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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fac7b90 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #50137 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/50137) diff --git a/old/50137-0.txt b/old/50137-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 99205a5..0000000 --- a/old/50137-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1905 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Narrative of the Battle of Cowan's Ford, -February 1st, 1781, by Robert Henry - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Narrative of the Battle of Cowan's Ford, February 1st, 1781 - -Author: Robert Henry - -Release Date: October 5, 2015 [EBook #50137] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BATTLE OF COWAN'S FORD, 1781 *** - - - - -Produced by readbueno and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - - NARRATIVE - - OF THE - - BATTLE OF COWAN’S FORD, - - FEBRUARY 1ST, 1781, - - BY ROBERT HENRY, - - AND - - Narrative of the Battle of Kings Mountain, - BY CAPTAIN DAVID VANCE. - - MANUSCRIPT PRESERVED BY ROBERT HENRY, ESQ. - - COPY FURNISHED BY LYMAN C. DRAPER, LL. D., - - OF MADISON, WISCONSIN. - - PUBLISHED BY D. SCHENCK, SR. - - Greensboro, N. C., March 28th, 1891. - - Reece & Elam, Printers - - - - - PREFACE. - - -Having seen the following most valuable and interesting narrative quoted -very often in “KING’S MOUNTAIN AND ITS HEROES,” written by Lyman C. -Draper, L.L.D., of Wisconsin, I wrote the Doctor with a view of -obtaining the original manuscript if possible, but was unable to procure -it. He however very generously intrusted to me the following copy which -he had himself “carefully transcribed” from the original paper in his -hands, in January 1874, and which had been sent to him by Dr. J. F. E. -Hardy, of Asheville, North Carolina. The original manuscript had been -placed in Dr. Hardy’s possession by Wm. L. Henry, of Buncombe County, a -son of Robert Henry—William L. Henry is still living. - -In a note to “King’s Mountain and its Heroes,” page 259, is the -following brief sketch of Robert Henry, who was wise enough to preserve -this contribution to our Revolutionary history—to-wit: - -“Mr. Henry was born in a rail pen, in then Rowan,[1] now Iredell county, -North Carolina, January 10th 1765. Full of patriotism though young, he -shared in the trials and perils of the Revolution, and in due time -recovered from the severe wounds he received at King’s Mountain. In -1795, he was one of the party who ran the boundary line between North -Carolina and Tennessee. He subsequently studied law, and practiced his -profession many years in Buncombe County. He served in the House of -Commons in 1833 and 1834. He was a clear and forcible public speaker; -and his memory deserves to be held in grateful remembrance for -preserving the narrative of the King’s Mountain campaign and battle, so -frequently cited in this work. He died in the new County of Clay, North -Carolina, January 6th, 1863, within four days of attaining the -patriarchal age of ninety-eight years, and he was undoubtedly the last -of the heroes of King’s Mountain.” - -Robert Henry lived in the vicinity of Tuckaseage Ford, on the Catawba -river, which is about ten miles below Cowan’s Ford, when Cornwallis -crossed at the latter ford. He lived on the West side of the river in -Lincoln County. For many years he owned the White Sulphur Springs about -five miles South west of Asheville. It was a popular resort in the -summer for the wealthy planters from the South and was the scene of much -gayety and pleasure. Mr. Henry died in Clay County, the extreme Western -county of the State, bordering on Georgia and Tennessee. I have myself -heard my grandfather Michael Schenck, of Lincolnton, N. C., speak of Mr. -Henry as “a great land lawyer.” His practice as a surveyor, no doubt, -making him formidable in such suits. - -The public is indebted to the Hon. Theodore F. Davidson, Attorney -General of North Carolina, and a great-grandson of Captain David Vance, -for the publication of this narrative. - - D. SCHENCK, SENIOR. - -Greensboro, N. C., March the 28th, 1891. - -Footnote 1: - - This is manifestly an error. He was born in Tryon. See W. L. Henry’s - letter to Dr. Hardy. Tryon was changed to Lincoln County. Lincoln was - divided and Mr. Henry’s birthplace is in the present Gaston county. - - - - - ROBERT HENRY’S NARRATIVE. - - KING’S MOUNTAIN BATTLE, &c. - - -TO DR. J. F. E. HARDY, - - Asheville, N. C.: - - _My Dear Sir, and Kind Friend_: - -I send you the MS. of my father, ROBERT HENRY. He was born in Tryon (now -Lincoln) county, N. C., _in a rail pen_, 10th February, 1765; was a -lawyer and surveyor by profession; was one of the first settlers in -Buncombe county; taught School on Swannanoa, the first school taught in -Buncombe county. He died in Clay county, N. C., February 6th, 1863, -wanting but four days of being 98 years old. THOMAS HENRY, his father, -died soon after the Revolution, of rheumatism contracted during the war. -THOMAS HENRY was from the North of Ireland. - -I do not want this manuscript lost, as you see it is in ROBERT HENRY’S -own hand, and a little relic. If not used, I should like it should be -returned to - - Respectfully, - - WM. L. HENRY, - - ASHEVILLE, - - Buncombe County, N. C. - - - - - ROBERT HENRY’S NARRATIVE. - - -I will proceed to point out and correct some of the errors in WHEELER’S -HISTORY of North Carolina, so far as respects the transactions of -Cornwallis crossing Cowan’s Ford, on Catawba river, the 1st of February, -1781; then I will give my own version of that transaction; then I will -give the common report of the transaction shortly after it happened. - -Wheeler’s History, p. 232-33: “Here” (meaning at Cowan’s Ford) “about -six hundred militia under General Davidson were posted, and a slight -skirmish occurred. A British Colonel (Hall) and three privates were -killed, and thirty-six wounded.” - -If we take this account to be true, we must conclude that these militia -were very bad marksmen, for they had time to have fired five rounds -each, which would have been three thousand single shots, at distances -varying from fifty yards to less than twenty yards, over a naked sheet -of water; that their enemy was not obscured by smoke, being in water -above the waist-band, and hanging together by their muskets; that not a -single gun was fired by them whilst in the water. This story, if it -bears telling, cannot be accredited to be true, that in firing three -thousand single shots they only killed four, including Col. Hall, and -wounded thirty-six. The story appears further incredible from this—that -in common battles on land, there are as many, and often more, men killed -than wounded where the whole force from head to foot is exposed to fire -of the opposite party. In the present case, the body, from above the -waist-band to the top of the head was exposed—for all below was under -water and secure from lead. Wounds in the upper part [of the body] are -doubly as apt to kill as those in the lower extremities, from the -waist-band downward; hence we would expect double as many killed on this -occasion as wounded—but the reverse is told, that only four were killed, -including Col. Hall, and thirty-six wounded. - -A further mistake may be noticed. The account states that Davidson had -six hundred militia, whereas he had only three hundred. The whole of -this quotation should pass for nothing. - -The next error that I will notice is on page 235 of Wheeler’s History, -which I quote: “Soon after the action commenced” (meaning at Cowan’s -Ford) “General William Davidson was killed, greatly lamented by all who -knew him as a talented, brave and generous officer.” The true statement -is this: Davidson was killed by the first gun that was fired on the -British side on that occasion, for they did not fire a gun whilst in the -river; and the gun that killed him was fired at the water’s edge on the -Mecklenburg side; and if Davidson’s clothes had been examined, it is -probable that they would have shown the mark of powder. The whole of the -Americans had left their stands or posts at the water’s edge and -judiciously fled, lest the British might hem them in by the river; and -an utter silence prevailed—not a gun firing on either side: Silence was -first broken by the report of the gun that killed Davidson. - -A further quotation from the same page: “The Company commanded by Gen. -Graham was the first to commence the attack” (at Cowan’s Ford) “on the -British as they advanced through the river, which was resolutely -continued until they reached the bank, loaded their arms, and commenced -a heavy fire upon his men, two of whom were killed.” The whole of this -is a gratuitous statement, for Gen. Graham was not there—nor was there -either officer or private killed at that place except Gen. Davidson; nor -was there any one wounded there except Robert Beatty, who afterwards -died of the wound. Gen. Graham and his company may have been at -Davidson’s camp, three quarters of a mile from the Ford, and two of his -men might have been killed there, if they were too tardy in making their -escape before the British arrived there. - -Another quotation from Wheeler’s History, p. 264: “At day break the -British army under Cornwallis, on the 1st February, 1781, entered the -waters of Catawba, then swollen by heavy rains, at Cowan’s Ford. The -morning was dark and rainy. The light infantry under Col. Hall entered -first, followed by the grenadiers and the battalions. The piquet of Gen. -Davidson challenged the enemy; receiving no reply the guard fired. This -turned out the whole force of Davidson, who kept up a galling fire from -the bank.” - -Observe the morning was dark but not rainy. Davidson’s army was -stationed three quarters of a mile from the Ford, and did not fire a gun -at the British whilst in the river, nor after they came across; all the -firing by the American side in the river and on the bank was done by the -guard. - -Now, I will give my own version of the transaction of Cornwallis -crossing Catawba River at Cowan’s Ford, 1st February, 1781. Robert -Beatty, a lame man, had taken up a school near the Tuckaseage Ford, and -had taught two days, and was teaching the third, when news came to the -School-house that Cornwallis was camped at Forney’s, about seven miles -from the School-house; that Tarleton was ranging through the country -catching whig boys to make musicians of them in the British army. The -master instantly dismissed the scholars, directing them to go home and -spread the news, and retired himself. I went home, and that night Moses -Starret, Alexander Starret, George Gillespie, Robert Gillespie, and -Charles Rutledge came to my father’s! We lay out that night, and shortly -before day-light my brother, Joseph Henry, who had left the army to give -the news, and had crossed Catawba at John Beattie’s in a canoe; and when -he left the army, it was expected that Cornwallis would cross the river -at Tuckaseage Ford. Early in the morning this company crossed the river -at Beatties, about two miles below Tuckaseage Ford, where we hid our -canoe, staid some time at Beatties’—then went up to the Tuckaseage Ford, -and the army was at Cowan’s Ford, we went up the river to John -Nighten’s, who treated us well by giving us potatoes to roast, and some -whisky to drink. We became noisy and mischievous. Nighten said we should -not have any more whisky. I proposed to go to the camp at the Ford, if -any one would let me have a gun and ammunition. My brother said he would -give me his; Charles Rutledge proposed also to accompany me if he had a -gun and ammunition; when Moses Starret gave him his gun. When about to -start, I gave Nighten a hundred dollar Continental bill for a half a -pint of whisky. My brother gave another bill of the same size for half a -bushel of potatoes. We dispatched the whiskey. Being thus equipped, we -went to the Ford, which was about a mile and a half. When we arrived, -the guard that was there, thirty in number, made us welcome; the officer -of the guard told us that Cornwallis would certainly attempt to cross -that night or early in the morning; that each one of the guard had -picked their stands to annoy the British as they crossed, so that when -the alarm was given they would not be crowded, or be in each other’s -way—and said we must choose our stands. He accompanied us—Charles -Rutledge chose the uppermost stand, and I chose the lowest, next the -getting out place of the Ford; the officer observed, that he considered -that Davidson had done wrong, for that the army should have been -stationed at the Ford—instead of which it was encamped three-fourths of -a mile off, and that some person acquainted in the neighborhood of -Forney should watch the movements of Cornwallis’ army, and immediately -when they would attempt to march, to hasten to the river and give the -alarm; then that Davidson’s army might be in readiness to receive them; -the river being in the situation that it was then in, and the army thus -prepared to receive them, said that Cornwallis and a million of men -could not cross without cannon as long as our ammunition would last. -This I thought was a large expression; but since I think he was -correct.[2] He mentioned to each man of the guard to go to his stand -again and examine it, so that when the alarm was given, that there -should be no mistakes then made. I went to mine, and was well pleased -with it—for in shooting, if I would miss my first aim, my lead would -range along the British army obliquely and still do damage, and that I -could stand it until the British would come to a place the water was -riffling over a rock, then it would be time to run away. I remember that -I looked over the guard to see if there was any person with whom I was -acquainted, and found none but Joel Jetton, and my lame school-master, -Robert Beatty, with my comrade, Charles Rutledge. - -Gen. Joseph Graham’s name is mentioned by Wheeler. I was acquainted with -him; but he was not there. Shortly after dark a man across the river -hooted like an owl, and was answered; a man went to a canoe some -distance off, and brought word from him that all was silent in the -British camp. The guard all lay down with their guns in their arms, and -all were sound asleep at day-break, except Joel Jetton, who discovered -the noise of horses in deep water. The British pilot, Dick Beal being -deceived by our fires, had led them into swimming water. Jetton ran to -the Ford, the sentry being sound asleep, Jetton kicked him into the -river, endeavored to fire his gun, but it was wet: Having discovered the -army, ran to our fires, having a fine voice, cried “the British! the -British!” and fired a gun—then each man ran to his stand; when I got to -my stand, I saw them red, but thought from loss of sleep my eyes might -be mistaken, threw water into them; by the time I was ready to fire, the -rest of the guard had fired. I then heard the British splashing and -making a noise as if drowning. I fired, and continued firing until I saw -that one on horse-back had passed my rock in the river, and saw that it -was Dick Beal moving his gun from his shoulder, I expected, to shoot me. -I ran with all speed up the bank, and when at the top of it, William -Polk’s horse breasted me, and Gen. Davidson’s horse, about twenty or -thirty feet before Polk’s horse, and near to the water’s edge. All being -silent on both sides, I heard the report of a gun, at the water’s edge, -being the first gun fired on the British side, and which I thought Dick -Beal had fired at me. That moment Polk wheeled his horse, and cried -“fire away, boys; there is help at hand.” Turning my eye round, -designing to run away, I saw my lame school-master, Beatty, loading his -gun by a tree; I thought I could stand it as long as he could, and -commenced loading. Beatty fired, then I fired, the heads and shoulders -of the British being just above the bank; they made no return fire; -silence still prevailed. I observed Beatty loading again; I ran down -another load—when he fired, he cried “it’s time to run, Bob.” I looked -past my tree, and saw their guns lowered, and then straightened myself -behind my tree. They fired and knocked off some bark from my tree. - -In the meantime Beatty had turned from his tree, and a bullet hit him in -the hip, and broke the upper end of his thigh bone; he fell, still -hallowing for me to run. I then ran at the top of my speed about one -hundred yards, when a thought struck me that the British had no horsemen -to follow me, and that Davidson’s army would be down at the river, and a -battle would take place. Whereupon I loaded my gun, and went opposite to -the Ford, and chose a large tree, sat down by it, and fired about fifty -yards at the British. They fired several guns toward the place where I -was; but their lead did not come nearer to me than about two rods. - -I will now account for the great difference between the number of the -British killed and those wounded, as stated by Wheeler. The water at the -Ford was fully waist-band deep, and in many places much deeper, with a -very heavy pressing current, and when a man was killed or badly wounded, -the current immediately floated him away, so that none of them that were -killed or badly wounded were ever brought to the shore; and none but -those slightly wounded reached the bank; Col. Hall fell at the bank—I -account for the three British that were killed as stated by Wheeler, in -this way: Beatty, the lame schoolmaster, an excellent marksman, fired -twice, at a distance of not more than twenty yards, at the British, -after they had ascended the high bank, as before stated; and I fired -twice about the same distance. I therefore think Beatty being the best -marksman killed two, and I killed one. - -Wheeler states that on the American side there were two killed: I -observe, if there was any one killed that it was not at the river, for -the British did not fire a gun whilst in the river, and when they arose -the high bank, all were gone but Beatty and myself; that if any were -killed, it was at Davidson’s camp, three quarters of a mile from the -Ford of the river. But I never heard of any one either killed or wounded -of the Americans except Robert Beatty on that occasion. - -I will give an account of the balance of my route after firing the last -time, as heretofore stated. I went down the river to John Beattie’s, -where we had left our canoe; there I found my company, the two Starrets, -the two Gillespies, my brother Joseph, and my comrade Charles Rutledge. -I returned the gun to my brother after counting the cartridges—found -seven missing—therefore I had fired seven times, as I supposed. The -company remained at Beattie’s until the next morning; when we took our -canoe to cross the river to the Lincoln side, it was proposed that we -would go to James Cunningham’s fish-trap, and see if there were any fish -in it. When we arrived at the trap, there were fourteen dead men lodged -in it, several of whom appeared to have no wound, but had drowned. We -pushed them into the water, they floated off, and went each to his own -home. This is my version of that transaction. - -Now, I will give the common report of it. I will begin with the report -of Nicholas Gosnell, one of our neighbors, a Tory, who was in -Cornwallis’ army when they crossed the Catawba at Cowan’s Ford. It was -frequently repeated from the extraordinary language he used, and from -his manner of expression—it is therefore better imprinted on my memory. -I will endeavor to give it in his own language: “His Lordship chose Dick -Beal for his pilot, as he well know’d the Ford, and a durned pretty -pilot he was, for he suffered himself to be led astray by the Rebel -fires, and then