtown, NC.

The Tories found themselves crushed on 27 August 1781, in one of the great ruses in North Carolina's Revolutionary War history. Balden County was in the hands of the Tories, where 300-400 men were headquartered. The Patriots, a small group of 60-70, had been driven out of their homes, estates and property ravaged, and homes burned or plundered. Knowing that they must rely on cunning, strategy, and sneakiness, they were led by Cols. Thomas Brown and Thomas Robeson, taking the fight to the British.

Brown and Robeson came upon a plan by which their forces would be masked by false commands to "phantom" soldiers, to be heard by their enemies, making the Patriot numbers seem larger than they actually were. When the battle started, the Patriots went on the offensive, crossing the Cape Fear, and surprising the Tories into a disorganized retreat. Tory commanders John Slingsby and David Godden were mortally wounded, their troops scattering into the dark. Many fell headlong into a ravine near the river, known since as "Tory Hole." Seventeen Tories were dead of mortally wounded. Patriots? Not a single life was lost, four were wounded. 

The battle is considered to be one of the Cape Fear's most important American Revolutionary War battles, second only to the Battle of Moore's Creek in Pender County. The victory ended Tory control of the area, leaving Loyalists to never regain any foothold.

Battle of Elizabethtown Historical Marker 

Rutherford had approximately 950 local militia, along with other companies from Guilford, Mecklenburg, and Rowan Counties. A small group of horsemen from Bladen County joined him just before the battle. On 15 October 1781, he sent Major Joseph Graham with mounted militia to find the Tories. Found the next day, and greatly outnumbered, Graham ordered an assault. The Tories had removed boards from the bridge that crossed the swamp, and thus felt they were safe. Graham's men ignored the bridge and rode directly into the swamp, up a causeway that led to the hill. Fleeing, so many Tories were cut down that their horses clogged the passage. Graham's men pushed the wounded and deceased into the ditch. Pursued through the swamps for several hours, they received a reprieve when Graham decided they were too scattered and completely beaten, and not worth continuing the pursuit.

The historical marker for Raft Swamp is located at NC 211 at SR 1505 (Old Lowery Road) southeast of Red Springs in Robeson County. After the battle of Lindley's Mill, Loyalists in the southeastern part of the state joined their forces together. On 15 October 1781, Whig militia led by Griffith Rutherford assaulted the Troy stronghold, destroying the forces in the area.

Battle of Raft Swamp Historical Marker

By 1781 British forces were well into their “southern campaign” which emphasized a renewed focus on the Southern Colonies. As British forces marched through North Carolina they were met with a series of large engagements but there was a need stop the small harassing attacks from local Whig militias that threatened logistical lines. In order to address these attacks, British regulars would enlist the help of native Tory militia who could root out Whig combatants and supporters from backwoods areas. One Tory commander, Colonel David Fanning was known for conducting specific raids targeting Whig properties and supporters.  On July 29, 1781 as Colonel Fanning conducted searches throughout the countryside, his Loyalist militia received intelligence that Colonel Phillip Alston and a small group of Whig militia were camped at Colonel Alston’s personal property. The Tory militia, led by Colonel Fanning intercepted Col. Alston and his forces at Alston’s house and a three hour engagement occurred resulting in multiple casualties on both sides. The skirmish ended when Whig forces surrendered after terms were negotiated by Colonel Alston’s wife. Following this action, Colonel Fanning continued his search for Whig supporters throughout the region engaging in other notable raids in nearby counties.  Following the Revolutionary War, the Alston House and surrounding property was acquired by several owners, most notably former North Carolina Governor Benjamin Williams. Today the Alston house is a designated North Carolina Historic Site that holds multiple events and is open to the public. The story of the skirmish at the Alston House serves as an important lesson to North Carolinian students that is often overshadowed in curriculum on the Revolutionary War. The skirmish on July 29, 1781 highlights the importance that the Southern Colonies had in gaining American Independence and the reality of inter-societal conflict during that era. Considering that the North Carolina Essential Standards for Social Studies, specifically American History 1, seeks to “Understand the impact of war on American politics, economics, society, and culture.”, through studying the skirmish, teachers can be enabled to ask questions of why people chose sides, fought, and how reconciliation occurred following the American Revolutionary War.