had to go down to the Ford afterwards; but if he did bad -one way, he did good another, for he killed their damned Rebel General. -The Rebels were posted at the water’s edge—there wan’t many on ’em; but -I’ll be durned if they didn’t slap the wad to his Majesty’s men -suicidally! for a while; for I saw ’em hollerin and a snortin and a -drownin—the river was full on ’em a snortin, a hollerin and a drownin -until his Lordship reached the off bank; then the Rebels made straight -shirt tales, and all was silent—then I tell you his Lordship was Bo sure -Super gille cristilum [?],[3] and when he rose the bank he was the best -dog in the hunt, and not a rebel to be seen.” This is the Tory version -of Cornwallis crossing Catawba at Cowan’s Ford. - -The following is the report of every person who lived at or near the -river between Cowan’s Ford and Tuckaseage Ford: That a great number of -British dead were found on Thompson’s fish-dam, and in his trap, and -numbers lodged on brush, and drifted to the banks: that the river stunk -with dead carcases; that the British could not have lost less than one -hundred men on that occasion. - -Report of soldiers who were in Davidson’s army. When Wm. Polk returned -from the river after General Davidson was killed at Cowan’s Ford, three -quarters of a mile from the Ford—they stated that when William Polk -returned from the Ford, and reported the death of Gen. Davidson, that -some of the army had left, and the rest were in confusion; that Polk -prudently marched them off, not being able to fight Cornwallis on equal -terms. - -Footnote 2: - - Gen. Greene had admonished Davidson of the danger of Tarleton crossing - secretly at some private ford and falling on his rear, and for this - reason he kept his main force at some distance from the river. - - D. S. - -Footnote 3: - - This seems to be some silly slang of that day. - - - - - KING’S MOUNTAIN EXPEDITION. - - -I will now give the statement of Col. D. Vance and Gen. Joseph McDowell -of the manner of raising the army to oppose Col. Ferguson—its march—and -the defeat of Ferguson. - -This part is the statement of Col. Vance; and on a sarcastic and -sneering reply by M. Matthews saying that they, to wit the army under -Campbell, was a fierce and formidable set of chickens, and could make -great havoc among eggs, if each one was provided with a stick. This -elicited a more extensive reply and statement of the whole affair and -its consequences from Gen. J. McDowell. I will first give the reasons -why Vance and McDowell made these statements. - -The General Assembly of North Carolina made an agreement with that of -Tennessee to run and mark the Division line between the two States, and -in the year 1799, the State of North Carolina appointed Gen. J. -McDowell, Col. David Vance,[4] and Mussentine Matthews,[5] commissioners -on the part of North Carolina, who associated John Strother and Robert -Henry surveyors, with the necessary numbers of chain-bearers, markers, -and pack-horsemen for that business, who met and went to the White-Top -Mountain, a spur of the Stone Mountain, where the Virginia line crossed -the latter. Strother did not appear at the commencement. The company -were asking a great many detached questions relative to Ferguson’s -defeat—at length requested that McDowell or Vance would give them a -connected account of the whole transaction from first to last. It was -agreed that Col. Vance should give that account. The Colonel agreed to -do so on consulting with McDowell, our pilot, Gideon Lewis, who had been -a news-carrier, and myself, [and relate it] on the first wet day that -should happen so that we could not progress with the line. - -Accordingly a wet day happened, when we were at the head of the -Round-About on the Stone Mountain. Our bark camp was soon fixed, and -Col. Vance gave the account, ending with the details of the battle of -King’s Mountain. Whereupon M. Matthews observed that we (meaning the -army) were a fierce and formidable set of blue hen’s chickens among -eggs, if each one was provided with a stick. This brought a reply from -McDowell. That being done, I was provided with a note-book, separate -from my surveyor’s book, to take down a memorandum of particular things -that happened, and commenced taking a memorandum of Vance’s account of -that transaction. Whereupon Col. Vance, who was an elegant clerk, told -me as there was only one surveyor, that I had not time to do it—and if I -would give him my book, that he would write it for me, as he had -leisure. He took the book, and returned it to me, saying he had paper of -his own, at a Spring by the side of Bright’s Path in the Bald Ground on -the Yellow Mountain. Having taken down his own recollections, and also -Gen. McDowell’s reply to M. Matthews—which is as follows: - -“As I have in some measure to depend on my memory, I will begin with -Col. Shelby’s retreat after his defeating the British at Ennoree. Col. -Charles McDowell had detached Shelby, Sevier, &c., with a party to go -round where Ferguson was camped—who defeated the British and Tories at -Ennoree. When Col. McDowell received intelligence of Gate’s defeat, and -sent an express to Col. Shelby to retreat, Gen. Joseph McDowell was then -Major, and I was Captain. Col. Shelby called a council of all his -officers to know what was best to do. It was agreed that we must make a -wood’s trip to get round Ferguson and join Col. C. McDowell, carrying -the prisoners alternately on horseback, and running on foot short -distances. After going some distance, found that Col. C. McDowell had -left his camp, and was retreating towards Gilbert Town, we altered our -course and overtook him and the main army.” - -After joining Col. C. McDowell, it was proposed by Cols. Shelby and -Sevier that they thought an army of volunteers could be raised to defeat -Ferguson, stating that Ferguson’s main business was to kill the Whig -stock; that he would be at the heads of Broad River, and then go to the -head of Catawba to execute that purpose, which would give time to raise -an army of volunteers over the mountains, and in Wilkes and Surry -counties. All the officers, and some of the privates were consulted, and -all agreed that it was right to make the trial to raise an army. It was -then agreed that the prisoners should be sent to Virginia; that Cols. -Shelby and Sevier and their men should immediately go over the Mountains -home and procure volunteers; that Col. Chas. McDowell should send an -express to Cols. Cleveland and Herndon in Wilkes for them to raise -volunteers; and that Col. C. McDowell should provide some way to -preserve the Whig stock on the head of Catawba, and provide some way -also to give intelligence of Ferguson’s movements. - -The prisoners were accordingly dispatched to Virginia. Cols. Shelby and -Sevier went immediately over the mountains; and Col. C. McDowell wrote -to Cols. Cleveland and Herndon to raise volunteers to be ready to march -upon the shortest notice;—he then called the men on the head of Catawba, -and first proposed that they who could not go over the mountains, should -take protection on the advance of Ferguson and thereby save the whig -stock: Daniel Smith (afterwards Colonel), Thomas Lytle, Robert Patton -and J. McDowell of the Pleasant Garden, absolutely refused, and stated -that they would drive the Whig stock into the deep coves under the eave -of the Black Mountain; that others might take protection and save the -stock that remained behind. John Carson, afterwards Colonel, Wm. -Davidson, Ben. Davidson and others were appointed to take protection to -save the remaining whig stock. - -James Jack and Archibald Nail were appointed to be news-bearers over the -Yellow Mountains to Shelby and were to be passing continually—that they -were to receive the news in the Turkey Cove relative to Ferguson’s -movements. That Joseph Dobson and James McKoy were to be bearers of the -like news to Cols. Cleveland and Herndon, and that they were to receive -their news at the Montgomery place, afterwards Joseph Dobson’s place. - -Col. Ben. Cleveland appointed his brother, Robert Cleveland and Gideon -Lewis, our pilot, to be news-bearers from B. Cleveland to Shelby. Thus -the news went the rounds as fast as horses could carry their riders. - -After Col. C. McDowell had thus arranged his business, he received the -news that Ferguson was at Gilbert Town. He then collected all the men -that he could procure from Burke county and went to Shelby and Sevier, -who had engaged Col. Campbell, of Virginia, also to raise volunteers. -The orders given to the volunteers were to equip themselves as quick as -possible and have nothing to provide when they were called on to march, -but to saddle their horses and march on the shortest notice. Those who -could not go supplied those who could with any thing they stood in need -of. It was also announced to the volunteers by the officers, that a -battle with Ferguson was determined upon, and that they might rely on a -battle before they returned home. - -The news went the rounds by the news-carriers already mentioned, of -every thing that happened in Ferguson’s camp—until the news came that -John Carson had played a supple trick on Ferguson—that having saved -almost all the whig stock that had not been driven into the coves by -Daniel Smith and company—that Ferguson began to suspect Carson for -saving whig stock—there being a large quantity of Tory cattle ranging -about the large cane-breaks where David Greenlee lives, and that a party -of Ferguson’s were fitted out to kill whig stock, and that they -designing to go to that place, and another party was going to the -Montgomery place—that is the place where Joseph Dobson lives on—for the -like purpose. Carson went with the party going to the Montgomery place, -without informing the party going to the Greenlee place that the cattle -ranging there were Tory stock, the owners being in Ferguson’s camp. The -parties each went to their places of destination, and returned into -camp; those who went to the Greenlee place reported that they had killed -over one hundred head of three, four, five and six year old rebel steers -at the McGonaugh place. J. Carson observed that he expected that those -steers were the stock of Joseph Brown, Dement and Johnstone, who were -there in the camp. Whereupon Brown, Dement and Johnstone went and -discovered that the steers there killed were every one theirs. This -turned the Tories rather against Ferguson; whereupon Ferguson stated -that the Rebels had out-witted him, and that he could not effect his -purpose there—that he would start back to Gilbert Town on a given day. - -The news was on its passage to Shelby and Cleveland as soon as the -breath left Ferguson’s mouth—it did not stop day or night—it was soon at -the place of destination. Immediately Shelby directed Campbell and his -men to meet him at a given time at Wautaga and Sevier to meet him and -Campbell at ten o’clock on a given day at the Spring in the Bald Ground, -on the Yellow Mountain, at the side of Bright’s path—all of which were -done with great exactness. He issued orders for Cleveland and Herndon to -meet him on a given day on Silver Creek, in Burke county; and ordered D. -Smith, J. McDowell, Lytle, Patton, and those who had taken protection, -to meet him at Wm. Nail’s by a given night, which was the night next -after the meeting on the Yellow Mountain. - -When the officers met at the Spring on the Yellow Mountain, it was -quickly agreed that they would send Col. Charles McDowell with an -express to Gen. Gates, for him to send an experienced officer to conduct -them in a battle with Ferguson, and as soon as Chas. McDowell, with his -silver-mounted Tom. Simpson rifle, had disappeared, steering for the -path on the Linville Ridge, the army descended the Mountain on Bright’s -path and went to Wm. Nail’s that night where they met Daniel Smith, -Thomas Lytle, Joseph McDowell and Robert Patton, the persons who had -driven the whig stock into the coves under the eave of the Black -Mountains, and also those who had taken protection. When it was agreed, -that D. Smith, T. Lytle and J. McDowell should remain at the head of the -river, as they were considered equal to a small army against Indians; -and that the Indians were expected to fall on the frontiers as soon as -Ferguson left it; and that they should have those who had taken -protection to assist them. It was agreed that Joseph McDowell, (now -Gen.) should take twenty men with him, and follow Ferguson’s trail for -fear of surprise—who at the head of Silver Creek, near the Pilot -Mountain, came on a squad of Tories who were designing to follow -Ferguson, and killed some of them and put the rest to flight and -returned to the army in the morning after staying the night at Wm. -Nails’s. - -The army marched in to Silver Creek, and at the place appointed met -Cols. Cleveland and Herndon so exactly that it scarcely occasioned a -halt—proceeding on to Cane Creek of Broad River at a place afterwards -called Probit’s place. - -Major Billy Chronicle with twenty men joined the army; no halt -called—still proceeding on. At Camp Creek Cols. William Graham, with one -hundred and sixty men well mounted, joined—who gave intelligence that -Ferguson had left Gilbert Town and had crossed Broad River at Twitty’s -Ford on his way to Cruger at Ninety-Six and that Col. Williams was near -to Gilbert Town. It was agreed among the officer’s [while] still on the -march, that Col. Herndon’s foot could not overhaul Ferguson before he -would reach Ninety Six. They then began to count the number of horsemen -that they could raise. Beginning with those under Col. Graham and those -of Major Chronicle, Graham’s men 160, Chronicle’s 20, were to count 200 -instead of 180. Campbell mentioned to Chronicle that the lad whom he had -with him should not hear their enumeration. Chronicle replied that he -was a son of “Old Rugged and Tough;” that his cheek was too well hooped -to leak—the lad [Robert Henry] then [listening] is now our surveyor. -They numbered on, and found their true number to be between six and -seven hundred; but told the soldiers it was between 1100 and 2000 [1200] -counting Williams’ men. - -Orders were then given for all who were unable, from any cause that -would hinder him in a severe march, should fall back into the foot -troops and give their horses to footmen [who needed them, in order to be -properly equipped for the march]; a number of exchanges were made. -Further orders were given at Gilbert Town to kill some beeves, which was -done; and orders were given for the horsemen to be ready to march at a -given time, which was very short. Some of the troops who were tardy got -none [of the beef?]. The line of march was taken to cross Broad River at -Pear’s Ford, below the mouth of Green River, to take a near cut on -Ferguson on his way to Ninety Six. The day and night were occasionally -showery. We marched on, crossing Ferguson’s trail in the track (?), and -proceeded to the Cowpens and came to a Tory’s house, pulled him out of -bed, treated him roughly, and asked him at what time Ferguson had passed -that place. He said he had not passed at all; that he had torch -pine—that we might light it and search, and if we could find the track -of an army we might hang him, or do what we pleased with him; and if no -sign of an army could be found, he would expect more mild treatment. -Search was made and no sign of an army found. - -We then camped, and began to send persons to find Ferguson’s track. -Chronicle proposed to send Enoch Gilmer as one; it was objected to -because he was not acquainted with the country. Chronicle said that he -could find out any thing better than those acquainted, for he could act -any character that he pleased; that he could cry and laugh in the same -breath, and those best acquainted would believe that he was in earnest -in both; that he could act the fool so that those best acquainted with -him would believe him to be deranged; that he was a shrewd, cunning -fellow, and a stranger to fear. Hence he was [sent] among others. He -went to a Tory’s house on Ferguson’s trail and stated to him that he had -been waiting on Ferguson’s way from Twitty’s Ford to Ninety-Six, but -missed finding him; that he wished to join the army. The Tory replied, -that after Ferguson had crossed the river at Twitty’s Ford, he had -received an express from Lord Cornwallis for him to join the main army -at Charlotte; that he had called in Tarleton, and would call in his -out-posts, and give Gates another defeat, and reduce North Carolina to -British rule as he had South Carolina and Georgia, and would enter -Virginia with a larger army than ever had been in America. Gilmer gave -this account to the officers. This was some time in the day. They then -commenced marching to the Cherokee Ford on Broad River. Night came on, -and our pilots missed their way, the night being dark and occasionally -raining, so that when we came near to the river it was near day-light; -and when we came to the river hills it was agreed that we would send -Enoch Gilmer to see whether Ferguson had not been apprised of us and -would attack us in the river. Orders were given to keep our guns dry, -for it was raining. Gilmer was gone for some time, when his voice was -heard in the hollow singing Barney-Linn, a favorite black-guard song. -This was notice that all was right. Orders were given that the largest -horses should be on the upper side. The order was not obeyed. The river -was deep, but it was remarked that not one was ducked. After passing the -river, it was agreed that Enoch Gilmer should go ahead, and make all the -discoveries about Ferguson that he could. He went off in a gallop. The -officers kept in front of the privates at a very slow gait—the men -cursing and stating if we were to have a battle, to let it be over, &c. - -All were very hungry, and when we would come to a cornfield, it was soon -pulled. The soldiers would cut part of the raw corn off the cobb, and -haul the remainder to their horses. After travelling some miles, the -officers saw Gilmer’s horse at a gate about three-quarters of a mile -ahead. They gave whip to their horses, and went at full speed to the -gate—alighted, and went into the house. Gilmer was sitting at a table -eating. Campbell exclaimed, “We have got you—you d——d rascal.” Gilmer -replied, “a true King’s man by G——d.” Campbell in order to try Gilmer’s -metamorphosis, had provided himself with a rope, with a running noose on -it, threw it over Gilmer’s neck. Gilmer commenced crying and begging. -Campbell swore that they would hang him on the bow of the gate—when -Chronicle stated that it was wrong to hang him there, for his ghost -would haunt the women, who were now in tears. Campbell observed that was -right, that we will hang him on the first stooping limb of a tree that -they should pass on the road—then sending Gilmer along one or two -hundred yards, Gilmer crying and begging for his life, the rope was -taken from his neck, and he mounted his horse, and was asked what news -he had obtained. He stated as follows:—That when he came to the Tory’s -house, he professed to be a true King’s man, that he was wishing to join -Col. Ferguson, and desired to know where he was, and that he had kissed -the two Tory women; that the youngest of the two informed him, that she -had been in Ferguson’s camp that morning; that the camp was about three -miles distant from that place; that she had carried him some chickens; -that he was camped on a ridge between two branches where some deer -hunters had a camp the last Fall. Major Chronicle and Capt. Mattocks -stated that the camp referred to was their camp, and that they well knew -the ground Ferguson was camped on. - -Whereupon it was agreed on that they should plan the battle, as they -knew the ground. They rode a short distance by themselves, and reported -that it was an excellent place to surround Ferguson’s army, as the -shooting would all be up hill—that there would be no danger of our -destroying each other; but doubted whether we had men enough to surround -them. It was then instantly agreed on by all the officers, that we would -attempt to surround our foes. They immediately began to arrange their -men, without stopping and assigning to each officer the part he was to -take in surrounding the hill. By the time this was done, we were close -to our enemy. The last whose duty was to be prescribed was Col. Wm. -Graham with his men, who desired leave of absence, alleging that he had -received certain intelligence that his wife was dying with the colic, -about sixteen miles off, near Armstrong’s Ford on the South Fork. -Campbell stated to him that should be the greatest inducement for him to -stay, that he could carry the news—and if we were successful, it would -be to her as good as a dose of medicine. Graham exclaimed, “Oh my dear, -dear wife! Must I never see her again?” Campbell in an angry tone of -voice turned to Major Chronicle, and said “shall Col. Graham have leave -of absence?” To which Chronicle replied—“it is woman’s business, let him -go.” Campbell told Graham he might go. Graham said he must have an -escort—Chronicle told him he might have one; Graham chose David Dickey. -Dickey said that he would rather be shot in [battle] than go. Chronicle -said—“Dave—You must go.” Dickey said he would rather be shot on the -spot; “but if I must go, I must go, I must.” Then Col. Graham and Dickey -immediately took to the woods, and disappeared.[6] - -Campbell then mentioned to Chronicle that as Graham has gone, you must -take his place: Turning to Col. Hambright, Campbell asked “have you any -objections?” He replied, that it was his wish, as Chronicle best knew -the ground. Whereupon Chronicle called “come on, my South Fork boys,” -and took the lead. - -The hill was surrounded in a few minutes, and the battle commenced. Our -enemies had two to our one; of course their fire was double that of -ours. We killed 247 of them, and they killed 143 of our side, agreeably -to the account of E. Gilmer and Joseph Beatty, supposed to be the most -accurate of any. So that they having choice of ground, we fought them -two to one; we killed as many more of them as they killed of us, and -took more prisoners than we had men to guard them. But we had not a -coward to face the hill that day—they all faded off, until within ten -minutes of the battle, the last coward left us. Our equals were scarce, -and our superiors hard to find. This is the most particular and accurate -account, my friend, that I can give you. - -Whereupon at the head of the Round-About, I made a similar statement to -our chain-bearers, pack-horsemen, &c. Mussentine Matthews made the -following reply: “Ah! you would have been a formidable and destructive -set of blue hen’s chickens among eggs, if each one of you had been -provided with a good stick. When anybody pretends to tell the story of -that transaction, it would be to his credit to play the game of shut -mouth.”[7] This elicited the following reply from Gen. Joseph McDowell: - -Before that battle (referring to Ferguson’s defeat,) we had sustained -two shameful and disastrous defeats—that of Gates by treachery; and that -of Sumter by carelessness, in quick succession one after the other—upon -which, the Tories flocked to the British camps, and increased their -numbers to two or three fold; that the country was over-run, and fairly -deluged with them, so much that from the pressure of their numbers, the -souls of the brave, from necessity were obliged to cower under its -weight, and none but the bravest of the brave withstood the shock. - -At the time when the news of Gates’ defeat reached Col. Charles -McDowell, he had detached Cols. Shelby and Sevier to go round Ferguson’s -camp to dislodge some British and Tories on the Ennoree, near to -Ninety-Six. He then sent an express to Shelby to take care of himself, -for Gates was defeated. Whereupon Shelby made the best of his way round -Ferguson, and fell in with Charles McDowell and the main body, -retreating towards Gilbert Town. Then it was suggested by Shelby, that a -sufficient force could be raised over the Mountains, with the assistance -from Wilkes and Surry counties, to defeat Ferguson. This was agreed to -by all the officers present. The troops were raised without Government -orders; each man had to furnish his own provisions, arms, ammunition, -horse, and all his equipage, without the value of a gun flint from the -public; without pay, or expectation of pay or reward, even to the amount -of a Continental dollar depreciated to eight hundred to one. They were -all volunteers; they were under no compulsion to go, but each man in -advance consulted his own courage, well knowing he was going to fight -before his return. They started in a rainy, inclement season of the -year, without baggage wagon, pack-horse, or tent cloth, across the most -rugged bar of mountains in the State, and almost pathless, having only a -hunter’s trail to travel, followed Ferguson through all his windings; at -length over took him at King’s Mountain, where he boasted the morning of -the battle, that “he was on King’s Mountain, and that he was king of -that Mountain, and that God Almighty could not drive him from it.” There -we over-hauled him, fought him two to one—hence their fire was double -that of ours; yet we killed 287 [247] of them, to 143 they killed of us. -Yet the fate of nations and of battles turn on a pivot. Ferguson, a -prudent officer, finding himself beset and surrounded on all sides, -ordered his regulars, who had muskets and bayonets, to charge bayonets -on Major Chronicle’s South Fork boys: The regulars having discharged -their muskets at a short distance with effect, in turn the Fork Boys -discharged their rifles with fatal effect, and retreated, keeping before -the points of the bayonets about twenty feet, until they loaded again, -when they discharged their rifles, each man dropping his man. This was -treatment that British courage could not stand; they in turn retreated -with precipitation; then the flag was hoisted, and all was over. - -If they had succeeded in the charge, it would have made a pass-way for -his army, and they might have turned on our line on the one side of the -hill, and defeated us in detail, or have made good their march to Lord -Cornwallis at Charlotte, either of which would have been disastrous to -the American cause. We had neither a coward or a traitor to face the -hill that day. We were the bravest of the brave; we were a formidable -flock of blue hen’s chickens of the game blood, of indomitable courage, -and strangers to fear. We were well provided with sticks; we made the -egg shells—British and Tory skulls—fly, like onion peelings in a windy -day; the blue cocks flapped their wings and crowed—“we are all for -Liberty these times;” and all was over; our equals were scarce, and our -superiors hard to find. - -Taking the whole campaign, including the battle, I know of no parallel -to it in the annals of ancient or Modern warfare; the nearest was that -of the Grecian Leonidas and his army at the battle of Thermopylae with -the Great Xerxes. Leonidas and his army were found, victualled and -clothed at public expense; each individual of our army had to find at -his own expense; Leonidas’ army were under Governmental orders; we were -under no government at all, but were volunteers; Leonidas’ army were -furnished with arms and camp equipage: We had to find our own arms, -ammunition and horses at our own expense; Leonidas’ army were under -Government pay; we were under no pay or reward, or the expectation of -any; Leonidas’ army had choice of ground at the pass at Thermopylae; our -enemies had the boasted choice of ground; Leonidas’ army had to fight -superior numbers—so had we; Leonidas had never a coward—neither had we -any; but Leonidas had a traitor who was his over-throw and destruction -of all but one man: We had neither coward or traitor to face our -enemy—hence we were successful: Leonidas would have been successful, and -have defeated or put to flight the great Xerxes if he had not had a -traitor aboard; Leonidas’ defeat was the destruction of the fine country -of Greece, and the burning and destruction of their fine city of Athens, -the labor of ages: Our success was the salvation of our country and our -liberty. There is no parallel here: We will see if there is any in -modern times. - -The generosity and patriotism of the great Washington has been justly -boasted of; he did not charge the United States anything for his -services during the Revolution; he was found his food and camp equipage -by the public, and every thing else that he stood in need of; his -necessary incidental expenses he kept an accurate account of, and they -were paid by the public; he was paid for every thing else but his -military services. This has been justly considered as great generosity -and patriotism, and ought never to be forgotten. But this fight of the -blue hen’s chickens threw this into the shade of an eclipse. - -Now we will make the comparison. Washington was rich, and had no family -to provide for; we were poor, and had families to provide for; he was -provided with a horse, victuals, clothing, arms, camp equipage and -necessary attendance. We had to provide our own horse, victuals, -clothing, arms, ammunition and blankets at our own expense. He charged -nothing for his military services; neither did we charge any thing for -military services, nor did we receive anything for them; he fought the -battles of our country with success; we did the same. The expedition -against Ferguson, including the battle at King’s Mountain, did not cost -the State, or the United States, the worth of a single Continental -dollar depreciated down to eight hundred to one. It was all done at the -expense of bravery of the actors in that transaction. There is no -parallel here. - -We will now take a view of the situation of the country after the -defeats of Gates and Sumter, and before Ferguson’s defeat. Cornwallis -was in Charlotte with a large army; Rawdon was in Camden with another -large army; Leslie was at Winnsborough with a considerable army; Cruger -at Ninety-Six with a large army; McGirt, Cunningham and Brown, each -having considerable force, carrying on a savage war-fare of murdering, -robbing, burning and destroying. George Lumpkin, Ben. Moore and others -in Lincoln county, the chief of plunderers. Tarleton & Wemyss having -large bodies of dragoons, the best mounted of any that were ever in the -United States. For on the fall of Charleston, the British deluged the -country with Counterfeit Continental bills, sending emissaries through -the three Southern States to purchase up all the best horses belonging -to the Whigs, at any price. Beside these armies, numerous squads of -Tories, whenever they could collect ten or twelve, were plundering, -robbing, and destroying the last piece of whig property they could lay -their hands on belonging to the whigs. To finish the list, Ferguson with -about 1,200 men, three Fourths Tories, whose principal business it was -to destroy whig stock: It is to be observed, that more than one half of -their armies consisted of Tories. - -This is a statement of facts that needs no proof; they cannot be -contradicted or denied, for every body knows them to be true. This -statement does not take into view the garrisons at Charleston, Savannah, -Augusta and other places in the lower country, or the numerous bodies of -Tories in the lower part of North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia -completely under British rule, and North Carolina at the eve of it. We -had no army in any of the three Southern States, under Governmental -orders, of any account that I know of except the poor fragments of -Gates’ defeated army, lying near the Virginia line. Marion’s troops were -volunteers, for the State was under British rule. The Mecklenburg -Hornets were volunteers from the counties of Rowan, Lincoln and -Mecklenburg. - -From this State of things, Cornwallis could easily have carried out his -avowed purpose of again defeating Gates, and entering Virginia, with the -most numerous army that had been on the Continent, by calling in some of -his needless out-posts, and these numerous squads of petty-larceny -plunderers, who were raised from poverty to affluence in a few days -plundering, and having still the expectation of further advancement by -getting the whig plantations if he had succeeded—the patriotic State of -Virginia would have had to contend with him and his army almost single -handed, for it could have received little aid from the conquered States, -and but little from Washington, or the Northern States, as they had -their hands full with Clinton and his New York Tories. This was the most -disastrous period for Liberty and Independence from the time of its -Declaration to the end of the war. Liberty and Independence were then -shrouded in Egyptian darkness. Ferguson’s defeat was the turning point -in American affairs. The battle, extraordinary as it was, was not more -extraordinary than its effects were. - -Cornwallis on hearing that Ferguson was defeated, immediately dropped -the notion of again defeating Gates and entering Virginia with a -numerous army, being already galled by the Mecklenburg Hornets, was -panic-struck to think that he would, alas! have, at the same time, to -encounter the gaffs and spurs of the blue hens’ chickens as soon as he -could filch a few days provisions from under the wings of the Hornets, -took night’s leave of the Hornets’ Nest, lest he should disturb the -wasps, made a precipitate retrograde march, stopping neither night nor -day until he joined Leslie of Winnsborough. - -Instantly after Ferguson’s defeat, McGirt, Cunningham and Brown quit -their robbing, murdering, burning and destroying, and played the game of -“the least in sight,” and “shut-mouth” into the bargain. Lumpkin, Moore, -etc., fled to Nocachey; the petty larceny squads of Tories began to seek -their hiding places and holes, like rats and mice when the cat would -make her appearance. When Generals Greene and Morgan came from the North -with all the force that could be spared from that quarter, with the -fragments of Gates’ defeated army, the brave and cautious Gen. Morgan -found that he was unable to fight Tarleton, fled before him, until -Williams’ troops, being chiefly South Carolina and Georgia refugees, who -fought under Williams at Ferguson’s defeat, and the other troops who -lived on the east side of the mountains, who fought at the same place, -heard of Morgan’s retreating before Tarleton, and rushed to his -assistance. Being thus reinforced, Gen. Morgan turned about and defeated -Tarleton at the Cowpens; Gen. Greene had to retreat before Lord -Cornwallis until reinforced by the Mecklenburg Hornets, composed of -volunteers from Rowan, Lincoln and Mecklenburg counties. Greene turned -upon Cornwallis, and at Guilford made an equal fight, neither having the -victory. How would it have been with Generals Greene and Morgan if -Ferguson had not been defeated? Tarleton’s force would have been greatly -increased, and Cornwallis’ army would have been more than double the -number that appeared on the field of battle at Guilford. All then that -Morgan and Greene could have done would have been to retreat and keep -out of their way, and permit Cornwallis, agreeably to his avowed -intention, to have entered Virginia with the most numerous army that had -been in the field since the commencement of the war. Virginia would then -have had to contend single-handed with that formidable force, with the -assistance of Gen. Greene. - -In short, Ferguson’s defeat was the turning point in American affairs. -The loss of this battle would, in all probability, have been the loss of -American Independence and the liberty we now enjoy. I never on any -occasion feel such dignified pride as when I think that my name counts -one of the number that faced the hill at King’s Mountain the day of that -battle. Others may think and speak disrespectfully of that transaction -who are in favor of monarchy and individual oppression; but that is not -Joseph McDowell, nor you, my friend Bob. - -I have written down my narrative, and Gen. McDowell’s reply to Musentine -Matthews which he delivered to the boys at head of the Round-About, on -the Stone Mountain, as nearly as memory would serve—thinking that -reading it might fill up a blank in your leisure hours, reflecting on -the situation of the times to which the recited facts refer. - - Your Friend, - - D. VANCE. - -Footnote 4: - - Member of the House of Commons from Burke, 1791. - -Footnote 5: - - Member of House Commons from Iredell from 1789 to 1802. - -Footnote 6: - - Col. William Graham must not be confounded with Major (afterwards - General) Joseph Graham. They were not related to each other—Col. - Graham came from Augusta County, Virginia and settled on the First - Broad river then Tryon now Cleveland County. He married Susan, - daughter of William Twitty. Previous to this battle he had been a good - soldier and Indian fighter and was a popular man. See an honorable - sketch of him in “Hunters’s Sketches of North Carolina,” p. 522. - -Footnote 7: - - All we know about Mussentine Matthews is that he represented Iredell - County in the House of Commons from 1789 to 1802 continuously. He was - either a Tory or a cynic, it seems. - - - - - ROBERT HENRY’S ACCOUNT. - - -I will now relate a few facts relative to the battle at King’s Mountain -that came within my own view, and not related by Col. Vance. In Vance’s -narrative, he refers to Col. W. Graham’s and David Dickey’s leaving the -army to visit his wife, and Major Billy Chronicle taking his place, and -calling on his South Fork boys to follow him. At that time Enoch Gilmer -called on Hugh Ewin, Adam Barry and myself to follow him close to the -foot of the hill. We marched with a quick step, letting Major Chronicle -advance about ten steps before us, but further from the hill than we -were, until we met the wing from the other side of the hill, then -Chronicle having a military hat, but had let it down to shelter the rain -from him, and had it not set up, clapped his hand to it in front, and -raised it up, and cried “Face to the hill.” The words were scarcely -uttered, when a ball struck him and he dropped; and in a second after a -ball struck Wm. Rabb, about six feet from Chronicle,[8] and he dropped. -We then advanced up the hill close to the Tory lines: There was a log -across a hollow that I took my stand by; and stepping one step back, I -was safe from the British fire. I there remained firing until the -British charged bayonets. When they made the charge, they first fired -their guns, at which fire it is supposed they killed Capt. Mattocks, and -J. Boyd, wounded Wm. Gilmer and John Chittim. The Fork boys fired and -did considerable execution. I was preparing to fire when one of the -British advancing, I stepped [back] and was in the act of cocking my gun -when his bayonet was running along the barrel of my gun, and gave me a -thrust through my hand and into my thigh; my antagonist and myself both -fell. The Fork boys retreated and loaded their guns. I was then lying -under the smoke, and it appeared that some of them were not more than a -gun’s length in front of the bayonets, and the farthest could not have -been more than twenty feet in front when they discharged their rifles. -It was said that every one dropped his man. The British then retreated -in great haste, and were pursued by the Fork boys. - -Wm. Caldwell saw my condition, and