Site of a Revolutionary War skirmish, the Alston House in Sanford, NC is a historical location that represents an often overshadowed aspect of the Revolutionary War period. This brief engagement between Tory and Whig Militia serves as an example of the inter-societal struggle of the Colonial South that can be categorize as a civil conflict due to combatants of both sides often being natives of the locations they fought in. Furthermore, the Alston House provides visitors insight into the realities of the American Revolution as it was frequently fought not in distant battlefields but amongst families on private property.  

Alston House - Revolutionary War Skirmish

With the surrender of Charles Town (Charleston, SC) to the British on the 12th of May, the British military had essentially gained control over South Carolina and Georgia. It appeared that Lord Charles Cornwallis's sights were now set on North Carolina, where he and his 8,345 men would make their next move in regaining control of the Colonies. In order to prepare for this invasion, Lieutenant Colonel John Moore and Major Nicholas Welch returned from their service in South Carolina to their home colony of North Carolina to recruit and organize other loyalists to aid in their advancement into the colony. On June 13th, the Loyalists began to assemble at Ramsour's Mill on the north side of present-day Lincolnton.(1) When General Griffith Rutherford heard about the British plans, he sent a word of warning to Colonel Francis Locke and Major Robert Wilson. They then gathered a force to prepare for the upcoming invasion.  On the night of June 19th, with 400 hardly trained, unprepared militiamen from several NC counties, Locke set out from his camp on Mountain Creek for Ramsour's Mill. Meanwhile, the British loyalists started setting up camp on a wooded hill about 300 yards from the mill. They outmatched the Americans in numbers, but they too were unprepared in supplys, especially weapons. As the Americans neared the site of the loyalist camp in the early hours of June 20th, Locke was greeted by a man named Adam Reep, a local Patriot who had scouted out the loyalist camp and made note of their activities. Once Reep had supplied him with information about things like military strength and strategy, as well as local terrain, Locke then used this information to launch an attack against the unaware loyalists. Although they outnumbered the Patriots, the loyalists were routed and fled down the west side of the hill toward the mill. When the gun smoke settled, there was more than 70 dead and 200 wounded. (2) The Battle of Ramsour's Mill effectively disrupted loyalist support for the British war effort in the region. Not only did it rob Cornwallis of much needed loyalist assistance; it also provided the inspiration for the crucial Patriot victory that followed at the Battle of King's Mountain on October 7th 1780.

The Revolutionary War battle of Ramsour's Mill took place on June 20th 1780 in Lincoln County, NC.  Much of the battlefield is now covered with public school buildings, the mass grave site and the graves of several of the officers who fell in the battle have been marked through the efforts of historical groups and individuals.


The Battle of Ramsour's Mill

A historical marker is found at 115 Mount Mourne (Iredell County) near present day Mooresville.

After the Cowan's Ford and Beattie's Ford incidents, General Cornwallis sent Banistre Tarleton on patrol to look for informants on the Patriots and militia. As he made his way toward Salisbury, he ordered his men to wait due to heavy rain and muddy roads. He learned that militia from Rowan and Mecklenburg Counties were meeting at Torrence's (Tarrant's) Tavern just down the road. Tarleton saw an opportunity to make a significant impact on the rebels. As they approached, Tarleton noted the militia was vigilant and prepared for an attack.

As Tarleton told it, his troops directly charged through the center of the rebel positions. He claimed to have killed 50, and wounded many more in the ensuing chase. Over 500 rebels dispersed into the area. Tarleton also claimed to have broke into small groups and dispended such fear among the inhabitants that the troops passed through the most hostile spot in North Carolina without the militia firing a shot.

General Joseph Graham begged to differ with Tarleton's account. Graham said a large group of refugees and militia from Beattie's Ford and Cowan's Ford were at the tavern. They were wet, cold, and hungry. The road was crowded with wagons and  people to the point it was hard to move along. The alarm was given that Tarleton was coming. Graham said Capt. Nathaniel K. Martin and several others rode to meet the enemy, and called for the other men to get over the fences and face the enemy. Most of the men started moving off. Martin was captured while Tarleton's troops charged through the lane. Graham said about 10 were killed, some of whom were unarmed old men who just happened to be there looking for news.

After pursuing the militia, the British returned to the tavern and burned the remaining wagons, and ripped up the beds of the refugees until the road was littered with feathers. Tarleton spared the tavern but Cornwallis ordered it burned when he arrived the next day.

Unknown to him, Tarleton just missed capturing General Greene by a few minutes.

Battle of Torrence's Tavern

Weitzel's Mill Historical Marker is located at the intersection of North O. Henry Boulevard (U.S. 29) and Hicone Road, on the right, traveling north on North O. Henry Boulevard.  The marker is located o a grassy strip between U.S. 29 and the northbound exit ramp to Hicone Road. 

The Battle of Weitzel's Mill was fought 6 March 1781 between General Nathaniel Greene's Continental army and militia and Banastre Tarleton's Loyalist troops in Guilford County.

Greene, while awaiting additional troops, was looking to avoid Tarleton. Greene sent Williams and several hundred men to watch Lord Cornwallis' movements. Cornwallis realized Williams could be separated from Greene's army by the Reedy Ford Creek. Tarleton and about 1,200 men headed toward the mill. On 6 March, they tried to sneak up on Williams. After a short skirmish, the two groups headed toward the ford. Williams left Light Horse Harry Lee to bring up the rear, reaching the ford ahead of Tarleton. Williams made a stand at the crossing. Tarleton's first attempt to cross was repulsed; the second succeeded, leaving Williams to retreat.

Battle of Weitzel's Mill Historical Marker 

On March 15th, the Battle of Guilford Courthouse was fought where the Guilford Courthouse National Military Park now stands. One of the most contested battles in the Revolutionary War, this specific battle was said to facilitate the eventual American victory that ended the war against the British. Seven months after this battle, the British surrendered at Yorktown as a direct result of the loss they experienced at Guilford Courthouse.On the date of March 15th, 1781, Major General Nathanael Greene led an army of almost 4,500 American militia and Continentals as they attempted to defend the ground at Guilford Courthouse against imposing British forces. However, the American troops would endure a tactical defeat by Lord Cornwallis and his British troops. General Greene pulled his Continental troops out to save them from a large number of casualties and to keep the army intact for later services.However, Lord Cornwallis’s victory came at a significant price, as one in four of his men were killed or wounded during that battle. The Continental casualties were very light in comparison. Even though Greene and his Patriot troops had retreated, Cornwallis was also forced to abandon the Carolinas as a result of his weakened military powers. General Greene reentered the Carolinas and could drive the rest of the British forces out. Just seven months later, Cornwallis would be forced to surrender to American and French forces under General George Washington. Twenty-eight monuments within the park honor Revolutionary soldiers, statesmen, heroes, and heroines. William Hooper and John Penn, two of North Carolina's three signers of the Declaration of Independence, are buried under the Signers' Monument. A large equestrian statue of General Nathanael Greene dominates the monument honoring the soldiers of the Southern Army and its leader.The park also features the Nathanael Greene Library, which is open to the public by appointment only and subject to staff availability. Today, the park is open to visitors who are able to view the preserved battle site. The visitor center provides educational and interactive opportunities to learn about the figures who fought in the battle and the ongoing controversy about the specifics of that day. Also discussed are the long-term ramifications of the battle, including the impact it had on both armies and the United States’ eventual victory over the British forces.