pulled the bayonet out of my thigh, -but it hung to my hand; he gave my hand a kick, and went on. The thrust -gave me much pain, but the pulling of it [out] was much more severe. -With my well hand I picked up my gun, and found her discharged. I -suppose that when the soldier made the thrust, I gripped the trigger and -discharged her—the load must have passed through his bladder and cut a -main artery of his back, as he bled profusely. - -Immediately after Wm. Caldwell drew the bayonet from me, then the word -was that the flag was up—the whigs then shouted “Hurra for Liberty,” -three times at the top of their voices. It was immediately announced -that Ferguson was killed. I had a desire to see him, and went and found -him dead; he was shot in the face, and in the breast. It was said he had -received other wounds. Samuel Talbot turned him over, and got his pocket -pistol. - -Being in much pain and drouthy, went down, left my gun, being unable to -carry her, and when I got near to the branch met David Dickey and Col. -Wm. Graham riding his large black horse, wielding his sword round his -head, crying at the top of his voice, “Dam the Tories,” and ascended the -hill. Having seen him get leave of absence at the commencement of the -battle to see his wife, I was filled with excitement and a conflict of -passion and extreme pain; but this brought on another set of feelings, -that may be understood, but I am not possessed of language to describe. - -I then went into the branch, drank, bathed my thigh and hand—then went -to see whether Major Chronicle and Wm. Rabb were dead or wounded—found -them dead. I saw some of the boys hauling Capt. Mattocks and John Boyd -down the hill; and Samuel Martin carrying Wm. Gilmer, who was wounded in -the thigh. - -Several of the South Fork boys were desirous to start for home that -night, and were desirous to know how many were killed on each side. -Joseph Beatty and Enoch Gilmer were appointed for that purpose of -counting: They reported that 248 British and Tories were killed, and -that 143 whigs were killed; they gave no account of the wounded. - -In the mean time Hugh Ewin, Andrew Barry and Nathaniel Cook brought -their horses and mine; put me on my horse, but could not take my gun. We -rode over the battle-ground; saw in some places the dead lay thick, and -other places thin. We went about five miles from the battle-ground, and -staid for the night. My wounds pained me extremely. Sunday morning we -started for home. When we came to the South Fork, the waters were high, -and my company would not suffer me to ride the river, but took me across -in a canoe, and hauled me home in a slide. - -I continued in extreme pain when my mother made a poultice of wet ashes, -and applied it to my wounds. This gave me the first ease. On Monday -morning by sun-rise Hugh Ewin and Andrew Barry came to see me, and -immediately after came several Neutralists, as they called themselves, -but were really Tories, to hear the news about the battle, when the -following dialogue took place between Ewin and Barry on one part, and -the Tories on the other: Is it certain that Col. Ferguson is killed, and -his army defeated and taken prisoners? - -E. and B. It is certain, for we saw Ferguson after he was dead, and his -army prisoners. - -Tory. How many men had Col. Ferguson? - -E. and B. Nearly 1200, but not quite 1200. - -Tory. Where did they get men enough to defeat him? - -E. and B. They had the South Carolina and Georgia Refugees, Col. -Graham’s men, some from Virginia, some from the head of the Yadkin, some -from the head of the Catawba, some from over the mountains, and some -from every where else. - -Tory. Tell us how it happened, and all about it. - -E. and B. We met at Gilbert Town, and found that the foot troops could -not overtake Ferguson, and we took between six and seven hundred -horsemen, having as many or more footmen to follow; and we overtook -Ferguson at King’s Mountain, where we surrounded and defeated him. - -Tory. Ah! That won’t do. Between Six and seven hundred to surround -nearly 1200. It would take more than 2000 to surround and take Col. -Ferguson. - -E. and B. But we were all of us blue hen’s chickens. - -Tory. There must have been of your foot and horse in all over 4000. We -see what you are about—that is, to catch Lord Cornwallis napping. - -Thus ended the dialogue, not more than two hours after sun-rise on -Monday; and the Neutralists or Tories immediately departed. It was -reported that they immediately swam a horse across the Catawba river by -the side of a canoe (the Catawba was much higher than the South Fork,) -and gave Lord Cornwallis the news of Ferguson’s defeat. - -Before my wounds were well, I went to Charlotte, and after Cornwallis -had left it, where I met a David Knox, a brother or near relation of -James Knox, the grandfather of President Polk, who gave me the following -information, to wit: That on Monday next after Ferguson’s defeat, he, -Knox, being a prisoner in the street in Charlotte, that an officer came -to the officer of the guard, and the following dialogue took place. - -The first officer said to the officer of the guard, Did you hear the -news? - -Officer of Guard. No, what news? - -First Officer. Col. Ferguson is killed, and his whole army defeated and -taken prisoners. - -Officer of Guard. How can that be—where did the men come from to do -that? - -First Officer. Some of them were from South Carolina and Georgia -Refugees, some from Virginia, some from the head of the Yadkin, some -from the head of Catawba, some from over the Mountains, and some from -every where else: They met at Gilbert Town, about 2000 desperadoes on -horseback, calling themselves blue hen’s chickens—started in pursuit of -Ferguson, leaving as many footmen to follow. They overtook Col. Ferguson -at a place called King’s Mountain; there they killed Col. Ferguson after -surrounding his army, defeated them and took them prisoners. - -Officer of Guard. Can this be true? - -First Officer. As true as the gospel, and we may look out for breakers. - -Officer of Guard. God bless us! - -Whereupon David Knox jumped on a pile of fire-wood in the street, -slapped his hands and thighs, and crowed like a cock, exclaiming “Day is -at hand!” Hence he was called Peter’s Cock, having some analogy to the -crowing of the cock when Peter denied his Lord the third time. - -It was generally considered about Charlotte and elsewhere, that this -exaggerated account, given by the Neutralists, of Col. Campbell’s army, -foot and horse, at 4000, which carried a strong air of plausibility with -it, was the reason why Lord Cornwallis immediately left Charlotte in the -night, after the waters were passable, and did not stop day nor night -until he met Gen. Leslie at or near Winnsborough. - -MEM.—Carefully transcribed from the original Manuscript in Robert - Henry’s hand-writing, sent me by mail for the purpose, by Dr. J. F. - E. Hardy, of Asheville, N. C., Jan. 26th, 27th, 28th and early the - 29th, 1874. - - L. C. DRAPER. - -Footnote 8: - - There is an interesting sketch of Major William Chronicle in “Hunter’s - Sketches of North Carolina.” He lived in the S. E. part of Lincoln, - now Gaston county, was born in 1755; his mother first married a McKee, - and lived near Armstrong’s ford: When McKee died she married a - Chronicle, by whom she had Major William Chronicle. Perhaps Col. - Graham would have shared Chronicle’s fate, at the hand of the - sharpshooters if he had remained. - - - - - DAVID VANCE. - - -When the war between the States began, there still lived in North -Carolina men and women who had come down to us from Revolutionary times. -They were the repositories of many interesting anecdotes and -reminiscences of that stirring period. In addition, a mass of -documentary matter had been collected by Hawks, Wheeler, Swain, Graham -and others ready for the pen of the historian. But the dreadful “clash -of resounding arms” in 1861, and the equally momentous events which -followed the close of military hostilities suspended completely all -efforts in this direction and the minds of men were absorbed in the -great political and social questions of the times which involved the -very existence of the community. - -With returning peace and prosperity loyal hearts and loving hands -resumed the work of historical research, but alas! much precious time -and valuable matter had been irretrievably lost. The survivors of the -patriots of 1776-’81 had passed away and in their graves had been buried -the treasures of their recollections; and many valuable papers collected -with much care had been destroyed. Yet much has been done and much -remains to be done. We can “gather up the fragments” and preserve them -for those who may come after us. Incidents, trifling in themselves -apparently, but which exhibit the manners of the times and illustrate -the character of the men who took part in the establishment of our -government, now become of great interest. In addition there is the -obligation—“a pleasing burden”—we bear to preserve the memory and -perpetuate the virtues of those brave and good men to whose suffering -and wisdom we are indebted for the blessings we enjoy. - -The following sketch of one who took an active part in the early history -of western North Carolina has been prepared chiefly for the use of his -descendants. It has been decided to print it in order that if it shall -contain anything of general interest it will be the more easily -preserved. - -David Vance was descended from that remarkable people, known as -Scotch-Irish, who were among the earliest settlers of the Southern -colonies, and from the beginning exercised a powerful influence in every -department of affairs. His father, Samuel, about the middle of the -eighteenth century, lived in Frederick county, Virginia, near “Zane’s -Iron Works.” His wife was Miss Colville, and of this marriage there were -five sons and three daughters; David, the eldest, having been born about -the year 1745. His father removed to south-western Virginia and settled -near Abingdon in 1776, where some of his descendants still reside. At -what period David came to North Carolina is not precisely known, but -about the year 1775 he married, in what is now Burke, but was then Rowan -county, Priscilla Brank; and here, pursuing his avocation of surveyor -and school-teacher, the beginning of the Revolutionary war found him. He -seems to have been among the first in North Carolina who took up arms in -support of the cause of the Colonies. He was commissioned Ensign in the -Second North Carolina Continental Regiment on the 8th of June, 1776, and -in April following was promoted to a Lieutenancy. He served with his -regiment until May or June 1778 when, because of decimation from losses -in battle and from sickness the regiments composing the North Carolina -Brigade were consolidated by act of the Provincial Congress, he, with -many other officers, according to Col. John Patton’s return of September -9th, 1778, was sent to Carolina to be assigned to one of the four -regiments which were to be thereafter organized in North Carolina. He -was with his regiment at Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth, and during -that dreadful winter of 1777-’78 at Valley Forge, and doubtless took -part in all the other minor engagements of those campaigns. One of his -daughters used to tell his grand-children that, during the privations of -the winter at Valley Forge, the officers endeavored to keep up the -spirits of their men by promoting games, contests and other amusements, -and her father brought home from the war a “Spanish Milled dollar” which -had been presented to him by Washington as the prize won in a running -match. - -It does not seem that he ever re-entered the regular service, but -resided with his family on the Catawba river, near Morganton, during the -year 1778 and 1779, teaching school. He was the neighbor and fast friend -of Charles and Joseph McDowell. When the seat of war was transferred -from the Northern to the Southern Colonies and the campaigns of 1780-’81 -opened in the Carolinas, he again became an active participant in the -field, serving under Generals Rutherford, Davidson and Morgan in the -militia and other temporary forces raised from time to time to meet the -emergencies resulting from Cornwallis’ invasion. He fought at Ramseur’s -Mill, Musgrove’s Mill, Cowpens (probably), and on that glorious day at -King’s Mountain, where the long struggle for independence and the -destiny of a continent were decided. In his narrative of the events -connected with that battle he says he “was a captain.” It is presumable -therefore that in the forces hastily gathered for the purpose of -resisting the advance of the British, he commanded a company, most -probably in the battalion under Major Joseph McDowell. - -The war having been ended and the independence of his country secured, -he resumed his peaceful pursuits, taking, however, his share of the -burden and responsibility in the grave task of establishing a form of -government suitable to the condition and wants of the people. It is -impossible for us now to appreciate the gravity of the situation which -presented itself to the men of those times. The imperfect records which -have been preserved of the discussions of the problems they were called -upon to solve disclose the anxieties and difficulties which surrounded -them. Much as we admire their bravery, endurance and skill in war, it -was in the border-fields of politics and statesmanship their wisdom and -patriotism were more fully displayed. When we reflect upon the result of -their labors and recall the prosperity and happiness the whole country -so long enjoyed in consequence, we are almost impelled to believe the -marvellous sagacity they exhibited was of divine inspiration. - -Captain Vance, as he was then called, represented Burke county in the -General Assembly of 1785-’86 and in 1791. He was one of the -commissioners appointed by the legislature of 1785 to carry into effect -the act passed at that session for the relief of the “officers, soldiers -and seamen who had been disabled in the service of the United States” in -the late war, and to adjust the controversies arising from the entries -of public lands in “the District of Morgan.” - -Soon after the treaty of peace with Great Britain, hostilities with the -Cherokee Indians, who then occupied that portion the State west of the -Blue Ridge, ceased, and the fertile lands of the French Broad Valley -began to attract the attention of the emigrant. Some time between the -years of 1785 and 1790, Captain Vance crossed the mountains with his -family and settled at the head of the lovely little valley of Reems -Creek. He here acquired a large and valuable body of land upon which he -built a comfortable home—yet standing, a good type of the substantial -frontier architecture—in which he reared his family and resided the -balance of his life. - -This territory was in then Burke county. At the session of the General -Assembly of 1791, Captain Vance introduced and had passed the bill -creating the county of Buncombe. As this is the genesis of that now -famous county, it will not be inappropriate to insert here an extract -from the Journal of the House of Commons for Saturday, December 17th, -1791, the General Assembly then sitting at New Berne: - -“Mr. Vance presented the petition of the inhabitants of that part of -Burke county lying west of the Appalachian Mountain, praying that a part -of Rutherford county be made into a separate and distinct county. Mr. -William Davidson presented a petition to the same effect; both of which -being read, Mr. Vance moved for leave and presented a bill to answer the -prayer of the said petitions, which was read the first time, passed and -sent to the Senate.” - -The Journal of the Senate shows that the bill was received and passed by -that body on the same day. The Mr. William Davidson referred to in this -extract was the representative from Rutherford county, and at that time -resided on the south side of the Swannanoa river not far from the -present site of the city of Asheville, that part of Buncombe then being, -or supposed to be in Rutherford county. - -At the organization of the county of Buncombe in April 1792, David Vance -was chosen clerk of the County Court, which position he continuously -occupied until his death. Some of the records of that court while he was -its clerk are extant, and the beauty of his chirography, the order and -neatness, as well as the accuracy of his entries, bear witness of his -entire qualifications for the duties of his office. - -A story is related of him in connection with his office of clerk, which -shows something of the manners of the time and the character of the man. -On one occasion two young men called at his house, one of whom desired -to procure a marriage license. They were invited to enter, and the -Captain soon produced from his side-board, a decanter, from which he -invited them to refresh themselves. They did so, whereupon the Captain -replaced his decanter and proceeded to dispatch the business for which -they had come. When they were about to leave, one of the young men -ventured to ask for another dram. The old gentleman indignantly refused, -and proceeded to read the young man a lecture, which perhaps he never -forgot, winding up with the declaration that “such a request had never -before been heard of in the house of a gentleman.” - -About the time he was elected clerk, he was appointed colonel of militia -for Buncombe—a position then, and for many years after, regarded as the -highest dignity and influence in the county organizations. Thereafter he -was known as Colonel Vance. - -He, with Gen. Joseph McDowell and Mussendine Matthews were appointed -commissioners by act of the General Assembly at the session of 1796 to -settle and mark the boundary line between the States of North Carolina -and Tennessee. Although the act was passed in 1796 the commissioners did -not run the line until the year 1799. They began at White Top Mountain, -a point where the boundaries of North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee -meet and ran westwardly, locating the boundary between Tennessee and -North Carolina, to a point at the eastern end of the great Smoky -Mountains in a gap near where the present Cattalooche turnpike leading -from Waynesville to Tennessee, crosses Mt. Starling. This, at that time, -was supposed to be the eastern boundary of the Indian Territory. - -It was while running this line, the incident occurred which gave rise to -the preparation of the accounts of the campaign and Battle of King’s -Mountain by Colonel Vance and Robert Henry, Esquire, (the latter being -one of the surveyors appointed by the commissioners) known as the -“Vance-Henry Narrative.” - -He survived until the early part of the year 1813, when, having -faithfully and honorably accepted and discharged the duties which the -conditions of his life demanded; having justly acquired the love and -veneration of his fellow-citizens; having lived long enough to see the -great principles for which he had fought securely established and his -countrymen marching onward toward a glorious and happy future, he -peacefully died, leaving behind him the record of a life worthy of the -emulation of all men and one which his descendants may proudly -contemplate and fondly cherish. - -He was buried on a beautiful knoll a short distance north of his -residence, a spot selected by himself as a last resting-place, and -which, it is said, he often spoke of as “a beautiful place from which to -arise on the Resurrection Morn.” - -He left surviving him, his wife, three sons, Samuel, David and Robert -Brank, and five daughters, Jean, who married Hugh Davidson; Elizabeth, -who