The Guilford Courthouse National Military Park commemorates and memorializes the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, which took place on the site in March of 1781. Twenty-eight monuments within the park honor Revolutionary soldiers, statesmen, heroes, and heroines. The National Park Service now maintains the battlefield, preserving it as a national military park. Visitors can tour the site and visit the educational center, which provides interpretive literature on the events leading up to the battle, the figures involved, and the significance of the battle.

Guilford Courthouse National Military Park Visitors Center

The historical marker for the Battle of LIndley's Mill is located at SR 1005 (Greensboro-Chapel Hill Road) at SR 2338 (Stockard Road) east of Eli Whitney, Alamance County. The largest engagement of the Tory War was the Battle of Lindley's Mill on 13 September 1781, an ongoing civil conflict following Lord Cornwallis' invasion of North Carolina. After the victory on 1 September by David Fanning, Loyalists were encouraged to rally in large numbers. He had received approval from Major James H. Craig for a raid on the capital at Hillsborough. The Whigs were led to believe that the Loyalists were going to attack Gen. John Butler's camp at Deep River. Fanning's army was sent to Hillsborough, undetected on the foggy morning of 12 September 1781. After a brief skirmish, the town was captured along with about 200 prisoners that included Governor Thomas Burke. While plundering their spoils, his men opened the liquor stores. By noon the unruly column left Hillsborough bound for Wilmington. Butler rode to intercept the Loyalist force at the ford of Lindley's Mill in present day Alamance County. On a plateau overlooking Stafford's Branch, Butler and Col. Robert Mebane laid an ambush. On 13 September the unsuspecting Loyalists were crossing the branch when a volley tore into the ranks. Fanning rode ahead to organize a flank attack on the Whigs, who stubbornly held their position but were eventually routed. More than 250 were killed and wounded on both sides, were buried and cared for by Quakers living in the area. This hard-fought battle was the bloodiest of the North Carolina War, with more casualties for the number engaged than at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. The Hillsborough raid and the ensuing battle proved to be a turning point, with the Loyalists expecting the Whigs to give in; quite the opposite happened. Angered by the raid on Hillsborough and the loss of the battle, the Whigs redoubled their efforts to win the war.

Battle of Lindley's Mill

Before the Revolutionary War, North Carolina settlers believed that the colonial government was levying unfair&nbsp;taxes and fees that financed a government that kept land ownership in the hands of the elite. They also believed that many of the local&nbsp;sheriffs, who were hired by the colonial government and paid by taxes, worked to protest the interests of the privileged few who had been given large land grants owing to their connections rather than the actual settlers who lived in the colony. A group of colonists held meetings and when their petitions did not result in change, they began discussing ways they might take action against the colonial government. The first use of the term "Regulators" appears in 1768. After years of organization and in response to the perception that&nbsp;Royal Governor William Tyron was ignoring their perspectives and concerns, some of the Regulators began to attack sheriffs and other supporters of the Crown on the frontier. Following one of these&nbsp;assaults, two leaders of the Regulators were arrested. In response, other&nbsp;Regulators issued a threat: release the leaders or they would&nbsp;burn the village of&nbsp;Hillsborough. Attempts to&nbsp;peacefully negotiate a settlement soon gave way to increased violence throughout the frontier.&nbsp;On May 16th, 1771, Regulators decided to attack the government directly in hopes of spurring a local revolution that would result in a new colonial government that was more friendly to the will of frontier settlers. Visitors to the battleground can see the approximate position of the Governor Tryon's men represented by red flags. The Regulators position are represented by the blue flags.&nbsp;The&nbsp;Battle of Alamance lasted only two hours and resulted in the Regulators being pushed back from the field. While many accounts suggest that the&nbsp;Regulators were poorly organized and armed, historians emphasize the similarities between the militiamen on both sides in terms of training and leadership. The determining factor, according to historic site manager Bryan Dalton, was that Governor&nbsp;Tyron's forces had artillery that allowed them to push the Regulators to the defensive after the first thirty minutes of battle. As Regulators fell back to the trees to take a defensive position against the heavy fire, a growing number of men found self-preservation to be&nbsp;the better part of valor and abandoned the field.&nbsp;&nbsp; As the Regulators fell back, the colonial militia advanced and forced the remaining rebels from the field. While the number of casualties for the colonial militia are known (9 killed and 60 casualties), Regulator casualties are unknown but believed to be two to three times as high. After the battle, the colonial government captures and executed nine of the leaders of the Regulator movement. This action led to simmering resentment that would resurface during the Revolutionary War.&nbsp;

In 1771, local settlers protesting against taxation and other colonial regulations organized militias and adopted the name "Regulators." These men clashed with the militia who served the officers of North Carolina Royal Governor William Tryon. The Regulators were easily turned back, but their action helped to unite other colonists-especially in the South-in ways that influenced the American Revolution. Visitors to the Battleground can walk through forty acres of partially wooded land where the Battle of Alamance occurred. The site includes a number of historical signs as well as guides and docents who tell the history of the conflict from growing resentment in the Carolina colony against taxes, dishonest sheriffs, and controversial fees imposed by the representatives of the British Crown in the colony. 

Alamance Battleground and State Historic Site

Charlotte was of vital importance during the American Revolution as it lay directly on the route the invading British army took, which is now Tryon Street. On 26 September 1780 General Cornwallis found himself pitted against a greatly outnumbered but disorganized assortment of North Carolina Patriots, commanded by General William Lee Davidson. Davidson ordered most of his force to retreat, and sent a detachment, under Col. William R. Davie, to delay Cornwallis at Charlotte, little more than a place of about 20 homes, two streets, at the intersection of the courthouse, present-day Trade and Tryon Streets. British cavalry formed a line about 300 yards from Davie's men and charged. The Patriots held their fire until the cavalrymen were about 60 yards away. The musket fire stunned the British. Pulling back, Davie's men repelled two more charges. The British continued pressing, Davie moving back, his men covering each other. Davie continued withdrawing until his force crossed the Rocky River, 16 miles from Charlotte and four miles in front of Davidson's army. Though the Battle of Charlotte was not in itself decisive, it showed the stubbornness of the outnumbered Americans and symbolized the resolve of Mecklenburg County, leading to the area given a new nickname. Cornwallis, after sixteen humiliating days in Charlotte, was heard to say that this place was a hornet's nest. Charlotteans were so honored to be dubbed in such a manner that they permanently adopted the nickname in perpetuity. The official city seal features a hornet's nest.

This uniquely first-person historical marker on the edge of Charlotte's Old Settler Cemetery shares the story behind Charlotte's association with the phrase "hornet's nest." The symbol of a hornet's nest appears on city seals and is ubiquitous in the city's lore as the phrase dates back to the American Revolution when Patriot forces frustrated the army of British General Cornwallis leading to officers referring to the area as "a hornet's nest of resistance" to British control.