married Mitchell Davidson and after his death Samuel W. Davidson; -Sarah, who married —— McLean; Priscilla who married —— Whitson, and -Celia, who married Benjamin S. Brittain. Samuel and Jean, Sarah and -Priscilla, with their husbands, about the beginning of this century, -removed to and settled upon the lands in Tennessee on the Duck river, -which their father had provided for them. They numerous children, some -of whom, together with many of their children, still reside in the -vicinity. The late Judge Hugh Law Davidson and his brother Robert B. -Davidson, who is still living, a highly esteemed citizen and a member of -the Bar at Shelbyville, Tennessee, were the sons of Jean. - -David lived and died in the county of Buncombe. He was the father of -Hon. Zebulon B. Vance and Gen. Robert B. Vance. - -Elizabeth and her husband settled on Jonathans creek in Haywood county, -where they reared a large family. Hon. Allen T. Davidson, now living in -Asheville, is one of their sons. - -Robert Brank, never married, suffering from a physical infirmity which -forbade a more active life, was carefully educated and became a -physician, though he never practiced his profession. He resided in -Asheville. While still quite young, he entered public life and was -elected to Congress, succeeding Felix Walker, the first representative -from the Transmontane District. At the next election he was defeated by -Hon. Samuel Carson, and in November following was killed in a duel with -that gentleman—the unhappy event being the result of their canvas. - -Celia, the youngest child, with her husband, located in that part of the -county of Haywood subsequently included in Macon county; but soon -afterwards upon the organization of Cherokee county removed to Murphy, -where she died in 1876, leaving a number of children and grand-children, -many of whom reside in that vicinity, useful and respected citizens. - -Although the condition of the country denied to Colonel Vance the -opportunities for collegiate training, he seems to have had a taste for -books. At the time of his death he had accumulated a respectable library -for that period. He was careful that his children should enjoy all the -educational advantages which were accessible to them. - -He was distinguished among his contemporaries for his soundness of -judgment, integrity of conduct, firmness of purpose and public spirit. - -He accumulated a handsome estate for those times, which he disposed of -by will prepared by himself. It is an exceedingly interesting document, -and perhaps no better index to his character now remains to us or a more -fitting close of this imperfect sketch can be made than that contained -in the following extracts from it: - -“I hope I may be excused for expatiating in divers parts of this last -solemn act upon subjects that require clearness and plainness, for I -have heard of so many instances of confusion and disagreement in -families, and so much doubt and difficulty for want of absolute -clearness in the testaments of departed persons, that I have often -concluded (were there no other reasons but those which respect the peace -of surviving friends) that the last act as to its designation and -operation, ought not to be the last in its composition or making; but -should be the result of cool deliberation; and (as is more frequently -than justly said) of a sound mind and memory, which are seldom to be met -with, but with sound health. All pretenses of insanity of mind are -likewise prevented when a testator is pointed and clear in what he -wills; all cavils about words are obviated; the obliged are assured, and -they enjoy the benefit, for whom the benefit was intended. - -“I, David Vance, of the county of Buncombe, in the State of North -Carolina, being of sound and perfect mind and memory, as I hope these -presents, drawn up by myself and written with my own hand, will -testify,” &c. - -In disposing of some old slaves, he directs: - -“It is my will and desire that they have full liberty, and I do by these -presents give them full liberty, to go and live with any of my children -where their own children live, not as slaves, but as old acquaintances, -who labored and spent their strength to raise my said children and their -own also. I enjoin it upon my children who may have the children of said -black old people not to confine them, but to let them go awhile to one, -and awhile to another, where their children may be; and I enjoin it upon -my children to see that the evenings of the lives of those black people -slide down as comfortable as may be. **** And I charge and adjure my -negroes, old and young, as they will answer to God, to be obedient and -obliging to their mistress and not vex or contrary her in old age. **** - -“And now, having disposed of and settled all my worldly business and -concerns, do I with a lively faith, humbly lay hold of the meritorious -death and sufferings of Christ Jesus and hope and trust thro’ His -atonement to triumph in redeeming love, the ceaseless age of eternity.” - -[Illustration: - - Decorative - Image - (See TN) -] - - - - -TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE - - -Punctuation has been normalized. - -Variations in hyphenation have been retained as they were in the -original publication. - -Footnotes have been renumbered and relocated at the end of each chapter. - -The following typographical errors have been fixed: - - Page Original As Corrected - 9 Tuckoseage Tuckaseage - 10 to to hasten to hasten - 11 staightened straightened - 11 by the the time by the time - 15 firece fierce - 20 Monntain Mountain - 21 Willams Williams - 22 occassionally occasionally - 25 Carolna Carolina - 26 minntes minutes - 26 continously continuously - 28 pealings peelings - 28, 29, Thermopyle Thermopylae - 28 Geat Great - 30 ammuition ammunition - 30 emmisaries emissaries - 33 fiill fill - 34 Willam William - 41 establishmant establishment - 43 batallion battalion - 46, 47, Tennesse Tennessee - -Caption added to identify Page decoration. - -Variant spellings of the names Beatty and Beattie have been maintained. - -Italicized words and phrases are presented by surrounding the text with -_underscores_. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Narrative of the Battle of Cowan's -Ford, February 1st, 1781, by Robert Henry - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BATTLE OF COWAN'S FORD, 1781 *** - -***** This file should be named 50137-0.txt or 50137-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/0/1/3/50137/ - -Produced by readbueno and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Narrative of the Battle of Cowan's Ford, February 1st, 1781 - -Author: Robert Henry - -Release Date: October 5, 2015 [EBook #50137] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BATTLE OF COWAN'S FORD, 1781 *** - - - - -Produced by readbueno and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<div class='figcenter id001'> -<img src='images/cover.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -</div> - -<div> - <h1 class='c000'><span class='xlarge'>NARRATIVE</span> <br /> <br /> <span class='small'>OF THE</span> <br /> <br /> <span class='xxlarge'>BATTLE <span class='fss'>OF</span> COWAN’S FORD,</span> <br /> <br /> <span class='large'><span class='sc'>February 1st, 1781</span>,</span> <br /> <br /> BY ROBERT HENRY, <br /> <br /> <span class='small'>AND</span> <br /> <br /> <span class='xlarge'>Narrative of the Battle of Kings Mountain,</span> <br /> <span class='small'><span class='sc'>By Captain David Vance</span>.</span></h1> -</div> - -<div class='nf-center-c1'> -<div class='nf-center c001'> - <div><span class='sc'>Manuscript Preserved by Robert Henry, Esq.</span></div> - <div class='c002'><span class='sc'>Copy Furnished by Lyman C. Draper, LL. D.,</span></div> - <div class='c002'><span class='xsmall'><span class='sc'>of Madison, Wisconsin.</span></span></div> - <div class='c002'>PUBLISHED BY D. SCHENCK, <span class='sc'>Sr.</span></div> - <div class='c002'><span class='small'>Greensboro, N. C., March 28th, 1891.</span></div> - <div class='c002'><span class='xsmall'>Reece & Elam, Printers</span></div> - </div> -</div> - -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <a id='Page_3'></a> - <h2 class='c004'><span class='xlarge'>PREFACE.</span></h2> -</div> -<p class='c005'>Having seen the following most valuable and interesting -narrative quoted very often in “<span class='sc'>King’s Mountain -and its Heroes</span>,” written by Lyman C. Draper, L.L.D., -of Wisconsin, I wrote the Doctor with a view of obtaining -the original manuscript if possible, but was unable to procure -it. He however very generously intrusted to me the -following copy which he had himself “carefully transcribed” -from the original paper in his hands, in January -1874, and which had been sent to him by Dr. J. F. E. -Hardy, of Asheville, North Carolina. The original manuscript -had been placed in Dr. Hardy’s possession by Wm. -L. Henry, of Buncombe County, a son of Robert Henry—William -L. Henry is still living.</p> - -<p class='c006'>In a note to “King’s Mountain and its Heroes,” page -259, is the following brief sketch of Robert Henry, who -was wise enough to preserve this contribution to our -Revolutionary history—to-wit:</p> - -<p class='c006'>“Mr. Henry was born in a rail pen, in then Rowan,<a id='r1' /><a href='#f1' class='c007'><sup>[1]</sup></a> -now Iredell county, North Carolina, January 10th 1765. -Full of patriotism though young, he shared in the trials -and perils of the Revolution, and in due time recovered -from the severe wounds he received at King’s Mountain. -In 1795, he was one of the party who ran the boundary -line between North Carolina and Tennessee. He subsequently -studied law, and practiced his profession many -years in Buncombe County. He served in the House of -Commons in 1833 and 1834. He was a clear and forcible -public speaker; and his memory deserves to be held in -grateful remembrance for preserving the narrative of the -<a id='Page_4'></a>King’s Mountain campaign and battle, so frequently cited -in this work. He died in the new County of Clay, North -Carolina, January 6th, 1863, within four days of attaining -the patriarchal age of ninety-eight years, and he was undoubtedly -the last of the heroes of King’s Mountain.”</p> - -<p class='c006'>Robert Henry lived in the vicinity of Tuckaseage Ford, -on the Catawba river, which is about ten miles below -Cowan’s Ford, when Cornwallis crossed at the latter ford. -He lived on the West side of the river in Lincoln County. -For many years he owned the White Sulphur Springs -about five miles South west of Asheville. It was a popular -resort in the summer for the wealthy planters from -the South and was the scene of much gayety and pleasure. -Mr. Henry died in Clay County, the extreme Western -county of the State, bordering on Georgia and Tennessee. -I have myself heard my grandfather Michael Schenck, of -Lincolnton, N. C., speak of Mr. Henry as “a great land -lawyer.” His practice as a surveyor, no doubt, making -him formidable in such suits.</p> - -<p class='c006'>The public is indebted to the Hon. Theodore F. Davidson, -Attorney General of North Carolina, and a great-grandson -of Captain David Vance, for the publication of -this narrative.</p> - -<div class='c008'>D. SCHENCK, <span class='sc'>Senior</span>.</div> - -<p class='c006'>Greensboro, N. C., March the 28th, 1891.</p> - -<hr class='c009' /> -<div class='footnote' id='f1'> -<p class='c006'><a href='#r1'>1</a>. This is manifestly an error. He was born in Tryon. See W. L. Henry’s letter -to Dr. Hardy. Tryon was changed to Lincoln County. Lincoln was divided -and Mr. Henry’s birthplace is in the present Gaston county.</p> -</div> - -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <a id='Page_5'></a> - <h2 class='c004'><span class='xlarge'>ROBERT HENRY’S NARRATIVE.</span><br /> <br /><span class='large'>KING’S MOUNTAIN BATTLE, &c.</span></h2> -</div> -<p class='c005'><span class='sc'>To Dr. J. F. E. Hardy</span>,</p> -<p class='c010'>Asheville, N. C.:</p> -<p class='c011'><i>My Dear Sir, and Kind Friend</i>:</p> - -<p class='c006'>I send you the MS. of my father, <span class='sc'>Robert Henry</span>. -He was born in Tryon (now Lincoln) county, N. C., <i>in a -rail pen</i>, 10th February, 1765; was a lawyer and surveyor -by profession; was one of the first settlers in Buncombe -county; taught School on Swannanoa, the first school -taught in Buncombe county. He died in Clay county, -N. C., February 6th, 1863, wanting but four days of being 98 -years old. <span class='sc'>Thomas Henry</span>, his father, died soon after -the Revolution, of rheumatism contracted during the war. -<span class='sc'>Thomas Henry</span> was from the North of Ireland.</p> - -<p class='c006'>I do not want this manuscript lost, as you see it is in -<span class='sc'>Robert Henry’s</span> own hand, and a little relic. If not -used, I should like it should be returned to</p> - -<p class='c012'>Respectfully,</p> - -<p class='c013'>WM. L. HENRY,</p> - -<p class='c014'><span class='sc'>Asheville</span>,</p> -<p class='c013'>Buncombe County, N. C.</p> -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <a id='Page_6'></a> - <h2 class='c004'><span class='large'>ROBERT HENRY’S NARRATIVE.</span></h2> -</div> -<p class='c005'>I will proceed to point out and correct some of the -errors in <span class='sc'>Wheeler’s History</span> of North Carolina, so far -as respects the transactions of Cornwallis crossing Cowan’s -Ford, on Catawba river, the 1st of February, 1781; -then I will give my own version of that transaction; then -I will give the common report of the transaction shortly -after it happened.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Wheeler’s History, p. 232-33: “Here” (meaning at -Cowan’s Ford) “about six hundred militia under General -Davidson were posted, and a slight skirmish occurred. -A British Colonel (Hall) and three privates were killed, -and thirty-six wounded.”</p> - -<p class='c006'>If we take this account to be true, we must conclude -that these militia were very bad marksmen, for they had -time to have fired five rounds each, which would have -been three thousand single shots, at distances varying -from fifty yards to less than twenty yards, over a naked -sheet of water; that their enemy was not obscured by -smoke, being in water above the waist-band, and hanging -together by their muskets; that not a single gun was fired -by them whilst in the water. This story, if it bears telling, -cannot be accredited to be true, that in firing three -thousand single shots they only killed four, including -Col. Hall, and wounded thirty-six. The story appears -further incredible from this—that in common battles on -land, there are as many, and often more, men killed than -wounded where the whole force from head to foot is exposed -to fire of the opposite party. In the present -case, the body, from above the waist-band to the top of -the head was exposed—for all below was under water -and secure from lead. Wounds in the upper part [of the -body] are doubly as apt to kill as those in the lower extremities, -from the waist-band downward; hence we -<a id='Page_7'></a>would expect double as many killed on this occasion as -wounded—but the reverse is told, that only four were -killed, including Col. Hall, and thirty-six wounded.</p> - -<p class='c006'>A further mistake may be noticed. The account states -that Davidson had six hundred militia, whereas he had -only three hundred. The whole of this quotation should -pass for nothing.</p> - -<p class='c006'>The next error that I will notice is on page 235 of -Wheeler’s History, which I quote: “Soon after the action -commenced” (meaning at Cowan’s Ford) “General -William Davidson was killed, greatly lamented by all -who knew him as a talented, brave and generous officer.” -The true statement is this: Davidson was killed by the -first gun that was fired on the British side on that occasion, -for they did not fire a gun whilst in the river; and -the gun that killed him was fired at the water’s edge on -the Mecklenburg side; and if Davidson’s clothes had been -examined, it is probable that they would have shown the -mark of powder. The whole of the Americans had left -their stands or posts at the water’s edge and judiciously -fled, lest the British might hem them in by the river; and -an utter silence prevailed—not a gun firing on either -side: Silence was first broken by the report of the gun -that killed Davidson.</p> - -<p class='c006'>A further quotation from the same page: “The Company -commanded by Gen. Graham was the first to commence -the attack” (at Cowan’s Ford) “on the British as -they advanced through the river, which was resolutely -continued until they reached the bank, loaded their arms, -and commenced a heavy fire upon his men, two of whom -were killed.” The whole of this is a gratuitous statement, -for Gen. Graham was not there—nor was there -either officer or private killed at that place except Gen. -Davidson; nor was there any one wounded there except -Robert Beatty, who afterwards died of the wound. Gen. -<a id='Page_8'></a>Graham and his company may have been at Davidson’s -camp, three quarters of a mile from the Ford, and two of -his men might have been killed there, if they were too -tardy in making their escape before the British arrived -there.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Another quotation from Wheeler’s History, p. 264: -“At day break the British army under Cornwallis, on the -1st February, 1781, entered the waters of Catawba, then -swollen by heavy rains, at Cowan’s Ford. The morning -was dark and rainy. The light infantry under Col. Hall -entered first, followed by the grenadiers and the battalions. -The piquet of Gen. Davidson challenged the enemy; receiving -no reply the guard fired. This turned out the -whole force of Davidson, who kept up a galling fire from -the bank.”</p> - -<p class='c006'>Observe the morning was dark but not rainy. Davidson’s -army was stationed three quarters of a mile from the -Ford, and did not fire a gun at the British whilst in the -river, nor after they came across; all the firing by the -American side in the river and on the bank was done by -the guard.