Charlotte and the Hornets Nest Historical Marker

The summer of 1780 looked very bleak for the Southern Patriots. For the previous two years, the British Army forced the Continental Army to fight on two fronts in an effort to wear down the Patriots into submission. The British Army’s Southern Campaign proved itself successful because these colonies had not yet experienced war, they were wholly unprepared to defend themselves against a large-scale invasion. By early 1779, the port city of Savannah, Georgia fell to the British; and May 1780 saw the capture of the South’s other major port city of Charles Town (now Charleston), South Carolina after a month-long siege. Once the British felt in control of the Southern coast, forces led under General Lord Charles Cornwallis began their march inland to Virginia. Cornwallis’ army swept through the countryside of South Carolina, and carried on its way to North Carolina. This was a famously patriotic colony, so Cornwallis divided his army into three divisions for a quick takeover. Cornwallis continued his march north to reach Charlotte, while Major Patrick Ferguson had control over the western flank with a division of Loyalist New Yorkers and a growing number of local Loyalists. But a resistance movement against the invading British continued. The closer the British Army marched to North Carolina, the more they suffered regular guerrilla-style hit-and-run tactics from militiamen led by the backcountry Colonels Isaac Shelby and Charles McDowell.In Northern South Carolina, Ferguson grew tired of the backcountry militia and pursued them in retaliation for their attacks upon his division. These guerrilla-style skirmishes consisted of Shelby and McDowell’s men enticing the Loyalists into the woods with whoops and hollers in attempts to trap and confuse them. It was from Gilbert Town, North Carolina (present-day Morganton) that Ferguson issued his famous threat to those pesky “backwater men,” those “barbarians,” the “dregs of mankind.” Releasing a captured Patriot militiaman, Ferguson sent him to deliver his message that read: “If you do not desist your opposition to the British Arms, I shall march this army over the mountains, hang your leaders, and lay waste your country with fire and sword.”Ferguson’s threat spread through the backcountry like wildfire, and individuals in the mountains took those words very seriously. In early-September Colonel Shelby met with Colonel John Sevier in what is now Tennessee and decided that the backcountry militias were to counter Ferguson’s threat by meeting him in battle. Shelby and Sevier sent out a call to arms to the surrounding areas. Militias were to muster on September 25 at Sycamore Shoals in modern day Elizabethton, Tennessee and rendezvous the following day. From North Carolina came Shelby with 240 militiamen and 160 with McDowell. Sevier brought about 250 from the surrounding Tennessee hills. Colonel William Campbell and his 400 men trekked two days from Wolf Hills (now Abingdon), Virginia to answer the call to arms. A handful of men from Northern Georgia also mustered at Sycamore Shoals to bring the Overmountain Men’s number to around 1,000. The next morning, the backcountry militia departed on foot and on horseback – some men even without shoes – following the Yellow Mountain Road, or Bright’s Trace, on their 330-mile journey off the mountain to Ferguson.The militia rode hard to Cowpens, South Carolina, even trekking through a terrible snow storm on Roan Mountain, and arrived on October 6. Here, they met additional militiamen from South Carolina and Georgia, which bolstered their number to around 1,800 men. Scouts informed the leaders that Ferguson was nearing the safety of Charlotte, so the men had to act fast. Choosing the best 900 marksmen and the best 900 horses, the leaders created a smaller division and set out at 9pm in the rain to catch the British Army. Colonel William Campbell was elected commander of this new unit. He was a tall, muscular man with a fiery temperament. Legend says that he also carried his Scottish grandfather’s broadsword with him during periods of conflict. With Campbell at the helm, the new militia unit rode 35 miles straight through the cold night, after having traveled 21 miles earlier that day. The sheer determination of these men to engage with Ferguson is apparent in the fact that they traveled all night in the cold October rain without any outerwear, as their cloaks were wrapped around their rifles to keep them dry and operable. On the morning of October 7, the Patriots learned from local residents that Ferguson and his army were stationed atop nearby Kings Mountain, which is little more than a small plateau, measuring about 250 yards long by 60 to 120 yards across and rising no more than 60 feet above the surrounding area.Colonel Campbell and his unit of 900 men reached Kings Mountain in the early afternoon of October 7. The rainy weather allowed the frontiersmen to advance unnoticed, the wet leaves muffling their steps, and they began to quietly encircle the mountain before being detected. The speed with which Campbell’s men encircled the mountain apparently surprised Ferguson, as evident from how frantically he began issuing orders with this little silver whistle. The Patriot militia launched a four-pronged attack on their Loyalist brethren: Campbell and Sevier taking the right and most difficult side with Shelby and Cleveland on the left. Using their borrowed Native American defensive tactics, these men set up behind rocks and trees from which they could whoop and holler while easily reloading their rifles. The Overmountain Men eventually broke through the Loyalist line and crested the mountain. It was then that Ferguson received a fatal gunshot from an unknown Patriot militiaman. With his foot caught in the saddle stirrup, the British Major’s horse dragged his dead body across the top of the mountain, all the while receiving more gunshots from the Patriot militiamen.After an hour of battle, the Patriots inflicted heavy losses on Ferguson’s men: somewhere between 150-290 killed, 163 wounded, and 688 taken prisoner. The Overmountain Men only lost 29 men and 58 were wounded. The evening after the battle was spent burying the dead and tending to the wounded. Ferguson’s arrogant declaration proved to the true. He never left the top of Kings Mountain, being wrapped in ox hide and buried in a shallow grave near the spot where he fell. Not wanting to risk an encounter with any of Cornwallis’ reinforcements, the men spent the night on Kings Mountain and began their return to the backcountry on the following morning with prisoners in tow, retreating back over the mountains to their homes as quietly as they came.General Lord Charles Cornwallis soon heard of the British defeat at Kings Mountain led by some backcountry ruffians. This was a devastating blow to the British general. He lost not only one-third of his army, but his most skilled officer was gone, as well. His entire west flank no longer existed which rendered his North Carolina campaign impractical. Understanding the severity of the situation, Cornwallis pulled back from Charlotte and wintered in South Carolina to revise his plan. The British defeat at Kings Mountain bought time for the Southern Continental Army to devote more energy into devising a plan against Britain’s second attempted invasion. The wintering of Cornwallis in South Carolina allowed for the appointment of Major General Nathanael Greene by George Washington to the command of the Southern Continentals. Under Nathanael Greene, the Southern Army decimated the overwhelmed British at the Battles of Cowpens and Guilford Courthouse in 1781, which directly influenced the British surrender at Yorktown later that year.Not long after the end of the war, General Sir Henry Clinton recounted the Battle of Kings Mountain as “an event which… unhappily proved the first link of a chain of evils that followed each other in regular succession until they at last ended in the total loss of America.” Thomas Jefferson, our country’s third president, even reminisced on the significance of Kings Mountain 42 years later: “I remember well the deep and grateful impression made on the mind of every one by that memorable victory—it was the joyful annunciation of that turn of the tide of success which terminated the revolutionary war, with the seal of our independence.”Established on March 3, 1931, Kings Mountain National Military Park was created to preserve the site of the Battle of Kings Mountain. Inside the park, a 1.5-mile trail leads from the visitor’s center, around the mountain, and up to the plateau to where the Loyalists were situated. Major Patrick Ferguson’s grave is also marked on top of the plateau. The visitor’s center provides an exhibit and film regarding the battle, as well as other information regarding the culture of the historic “backcountry” and local ecology. Throughout the year the site hosts many living history events showcasing life during the colonial era.

This National Park Service Visitors Center interprets and shares the history of the Battle of Kings Mountain, one of the most decisive battles during the American Revolutionary War. It was here on October 17, 1780 that American revolutionaries led by Col. William Campbell fought a contingent of American Loyalists under command of Major Patrick Ferguson. The Patriots defeated their Loyalist brethren in under an hour. The British loss at Kings Mountain set in motions the events leading up to the American victory at Yorktown on October 19, 1781. The federal government established the location of the Battle of Kings Mountain as a National Military Park on March 3, 1931. The park continues to preserve, promote, and educate the public about this significant event in American history. Since 1909, yearly commemorations of the battle have taken place either on the battleground or in the City of Kings Mountain. 

`←`	Move left
`→`	Move right
`↑`	Move up
`↓`	Move down
`+`	Zoom in
`-`	Zoom out

North Carolina and the American Revolution: Battles and Skirmishes

Battle of Clapp's Mill

Introduction

Cite This Entry

Sources

Additional Information