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Now, I will give my own version of the transaction of -Cornwallis crossing Catawba River at Cowan’s Ford, 1st -February, 1781. Robert Beatty, a lame man, had taken -up a school near the Tuckaseage Ford, and had taught -two days, and was teaching the third, when news came -to the School-house that Cornwallis was camped at Forney’s, -about seven miles from the School-house; that -Tarleton was ranging through the country catching whig -boys to make musicians of them in the British army. -The master instantly dismissed the scholars, directing -them to go home and spread the news, and retired himself. -I went home, and that night Moses Starret, Alexander -Starret, George Gillespie, Robert Gillespie, and -Charles Rutledge came to my father’s! We lay out that -<a id='Page_9'></a>night, and shortly before day-light my brother, Joseph -Henry, who had left the army to give the news, and -had crossed Catawba at John Beattie’s in a canoe; and -when he left the army, it was expected that Cornwallis -would cross the river at Tuckaseage Ford. Early in -the morning this company crossed the river at Beatties, -about two miles below Tuckaseage Ford, where we -hid our canoe, staid some time at Beatties’—then went up -to the Tuckaseage Ford, and the army was at Cowan’s -Ford, we went up the river to John Nighten’s, who -treated us well by giving us potatoes to roast, and some -whisky to drink. We became noisy and mischievous. -Nighten said we should not have any more whisky. I -proposed to go to the camp at the Ford, if any one would -let me have a gun and ammunition. My brother said he -would give me his; Charles Rutledge proposed also to -accompany me if he had a gun and ammunition; when -Moses Starret gave him his gun. When about to start, I -gave Nighten a hundred dollar Continental bill for a half -a pint of whisky. My brother gave another bill of the -same size for half a bushel of potatoes. We dispatched -the whiskey. Being thus equipped, we went to the Ford, -which was about a mile and a half. When we arrived, -the guard that was there, thirty in number, made us -welcome; the officer of the guard told us that Cornwallis -would certainly attempt to cross that night or early in -the morning; that each one of the guard had picked their -stands to annoy the British as they crossed, so that when -the alarm was given they would not be crowded, or be -in each other’s way—and said we must choose our stands. -He accompanied us—Charles Rutledge chose the uppermost -stand, and I chose the lowest, next the getting out -place of the Ford; the officer observed, that he considered -that Davidson had done wrong, for that the army -should have been stationed at the Ford—instead of -<a id='Page_10'></a>which it was encamped three-fourths of a mile off, and -that some person acquainted in the neighborhood of -Forney should watch the movements of Cornwallis’ army, -and immediately when they would attempt to march, -to hasten to the river and give the alarm; then that Davidson’s -army might be in readiness to receive them; the -river being in the situation that it was then in, and the -army thus prepared to receive them, said that Cornwallis -and a million of men could not cross without cannon -as long as our ammunition would last. This I -thought was a large expression; but since I think he was -correct.<a id='r2' /><a href='#f2' class='c007'><sup>[2]</sup></a> He mentioned to each man of the guard to go -to his stand again and examine it, so that when the -alarm was given, that there should be no mistakes then -made. I went to mine, and was well pleased with it—for -in shooting, if I would miss my first aim, my lead -would range along the British army obliquely and still -do damage, and that I could stand it until the British -would come to a place the water was riffling over a rock, -then it would be time to run away. I remember that I -looked over the guard to see if there was any person with -whom I was acquainted, and found none but Joel Jetton, -and my lame school-master, Robert Beatty, with my -comrade, Charles Rutledge.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Gen. Joseph Graham’s name is mentioned by Wheeler. -I was acquainted with him; but he was not there. Shortly -after dark a man across the river hooted like an owl, -and was answered; a man went to a canoe some distance -off, and brought word from him that all was silent in the -British camp. The guard all lay down with their guns -in their arms, and all were sound asleep at day-break, -except Joel Jetton, who discovered the noise of horses in -deep water. The British pilot, Dick Beal being deceived -<a id='Page_11'></a>by our fires, had led them into swimming water. Jetton -ran to the Ford, the sentry being sound asleep, Jetton -kicked him into the river, endeavored to fire his gun, but -it was wet: Having discovered the army, ran to our fires, -having a fine voice, cried “the British! the British!” and -fired a gun—then each man ran to his stand; when I got -to my stand, I saw them red, but thought from loss of -sleep my eyes might be mistaken, threw water into them; -by the time I was ready to fire, the rest of the guard -had fired. I then heard the British splashing and making -a noise as if drowning. I fired, and continued firing until -I saw that one on horse-back had passed my rock in the -river, and saw that it was Dick Beal moving his gun -from his shoulder, I expected, to shoot me. I ran with -all speed up the bank, and when at the top of it, William -Polk’s horse breasted me, and Gen. Davidson’s horse, -about twenty or thirty feet before Polk’s horse, and near -to the water’s edge. All being silent on both sides, I -heard the report of a gun, at the water’s edge, being the -first gun fired on the British side, and which I thought -Dick Beal had fired at me. That moment Polk wheeled -his horse, and cried “fire away, boys; there is help at -hand.” Turning my eye round, designing to run away, -I saw my lame school-master, Beatty, loading his gun by -a tree; I thought I could stand it as long as he could, -and commenced loading. Beatty fired, then I fired, the -heads and shoulders of the British being just above the -bank; they made no return fire; silence still prevailed. -I observed Beatty loading again; I ran down another -load—when he fired, he cried “it’s time to run, Bob.” I -looked past my tree, and saw their guns lowered, and -then straightened myself behind my tree. They fired and -knocked off some bark from my tree.</p> - -<p class='c006'>In the meantime Beatty had turned from his tree, and -a bullet hit him in the hip, and broke the upper end of his -<a id='Page_12'></a>thigh bone; he fell, still hallowing for me to run. I then -ran at the top of my speed about one hundred yards, -when a thought struck me that the British had no horsemen -to follow me, and that Davidson’s army would be -down at the river, and a battle would take place. Whereupon -I loaded my gun, and went opposite to the Ford, -and chose a large tree, sat down by it, and fired about -fifty yards at the British. They fired several guns toward -the place where I was; but their lead did not come -nearer to me than about two rods.</p> - -<p class='c006'>I will now account for the great difference between the -number of the British killed and those wounded, as -stated by Wheeler. The water at the Ford was fully -waist-band deep, and in many places much deeper, with -a very heavy pressing current, and when a man was -killed or badly wounded, the current immediately floated -him away, so that none of them that were killed or badly -wounded were ever brought to the shore; and none but -those slightly wounded reached the bank; Col. Hall fell -at the bank—I account for the three British that were killed -as stated by Wheeler, in this way: Beatty, the lame -schoolmaster, an excellent marksman, fired twice, at a -distance of not more than twenty yards, at the British, -after they had ascended the high bank, as before stated; -and I fired twice about the same distance. I therefore -think Beatty being the best marksman killed two, and I -killed one.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Wheeler states that on the American side there were -two killed: I observe, if there was any one killed that it -was not at the river, for the British did not fire a gun -whilst in the river, and when they arose the high bank, -all were gone but Beatty and myself; that if any were -killed, it was at Davidson’s camp, three quarters of a -mile from the Ford of the river. But I never heard of -<a id='Page_13'></a>any one either killed or wounded of the Americans except -Robert Beatty on that occasion.</p> - -<p class='c006'>I will give an account of the balance of my route after -firing the last time, as heretofore stated. I went down -the river to John Beattie’s, where we had left our canoe; -there I found my company, the two Starrets, the two -Gillespies, my brother Joseph, and my comrade Charles -Rutledge. I returned the gun to my brother after counting -the cartridges—found seven missing—therefore I had -fired seven times, as I supposed. The company remained -at Beattie’s until the next morning; when we took our -canoe to cross the river to the Lincoln side, it was proposed -that we would go to James Cunningham’s fish-trap, -and see if there were any fish in it. When we arrived at -the trap, there were fourteen dead men lodged in it, -several of whom appeared to have no wound, but had -drowned. We pushed them into the water, they floated -off, and went each to his own home. This is my version -of that transaction.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Now, I will give the common report of it. I will begin -with the report of Nicholas Gosnell, one of our neighbors, -a Tory, who was in Cornwallis’ army when they -crossed the Catawba at Cowan’s Ford. It was frequently -repeated from the extraordinary language he used, and -from his manner of expression—it is therefore better imprinted -on my memory. I will endeavor to give it in his -own language: “His Lordship chose Dick Beal for his -pilot, as he well know’d the Ford, and a durned pretty -pilot he was, for he suffered himself to be led astray by -the Rebel fires, and then had to go down to the Ford -afterwards; but if he did bad one way, he did good -another, for he killed their damned Rebel General. The -Rebels were posted at the water’s edge—there wan’t -many on ’em; but I’ll be durned if they didn’t slap the -wad to his Majesty’s men suicidally! for a while; for I -<a id='Page_14'></a>saw ’em hollerin and a snortin and a drownin—the river -was full on ’em a snortin, a hollerin and a drownin until -his Lordship reached the off bank; then the Rebels -made straight shirt tales, and all was silent—then I tell -you his Lordship was Bo sure Super gille cristilum [?],<a id='r3' /><a href='#f3' class='c007'><sup>[3]</sup></a> -and when he rose the bank he was the best dog in the -hunt, and not a rebel to be seen.” This is the Tory version -of Cornwallis crossing Catawba at Cowan’s Ford.</p> - -<p class='c006'>The following is the report of every person who lived at -or near the river between Cowan’s Ford and Tuckaseage -Ford: That a great number of British dead were -found on Thompson’s fish-dam, and in his trap, and numbers -lodged on brush, and drifted to the banks: that the -river stunk with dead carcases; that the British could not -have lost less than one hundred men on that occasion.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Report of soldiers who were in Davidson’s army. -When Wm. Polk returned from the river after General -Davidson was killed at Cowan’s Ford, three quarters of -a mile from the Ford—they stated that when William -Polk returned from the Ford, and reported the death of -Gen. Davidson, that some of the army had left, and the -rest were in confusion; that Polk prudently marched -them off, not being able to fight Cornwallis on equal -terms.</p> - -<hr class='c009' /> -<div class='footnote' id='f2'> -<p class='c015'><span class='label'><a href='#r2'>2</a>. </span>Gen. Greene had admonished Davidson of the danger of Tarleton crossing secretly -at some private ford and falling on his rear, and for this reason he kept his main -force at some distance from the river.</p> - -<div class='c008'>D. S.</div> -</div> - -<div class='footnote' id='f3'> -<p class='c015'><span class='label'><a href='#r3'>3</a>. </span>This seems to be some silly slang of that day.</p> -</div> - -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <a id='Page_15'></a> - <h2 class='c004'><span class='large'>KING’S MOUNTAIN EXPEDITION.</span></h2> -</div> -<p class='c005'>I will now give the statement of Col. D. Vance and -Gen. Joseph McDowell of the manner of raising the army -to oppose Col. Ferguson—its march—and the defeat of -Ferguson.</p> - -<p class='c006'>This part is the statement of Col. Vance; and on a sarcastic -and sneering reply by M. Matthews saying that -they, to wit the army under Campbell, was a fierce and -formidable set of chickens, and could make great havoc -among eggs, if each one was provided with a stick. This -elicited a more extensive reply and statement of the whole -affair and its consequences from Gen. J. McDowell. I -will first give the reasons why Vance and McDowell -made these statements.</p> - -<p class='c006'>The General Assembly of North Carolina made an -agreement with that of Tennessee to run and mark the -Division line between the two States, and in the year 1799, -the State of North Carolina appointed Gen. J. McDowell, -Col. David Vance,<a id='r4' /><a href='#f4' class='c007'><sup>[4]</sup></a> and Mussentine Matthews,<a id='r5' /><a href='#f5' class='c007'><sup>[5]</sup></a> commissioners -on the part of North Carolina, who associated -John Strother and Robert Henry surveyors, with the -necessary numbers of chain-bearers, markers, and pack-horsemen -for that business, who met and went to the -White-Top Mountain, a spur of the Stone Mountain, -where the Virginia line crossed the latter. Strother did -not appear at the commencement. The company were -asking a great many detached questions relative to -Ferguson’s defeat—at length requested that McDowell or -Vance would give them a connected account of the whole -transaction from first to last. It was agreed that Col. -Vance should give that account. The Colonel agreed to -do so on consulting with McDowell, our pilot, Gideon -<a id='Page_16'></a>Lewis, who had been a news-carrier, and myself, [and -relate it] on the first wet day that should happen so that -we could not progress with the line.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Accordingly a wet day happened, when we were at -the head of the Round-About on the Stone Mountain. -Our bark camp was soon fixed, and Col. Vance gave the -account, ending with the details of the battle of King’s -Mountain. Whereupon M. Matthews observed that we -(meaning the army) were a fierce and formidable set of -blue hen’s chickens among eggs, if each one was provided -with a stick. This brought a reply from McDowell. -That being done, I was provided with a note-book, separate -from my surveyor’s book, to take down a memorandum -of particular things that happened, and commenced -taking a memorandum of Vance’s account of that transaction. -Whereupon Col. Vance, who was an elegant -clerk, told me as there was only one surveyor, that I had -not time to do it—and if I would give him my book, that -he would write it for me, as he had leisure. He took the -book, and returned it to me, saying he had paper of his -own, at a Spring by the side of Bright’s Path in the Bald -Ground on the Yellow Mountain. Having taken down -his own recollections, and also Gen. McDowell’s reply -to M. Matthews—which is as follows:</p> - -<p class='c006'>“As I have in some measure to depend on my memory, -I will begin with Col. Shelby’s retreat after his defeating -the British at Ennoree. Col. Charles McDowell -had detached Shelby, Sevier, &c., with a party to go -round where Ferguson was camped—who defeated the -British and Tories at Ennoree. When Col. McDowell -received intelligence of Gate’s defeat, and sent an express -to Col. Shelby to retreat, Gen. Joseph McDowell -was then Major, and I was Captain. Col. Shelby called -a council of all his officers to know what was best to do. -It was agreed that we must make a wood’s trip to get -<a id='Page_17'></a>round Ferguson and join Col. C. McDowell, carrying the -prisoners alternately on horseback, and running on foot -short distances. After going some distance, found that -Col. C. McDowell had left his camp, and was retreating -towards Gilbert Town, we altered our course and overtook -him and the main army.”</p> - -<p class='c006'>After joining Col. C. McDowell, it was proposed by -Cols. Shelby and Sevier that they thought an army of -volunteers could be raised to defeat Ferguson, stating -that Ferguson’s main business was to kill the Whig -stock; that he would be at the heads of Broad River, and -then go to the head of Catawba to execute that purpose, -which would give time to raise an army of volunteers -over the mountains, and in Wilkes and Surry counties. -All the officers, and some of the privates were consulted, -and all agreed that it was right to make the trial to raise -an army. It was then agreed that the prisoners should -be sent to Virginia; that Cols. Shelby and Sevier and -their men should immediately go over the Mountains -home and procure volunteers; that Col. Chas. -McDowell should send an express to Cols. Cleveland and -Herndon in Wilkes for them to raise volunteers; and -that Col. C. McDowell should provide some way to preserve -the Whig stock on the head of Catawba, and provide -some way also to give intelligence of Ferguson’s -movements.</p> - -<p class='c006'>The prisoners were accordingly dispatched to Virginia. -Cols. Shelby and Sevier went immediately over the -mountains; and Col. C. McDowell wrote to Cols. Cleveland -and Herndon to raise volunteers to be ready to -march upon the shortest notice;—he then called the men -on the head of Catawba, and first proposed that they -who could not go over the mountains, should take protection -on the advance of Ferguson and thereby save -the whig stock: Daniel Smith (afterwards Colonel), -<a id='Page_18'></a>Thomas Lytle, Robert Patton and J. McDowell of the -Pleasant Garden, absolutely refused, and stated that they -would drive the Whig stock into the deep coves under -the eave of the Black Mountain; that others might take -protection and save the stock that remained behind. -John Carson, afterwards Colonel, Wm. Davidson, Ben. -Davidson and others were appointed to take protection -to save the remaining whig stock.</p> - -<p class='c006'>James Jack and Archibald Nail were appointed to be -news-bearers over the Yellow Mountains to Shelby and -were to be passing continually—that they were to receive -the news in the Turkey Cove relative to Ferguson’s -movements. That Joseph Dobson and James McKoy -were to be bearers of the like news to Cols. Cleveland -and Herndon, and that they were to receive their news -at the Montgomery place, afterwards Joseph Dobson’s -place.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Col. Ben. Cleveland appointed his brother, Robert -Cleveland and Gideon Lewis, our pilot, to be news-bearers -from B. Cleveland to Shelby. Thus the news -went the rounds as fast as horses could carry their riders.</p> - -<p class='c006'>After Col. C. McDowell had thus arranged his business, -he received the news that Ferguson was at Gilbert Town. -He then collected all the men that he could procure from -Burke county and went to Shelby and Sevier, who had -engaged Col. Campbell, of Virginia, also to raise volunteers. -The orders given to the volunteers were to equip -themselves as quick as possible and have nothing to -provide when they were called on to march, but to saddle -their horses and march on the shortest notice. Those -who could not go supplied those who could with any -thing they stood in need of. It was also announced to -the volunteers by the officers, that a battle with Ferguson -was determined upon, and that they might rely on a -battle before they returned home.</p> - -<p class='c006'><a id='Page_19'></a>The news went the rounds by the news-carriers -already mentioned, of every thing that happened in -Ferguson’s camp—until the news came that John Carson -had played a supple trick on Ferguson—that having -saved almost all the whig stock that had not been driven -into the coves by Daniel Smith and company—that -Ferguson began to suspect Carson for saving whig stock—there -being a large quantity of Tory cattle ranging -about the large cane-breaks where David Greenlee lives, -and that a party of Ferguson’s were fitted out to kill -whig stock, and that they designing to go to that place, -and another party was going to the Montgomery place—that -is the place where Joseph Dobson lives on—for the -like purpose. Carson went with the party going to the -Montgomery place, without informing the party going to -the Greenlee place that the cattle ranging there were -Tory stock, the owners being in Ferguson’s camp. The -parties each went to their places of destination, and returned -into camp; those who went to the Greenlee place -reported that they had killed over one hundred head of -three, four, five and six year old rebel steers at the McGonaugh -place. J. Carson observed that he expected -that those steers were the stock of Joseph Brown, Dement -and Johnstone, who were there in the camp. Whereupon -Brown, Dement and Johnstone went and discovered that -the steers there killed were every one theirs. This turned -the Tories rather against Ferguson; whereupon Ferguson -stated that the Rebels had out-witted him, and -that he could not effect his purpose there—that he would -start back to Gilbert Town on a given day.</p> - -<p class='c006'>The news was on its passage to Shelby and Cleveland -as soon as the breath left Ferguson’s mouth—it did not -stop day or night—it was soon at the place of destination. -Immediately Shelby directed Campbell and his -men to meet him at a given time at Wautaga and Sevier -<a id='Page_20'></a>to meet him and Campbell at ten o’clock on a given day -at the Spring in the Bald Ground, on the Yellow Mountain, -at the side of Bright’s path—all of which were done -with great exactness. He issued orders for Cleveland -and Herndon to meet him on a given day on Silver -Creek, in Burke county; and ordered D. Smith, J. McDowell, -Lytle, Patton, and those who had taken protection, -to meet him at Wm. Nail’s by a given night, which -was the night next after the meeting on the Yellow -Mountain.</p> - -<p class='c006'>When the officers met at the Spring on the Yellow -Mountain, it was quickly agreed that they would send -Col. Charles McDowell with an express to Gen. Gates, -for him to send an experienced officer to conduct them -in a battle with Ferguson, and as soon as Chas. McDowell, -with his silver-mounted Tom. Simpson rifle, had -disappeared, steering for the path on the Linville Ridge, -the army descended the Mountain on Bright’s path and -went to Wm. Nail’s that night where they met Daniel -Smith, Thomas Lytle, Joseph McDowell and Robert -Patton, the persons who had driven the whig stock into -the coves under the eave of the Black Mountains, and -also those who had taken protection. When it was -agreed, that D. Smith, T. Lytle and J. McDowell should -remain at the head of the river, as they were considered -equal to a small army against Indians; and that the Indians -were expected to fall on the frontiers as soon as -Ferguson left it; and that they should have those who -had taken protection to assist them. It was agreed that -Joseph McDowell, (now Gen.) should take twenty men -with him, and follow Ferguson’s trail for fear of surprise—who -at the head of Silver Creek, near the Pilot Mountain, -came on a squad of Tories who were designing to -follow Ferguson, and killed some of them and put the -<a id='Page_21'></a>rest to flight and returned to the army in the morning -after staying the night at Wm. Nails’s.</p> - -<p class='c006'>The army marched in to Silver Creek, and at the place -appointed met Cols. Cleveland and Herndon so exactly -that it scarcely occasioned a halt—proceeding on to -Cane Creek of Broad River at a place afterwards called -Probit’s place.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Major Billy Chronicle with twenty men joined the -army; no halt called—still proceeding on. At Camp -Creek Cols. William Graham, with one hundred and sixty -men well mounted, joined—who gave intelligence that -Ferguson had left Gilbert Town and had crossed Broad -River at Twitty’s Ford on his way to Cruger at Ninety-Six -and that Col. Williams was near to Gilbert Town. -It was agreed among the officer’s [while] still on the -march, that Col. Herndon’s foot could not overhaul Ferguson -before he would reach Ninety Six. They then began -to count the number of horsemen that they could raise. Beginning -with those under Col. Graham and those of Major -Chronicle, Graham’s men 160, Chronicle’s 20, were to -count 200 instead of 180. Campbell mentioned to Chronicle -that the lad whom he had with him should not hear -their enumeration. Chronicle replied that he was a son -of “Old Rugged and Tough;” that his cheek was too well -hooped to leak—the lad [Robert Henry] then [listening] -is now our surveyor. They numbered on, and found -their true number to be between six and seven hundred; -but told the soldiers it was between 1100 and 2000 [1200] -counting Williams’ men.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Orders were then given for all who were unable, from -any cause that would hinder him in a severe march, -should fall back into the foot troops and give their horses -to footmen [who needed them, in order to be properly -equipped for the march]; a number of exchanges were -made. Further orders were given at Gilbert Town to -<a id='Page_22'></a>kill some beeves, which was done; and orders were given -for the horsemen to be ready to march at a given time, -which was very short. Some of the troops who were -tardy got none [of the beef?]. The line of march was -taken to cross Broad River at Pear’s Ford, below the -mouth of Green River, to take a near cut on Ferguson -on his way to Ninety Six. The day and night were occasionally -showery. We marched on, crossing Ferguson’s -trail in the track (?), and proceeded to the Cowpens and -came to a Tory’s house, pulled him out of bed, treated -him roughly, and asked him at what time Ferguson had -passed that place. He said he had not passed at all; -that he had torch pine—that we might light it and search, -and if we could find the track of an army we might hang -him, or do what we pleased with him; and if no sign of -an army could be found, he would expect more mild -treatment. Search was made and no sign of an army -found.</p> - -<p class='c006'>We then camped, and began to send persons to find -Ferguson’s track. Chronicle proposed to send Enoch -Gilmer as one; it was objected to because he was not acquainted -with the country. Chronicle said that he could -find out any thing better than those acquainted, for he -could act any character that he pleased; that he could cry -and laugh in the same breath, and those best acquainted -would believe that he was in earnest in both; that he -could act the fool so that those best acquainted with him -would believe him to be deranged; that he was a shrewd, -cunning fellow, and a stranger to fear. Hence he was -[sent] among others. He went to a Tory’s house on -Ferguson’s trail and stated to him that he had been -waiting on Ferguson’s way from Twitty’s Ford to Ninety-Six, -but missed finding him; that he wished to join the -army. The Tory replied, that after Ferguson had crossed -the river at Twitty’s Ford, he had received an express from -<a id='Page_23'></a>Lord Cornwallis for him to join the main army at Charlotte; -that he had called in Tarleton, and would call in -his out-posts, and give Gates another defeat, and reduce -North Carolina to British rule as he had South Carolina -and Georgia, and would enter Virginia with a larger -army than ever had been in America. Gilmer gave this -account to the officers. This was some time in the day. -They then commenced marching to the Cherokee Ford -on Broad River. Night came on, and our pilots missed -their way, the night being dark and occasionally raining, -so that when we came near to the river it was near day-light; -and when we came to the river hills it was agreed -that we would send Enoch Gilmer to see whether Ferguson -had not been apprised of us and would attack us in -the river. Orders were given to keep our guns dry, for -it was raining. Gilmer was gone for some time, when -his voice was heard in the hollow singing Barney-Linn, -a favorite black-guard song. This was notice that all -was right. Orders were given that the largest horses -should be on the upper side. The order was not obeyed. -The river was deep, but it was remarked that not one was -ducked. After passing the river, it was agreed that -Enoch Gilmer should go ahead, and make all the discoveries -about Ferguson that he could. He went off in -a gallop. The officers kept in front of the privates at a -very slow gait—the men cursing and stating if we were -to have a battle, to let it be over, &c.</p> - -<p class='c006'>All were very hungry, and when we would come to a -cornfield, it was soon pulled. The soldiers would cut -part of the raw corn off the cobb, and haul the remainder -to their horses. After travelling some miles, the officers -saw Gilmer’s horse at a gate about three-quarters of a -mile ahead. They gave whip to their horses, and went -at full speed to the gate—alighted, and went into the -house. Gilmer was sitting at a table eating. Campbell -<a id='Page_24'></a>exclaimed, “We have got you—you d——d rascal.” -Gilmer replied, “a true King’s man by G——d.” Campbell -in order to try Gilmer’s metamorphosis, had provided -himself with a rope, with a running noose on it, threw it -over Gilmer’s neck. Gilmer commenced crying and begging. -Campbell swore that they would hang him on the -bow of the gate—when Chronicle stated that it was -wrong to hang him there, for his ghost would haunt the -women, who were now in tears. Campbell observed that -was right, that we will hang him on the first stooping -limb of a tree that they should pass on the road—then -sending Gilmer along one or two hundred yards, Gilmer -crying and begging for his life, the rope was taken from -his neck, and he mounted his horse, and was asked -what news he had obtained. He stated as follows:—That -when he came to the Tory’s house, he professed to -be a true King’s man, that he was wishing to join Col. -Ferguson, and desired to know where he was, and that -he had kissed the two Tory women; that the youngest -of the two informed him, that she had been in Ferguson’s -camp that morning; that the camp was about three miles -distant from that place; that she had carried him some -chickens; that he was camped on a ridge between two -branches where some deer hunters had a camp the last -Fall. Major Chronicle and Capt. Mattocks stated that -the camp referred to was their camp, and that they well -knew the ground Ferguson was camped on.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Whereupon it was agreed on that they should plan the -battle, as they knew the ground. They rode a short distance -by themselves, and reported that it was an excellent -place to surround Ferguson’s army, as the shooting -would all be up hill—that there would be no danger -of our destroying each other; but doubted whether we -had men enough to surround them. It was then instantly -agreed on by all the officers, that we would attempt to -<a id='Page_25'></a>surround our foes. They immediately began to arrange -their men, without stopping and assigning to each officer -the part he was to take in surrounding the hill. By the -time this was done, we were close to our enemy. The -last whose duty was to be prescribed was Col. Wm. -Graham with his men, who desired leave of absence, -alleging that he had received certain intelligence that -his wife was dying with the colic, about sixteen miles -off, near Armstrong’s Ford on the South Fork. Campbell -stated to him that should be the greatest inducement -for him to stay, that he could carry the news—and -if we were successful, it would be to her as good as a -dose of medicine. Graham exclaimed, “Oh my dear, -dear wife! Must I never see her again?” Campbell in an -angry tone of voice turned to Major Chronicle, and said -“shall Col. Graham have leave of absence?” To which -Chronicle replied—“it is woman’s business, let him go.” -Campbell told Graham he might go. Graham said he -must have an escort—Chronicle told him he might have -one; Graham chose David Dickey. Dickey said that he -would rather be shot in [battle] than go. Chronicle said—“Dave—You -must go.” Dickey said he would rather -be shot on the spot; “but if I must go, I must go, I must.” -Then Col. Graham and Dickey immediately took to the -woods, and disappeared.<a id='r6' /><a href='#f6' class='c007'><sup>[6]</sup></a></p> - -<p class='c006'>Campbell then mentioned to Chronicle that as Graham -has gone, you must take his place: Turning to Col. Hambright, -Campbell asked “have you any objections?” He -replied, that it was his wish, as Chronicle best knew the -ground. Whereupon Chronicle called “come on, my -South Fork boys,” and took the lead.</p> - -<p class='c006'><a id='Page_26'></a>The hill was surrounded in a few minutes, and the battle -commenced. Our enemies had two to our one; of -course their fire was double that of ours. We killed 247 -of them, and they killed 143 of our side, agreeably to the -account of E. Gilmer and Joseph Beatty, supposed to be -the most accurate of any. So that they having choice of -ground, we fought them two to one; we killed as many -more of them as they killed of us, and took more prisoners -than we had men to guard them. But we had not a -coward to face the hill that day—they all faded off, until -within ten minutes of the battle, the last coward left us. -Our equals were scarce, and our superiors hard to find. -This is the most particular and accurate account, my -friend, that I can give you.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Whereupon at the head of the Round-About, I made a -similar statement to our chain-bearers, pack-horsemen, -&c. Mussentine Matthews made the following reply: -“Ah! you would have been a formidable and destructive -set of blue hen’s chickens among eggs, if each one of you -had been provided with a good stick. When anybody -pretends to tell the story of that transaction, it would -be to his credit to play the game of shut mouth.”<a id='r7' /><a href='#f7' class='c007'><sup>[7]</sup></a> This -elicited the following reply from Gen. Joseph McDowell:</p> - -<p class='c006'>Before that battle (referring to Ferguson’s defeat,) we -had sustained two shameful and disastrous defeats—that -of Gates by treachery; and that of Sumter by carelessness, -in quick succession one after the other—upon which, -the Tories flocked to the British camps, and increased -their numbers to two or three fold; that the country was -over-run, and fairly deluged with them, so much that -from the pressure of their numbers, the souls of the brave, -from necessity were obliged to cower under its weight, -<a id='Page_27'></a>and none but the bravest of the brave withstood the -shock.</p> - -<p class='c006'>At the time when the news of Gates’ defeat reached -Col. Charles McDowell, he had detached Cols. Shelby -and Sevier to go round Ferguson’s camp to dislodge -some British and Tories on the Ennoree, near to Ninety-Six. -He then sent an express to Shelby to take care of -himself, for Gates was defeated. Whereupon Shelby -made the best of his way round Ferguson, and fell in with -Charles McDowell and the main body, retreating towards -Gilbert Town. Then it was suggested by Shelby, -that a sufficient force could be raised over the Mountains, -with the assistance from Wilkes and Surry counties, to -defeat Ferguson. This was agreed to by all the officers -present. The troops were raised without Government -orders; each man had to furnish his own provisions, arms, -ammunition, horse, and all his equipage, without the -value of a gun flint from the public; without pay, or expectation -of pay or reward, even to the amount of a -Continental dollar depreciated to eight hundred to one. -They were all volunteers; they were under no compulsion -to go, but each man in advance consulted his own -courage, well knowing he was going to fight before his -return. They started in a rainy, inclement season of the -year, without baggage wagon, pack-horse, or tent cloth, -across the most rugged bar of mountains in the State, -and almost pathless, having only a hunter’s trail to travel, -followed Ferguson through all his windings; at length -over took him at King’s Mountain, where he boasted the -morning of the battle, that “he was on King’s Mountain, -and that he was king of that Mountain, and that God -Almighty could not drive him from it.” There we over-hauled -him, fought him two to one—hence their fire was -double that of ours; yet we killed 287 [247] of them, to -143 they killed of us. Yet the fate of nations and of battles -<a id='Page_28'></a>turn on a pivot. Ferguson, a prudent officer, finding -himself beset and surrounded on all sides, ordered his -regulars, who had muskets and bayonets, to charge -bayonets on Major Chronicle’s South Fork boys: The -regulars having discharged their muskets at a short distance -with effect, in turn the Fork Boys discharged their -rifles with fatal effect, and retreated, keeping before the -points of the bayonets about twenty feet, until they loaded -again, when they discharged their rifles, each man -dropping his man. This was treatment that British courage -could not stand; they in turn retreated with precipitation; -then the flag was hoisted, and all was over.</p> - -<p class='c006'>If they had succeeded in the charge, it would have -made a pass-way for his army, and they might have -turned on our line on the one side of the hill, and defeated -us in detail, or have made good their march to -Lord Cornwallis at Charlotte, either of which would have -been disastrous to the American cause. We had neither -a coward or a traitor to face the hill that day. We were -the bravest of the brave; we were a formidable flock of -blue hen’s chickens of the game blood, of indomitable -courage, and strangers to fear. We were well provided -with sticks; we made the egg shells—British and Tory -skulls—fly, like onion peelings in a windy day; the blue -cocks flapped their wings and crowed—“we are all for -Liberty these times;” and all was over; our equals were -scarce, and our superiors hard to find.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Taking the whole campaign, including the battle, I -know of no parallel to it in the annals of ancient or -Modern warfare; the nearest was that of the Grecian -Leonidas and his army at the battle of Thermopylae with -the Great Xerxes. Leonidas and his army were found, -victualled and clothed at public expense; each individual -of our army had to find at his own expense; Leonidas’ -army were under Governmental orders; we were under -<a id='Page_29'></a>no government at all, but were volunteers; Leonidas’ -army were furnished with arms and camp equipage: We -had to find our own arms, ammunition and horses at our -own expense; Leonidas’ army were under Government -pay; we were under no pay or reward, or the expectation -of any; Leonidas’ army had choice of ground at the pass -at Thermopylae; our enemies had the boasted choice of -ground; Leonidas’ army had to fight superior numbers—so -had we; Leonidas had never a coward—neither had -we any; but Leonidas had a traitor who was his over-throw -and destruction of all but one man: We had -neither coward or traitor to face our enemy—hence we -were successful: Leonidas would have been successful, -and have defeated or put to flight the great Xerxes -if he had not had a traitor aboard; Leonidas’ defeat -was the destruction of the fine country of Greece, -and the burning and destruction of their fine city of -Athens, the labor of ages: Our success was the salvation -of our country and our liberty. There is no -parallel here: We will see if there is any in modern -times.</p> - -<p class='c006'>The generosity and patriotism of the great Washington -has been justly boasted of; he did not charge the -United States anything for his services during the Revolution; -he was found his food and camp equipage by the -public, and every thing else that he stood in need of; -his necessary incidental expenses he kept an accurate account -of, and they were paid by the public; he was paid -for every thing else but his military services. This has -been justly considered as great generosity and patriotism, -and ought never to be forgotten. But this fight of the -blue hen’s chickens threw this into the shade of an -eclipse.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Now we will make the comparison. Washington was -rich, and had no family to provide for; we were poor, -<a id='Page_30'></a>and had families to provide for; he was provided with a -horse, victuals, clothing, arms, camp equipage and necessary -attendance. We had to provide our own horse, -victuals, clothing, arms, ammunition and blankets at our -own expense. He charged nothing for his military services; -neither did we charge any thing for military services, -nor did we receive anything for them; he fought -the battles of our country with success; we did the same. -The expedition against Ferguson, including the battle at -King’s Mountain, did not cost the State, or the United -States, the worth of a single Continental dollar depreciated -down to eight hundred to one. It was all done at -the expense of bravery of the actors in that transaction. -There is no parallel here.</p> - -<p class='c006'>We will now take a view of the situation of the country -after the defeats of Gates and Sumter, and before Ferguson’s -defeat. Cornwallis was in Charlotte with a large -army; Rawdon was in Camden with another large army; -Leslie was at Winnsborough with a considerable army; -Cruger at Ninety-Six with a large army; McGirt, -Cunningham and Brown, each having considerable force, -carrying on a savage war-fare of murdering, robbing, -burning and destroying. George Lumpkin, Ben. Moore -and others in Lincoln county, the chief of plunderers. -Tarleton & Wemyss having large bodies of dragoons, -the best mounted of any that were ever in the United -States. For on the fall of Charleston, the British deluged -the country with Counterfeit Continental bills, sending -emissaries through the three Southern States to -purchase up all the best horses belonging to the Whigs, -at any price. Beside these armies, numerous squads of -Tories, whenever they could collect ten or twelve, were -plundering, robbing, and destroying the last piece of -whig property they could lay their hands on belonging -to the whigs. To finish the list, Ferguson with about -<a id='Page_31'></a>1,200 men, three Fourths Tories, whose principal business -it was to destroy whig stock: It is to be observed, that -more than one half of their armies consisted of Tories.</p> - -<p class='c006'>This is a statement of facts that needs no proof; -they cannot be contradicted or denied, for every body -knows them to be true. This statement does not take -into view the garrisons at Charleston, Savannah, Augusta -and other places in the lower country, or the numerous -bodies of Tories in the lower part of North Carolina, -South Carolina and Georgia completely under British -rule, and North Carolina at the eve of it. We had no -army in any of the three Southern States, under Governmental -orders, of any account that I know of except the -poor fragments of Gates’ defeated army, lying near the -Virginia line. Marion’s troops were volunteers, for the -State was under British rule. The Mecklenburg Hornets -were volunteers from the counties of Rowan, Lincoln and -Mecklenburg.</p> - -<p class='c006'>From this State of things, Cornwallis could easily have -carried out his avowed purpose of again defeating Gates, -and entering Virginia, with the most numerous army that -had been on the Continent, by calling in some of his -needless out-posts, and these numerous squads of petty-larceny -plunderers, who were raised from poverty to affluence -in a few days plundering, and having still the -expectation of further advancement by getting the whig -plantations if he had succeeded—the patriotic State of -Virginia would have had to contend with him and his -army almost single handed, for it could have received -little aid from the conquered States, and but little from -Washington, or the Northern States, as they had their -hands full with Clinton and his New York Tories. This -was the most disastrous period for Liberty and Independence -from the time of its Declaration to the end of the -war. Liberty and Independence were then shrouded in -<a id='Page_32'></a>Egyptian darkness. Ferguson’s defeat was the turning -point in American affairs. The battle, extraordinary as -it was, was not more extraordinary than its effects were.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Cornwallis on hearing that Ferguson was defeated, immediately -dropped the notion of again defeating Gates -and entering Virginia with a numerous army, being already -galled by the Mecklenburg Hornets, was panic-struck -to think that he would, alas! have, at the same -time, to encounter the gaffs and spurs of the blue hens’ -chickens as soon as he could filch a few days provisions -from under the wings of the Hornets, took night’s leave -of the Hornets’ Nest, lest he should disturb the wasps, -made a precipitate retrograde march, stopping neither -night nor day until he joined Leslie of Winnsborough.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Instantly after Ferguson’s defeat, McGirt, Cunningham -and Brown quit their robbing, murdering, burning and -destroying, and played the game of “the least in sight,” -and “shut-mouth” into the bargain. Lumpkin, Moore, -etc., fled to Nocachey; the petty larceny squads of Tories -began to seek their hiding places and holes, like rats and -mice when the cat would make her appearance. When -Generals Greene and Morgan came from the North with -all the force that could be spared from that quarter, with -the fragments of Gates’ defeated army, the brave and -cautious Gen. Morgan found that he was unable to fight -Tarleton, fled before him, until Williams’ troops, being -chiefly South Carolina and Georgia refugees, who fought -under Williams at Ferguson’s defeat, and the other troops -who lived on the east side of the mountains, who fought -at the same place, heard of Morgan’s retreating before -Tarleton, and rushed to his assistance. Being thus reinforced, -Gen. Morgan turned about and defeated Tarleton -at the Cowpens; Gen. Greene had to retreat before Lord -Cornwallis until reinforced by the Mecklenburg Hornets, -composed of volunteers from Rowan, Lincoln and -<a id='Page_33'></a>Mecklenburg counties. Greene turned upon Cornwallis, and -at Guilford made an equal fight, neither having the victory. -How would it have been with Generals Greene -and Morgan if Ferguson had not been defeated? Tarleton’s -force would have been greatly increased, and Cornwallis’ -army would have been more than double the number -that appeared on the field of battle at Guilford. All -then that Morgan and Greene could have done would -have been to retreat and keep out of their way, and permit -Cornwallis, agreeably to his avowed intention, to have -entered Virginia with the most numerous army that had -been in the field since the commencement of the war. -Virginia would then have had to contend single-handed -with that formidable force, with the assistance of Gen. -Greene.</p> - -<p class='c006'>In short, Ferguson’s defeat was the turning point in -American affairs. The loss of this battle would, in all -probability, have been the loss of American Independence -and the liberty we now enjoy. I never on any occasion -feel such dignified pride as when I think that my -name counts one of the number that faced the hill at -King’s Mountain the day of that battle. Others may -think and speak disrespectfully of that transaction who -are in favor of monarchy and individual oppression; but -that is not Joseph McDowell, nor you, my friend Bob.</p> - -<p class='c006'>I have written down my narrative, and Gen. McDowell’s -reply to Musentine Matthews which he delivered to the -boys at head of the Round-About, on the Stone Mountain, -as nearly as memory would serve—thinking that -reading it might fill up a blank in your leisure hours, reflecting -on the situation of the times to which the recited -facts refer.</p> - -<div class='nf-center-c1'> - <div class='nf-center'> - <div>Your Friend,</div> - </div> -</div> - -<div class='c008'>D. VANCE.</div> - -<hr class='c009' /> -<div class='footnote' id='f4'> -<p class='c015'><span class='label'><a href='#r4'>4</a>. </span>Member of the House of Commons from Burke, 1791.</p> -</div> - -<div class='footnote' id='f5'> -<p class='c015'><span class='label'><a href='#r5'>5</a>. </span>Member of House Commons from Iredell from 1789 to 1802.</p> -</div> - -<div class='footnote' id='f6'> -<p class='c015'><span class='label'><a href='#r6'>6</a>. </span>Col. William Graham must not be confounded with Major (afterwards General) -Joseph Graham. They were not related to each other—Col. Graham came from -Augusta County, Virginia and settled on the First Broad river then Tryon now Cleveland -County. He married Susan, daughter of William Twitty. Previous to this -battle he had been a good soldier and Indian fighter and was a popular man. See -an honorable sketch of him in “Hunters’s Sketches of North Carolina,” p. 522.</p> -</div> - -<div class='footnote' id='f7'> -<p class='c015'><span class='label'><a href='#r7'>7</a>. </span>All we know about Mussentine Matthews is that he represented Iredell County in -the House of Commons from 1789 to 1802 continuously. He was either a Tory or a -cynic, it seems.</p> -</div> - -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <a id='Page_34'></a> - <h2 class='c004'><span class='xlarge'>ROBERT HENRY’S ACCOUNT.</span></h2> -</div> -<p class='c005'>I will now relate a few facts relative to the battle at -King’s Mountain that came within my own view, and not -related by Col. Vance. In Vance’s narrative, he refers -to Col. W. Graham’s and David Dickey’s leaving the -army to visit his wife, and Major Billy Chronicle taking -his place, and calling on his South Fork boys to follow -him. At that time Enoch Gilmer called on Hugh -Ewin, Adam Barry and myself to follow him close to the -foot of the hill. We marched with a quick step, letting -Major Chronicle advance about ten steps before us, but -further from the hill than we were, until we met the wing -from the other side of the hill, then Chronicle having a -military hat, but had let it down to shelter the rain from -him, and had it not set up, clapped his hand to it in front, -and raised it up, and cried “Face to the hill.” The -words were scarcely uttered, when a ball struck him and -he dropped; and in a second after a ball struck Wm. -Rabb, about six feet from Chronicle,<a id='r8' /><a href='#f8' class='c007'><sup>[8]</sup></a> and he dropped. -We then advanced up the hill close to the Tory lines: -There was a log across a hollow that I took my stand by; -and stepping one step back, I was safe from the British -fire. I there remained firing until the British charged -bayonets. When they made the charge, they first fired -their guns, at which fire it is supposed they killed Capt. -Mattocks, and J. Boyd, wounded Wm. Gilmer and John -Chittim. The Fork boys fired and did considerable execution. -I was preparing to fire when one of the British -advancing, I stepped [back] and was in the act of cocking -my gun when his bayonet was running along the -<a id='Page_35'></a>barrel of my gun, and gave me a thrust through my hand -and into my thigh; my antagonist and myself both fell. -The Fork boys retreated and loaded their guns. I was -then lying under the smoke, and it appeared that some -of them were not more than a gun’s length in front of the -bayonets, and the farthest could not have been more -than twenty feet in front when they discharged their -rifles. It was said that every one dropped his man. -The British then retreated in great haste, and were pursued -by the Fork boys.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Wm. Caldwell saw my condition, and pulled the bayonet -out of my thigh, but it hung to my hand; he gave -my hand a kick, and went on. The thrust gave me much -pain, but the pulling of it [out] was much more severe. -With my well hand I picked up my gun, and found her -discharged. I suppose that when the soldier made the -thrust, I gripped the trigger and discharged her—the -load must have passed through his bladder and cut a -main artery of his back, as he bled profusely.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Immediately after Wm. Caldwell drew the bayonet -from me, then the word was that the flag was up—the -whigs then shouted “Hurra for Liberty,” three times at -the top of their voices. It was immediately announced -that Ferguson was killed. I had a desire to see him, and -went and found him dead; he was shot in the face, and -in the breast. It was said he had received other wounds. -Samuel Talbot turned him over, and got his pocket pistol.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Being in much pain and drouthy, went down, left my -gun, being unable to carry her, and when I got near to -the branch met David Dickey and Col. Wm. Graham -riding his large black horse, wielding his sword round his -head, crying at the top of his voice, “Dam the Tories,” -and ascended the hill. Having seen him get leave of -absence at the commencement of the battle to see his -wife, I was filled with excitement and a conflict of -<a id='Page_36'></a>passion and extreme pain; but this brought on another set -of feelings, that may be understood, but I am not possessed -of language to describe.</p> - -<p class='c006'>I then went into the branch, drank, bathed my thigh -and hand—then went to see whether Major Chronicle and -Wm. Rabb were dead or wounded—found them dead. I -saw some of the boys hauling Capt. Mattocks and John -Boyd down the hill; and Samuel Martin carrying Wm. -Gilmer, who was wounded in the thigh.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Several of the South Fork boys were desirous to start -for home that night, and were desirous to know how -many were killed on each side. Joseph Beatty and -Enoch Gilmer were appointed for that purpose of counting: -They reported that 248 British and Tories were -killed, and that 143 whigs were killed; they gave no account -of the wounded.</p> - -<p class='c006'>In the mean time Hugh Ewin, Andrew Barry and Nathaniel -Cook brought their horses and mine; put me on -my horse, but could not take my gun. We rode over -the battle-ground; saw in some places the dead lay thick, -and other places thin. We went about five miles from -the battle-ground, and staid for the night. My wounds -pained me extremely. Sunday morning we started for -home. When we came to the South Fork, the waters -were high, and my company would not suffer me to ride -the river, but took me across in a canoe, and hauled me -home in a slide.</p> - -<p class='c006'>I continued in extreme pain when my mother made a -poultice of wet ashes, and applied it to my wounds. This -gave me the first ease. On Monday morning by sun-rise -Hugh Ewin and Andrew Barry came to see me, and immediately -after came several Neutralists, as they called -themselves, but were really Tories, to hear the news -about the battle, when the following dialogue took place -between Ewin and Barry on one part, and the Tories on -<a id='Page_37'></a>the other: Is it certain that Col. Ferguson is killed, and -his army defeated and taken prisoners?</p> - -<p class='c006'>E. and B. It is certain, for we saw Ferguson after he -was dead, and his army prisoners.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Tory. How many men had Col. Ferguson?</p> - -<p class='c006'>E. and B. Nearly 1200, but not quite 1200.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Tory. Where did they get men enough to defeat him?</p> - -<p class='c006'>E. and B. They had the South Carolina and Georgia -Refugees, Col. Graham’s men, some from Virginia, some -from the head of the Yadkin, some from the head of the -Catawba, some from over the mountains, and some from -every where else.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Tory. Tell us how it happened, and all about it.</p> - -<p class='c006'>E. and B. We met at Gilbert Town, and found that the -foot troops could not overtake Ferguson, and we took between -six and seven hundred horsemen, having as many -or more footmen to follow; and we overtook Ferguson at -King’s Mountain, where we surrounded and defeated him.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Tory. Ah! That won’t do. Between Six and seven -hundred to surround nearly 1200. It would take more -than 2000 to surround and take Col. Ferguson.</p> - -<p class='c006'>E. and B. But we were all of us blue hen’s chickens.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Tory. There must have been of your foot and horse in -all over 4000. We see what you are about—that is, to -catch Lord Cornwallis napping.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Thus ended the dialogue, not more than two hours -after sun-rise on Monday; and the Neutralists or Tories -immediately departed. It was reported that they immediately -swam a horse across the Catawba river by the -side of a canoe (the Catawba was much higher than the -South Fork,) and gave Lord Cornwallis the news of -Ferguson’s defeat.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Before my wounds were well, I went to Charlotte, and -after Cornwallis had left it, where I met a David Knox, -a brother or near relation of James Knox, the -<a id='Page_38'></a>grandfather of President Polk, who gave me the following information, -to wit: That on Monday next after Ferguson’s -defeat, he, Knox, being a prisoner in the street in Charlotte, -that an officer came to the officer of the guard, and -the following dialogue took place.</p> - -<p class='c006'>The first officer said to the officer of the guard, Did -you hear the news?</p> - -<p class='c006'>Officer of Guard. No, what news?</p> - -<p class='c006'>First Officer. Col. Ferguson is killed, and his whole -army defeated and taken prisoners.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Officer of Guard. How can that be—where did the -men come from to do that?</p> - -<p class='c006'>First Officer. Some of them were from South Carolina -and Georgia Refugees, some from Virginia, some from -the head of the Yadkin, some from the head of Catawba, -some from over the Mountains, and some from every -where else: They met at Gilbert Town, about 2000 desperadoes -on horseback, calling themselves blue hen’s -chickens—started in pursuit of Ferguson, leaving as many -footmen to follow. They overtook Col. Ferguson at a -place called King’s Mountain; there they killed Col. -Ferguson after surrounding his army, defeated them and -took them prisoners.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Officer of Guard. Can this be true?</p> - -<p class='c006'>First Officer. As true as the gospel, and we may look -out for breakers.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Officer of Guard. God bless us!</p> - -<p class='c006'>Whereupon David Knox jumped on a pile of fire-wood -in the street, slapped his hands and thighs, and crowed -like a cock, exclaiming “Day is at hand!” Hence he -was called Peter’s Cock, having some analogy to the crowing -of the cock when Peter denied his Lord the third -time.</p> - -<p class='c006'>It was generally considered about Charlotte and elsewhere, -that this exaggerated account, given by the Neutralists, -<a id='Page_39'></a>of Col. Campbell’s army, foot and horse, at 4000, -which carried a strong air of plausibility with it, was the -reason why Lord Cornwallis immediately left Charlotte -in the night, after the waters were passable, and did not -stop day nor night until he met Gen. Leslie at or near -Winnsborough.</p> -<p class='c016'><span class='sc'>Mem.</span>—<span class='small'>Carefully transcribed from the original Manuscript in -Robert Henry’s hand-writing, sent me by mail for the purpose, -by Dr. J. F. E. Hardy, of Asheville, N. C., Jan. 26th, 27th, 28th -and early the 29th, 1874.</span></p> -<div class='c008'>L. C. DRAPER.</div> - -<hr class='c009' /> -<div class='footnote' id='f8'> -<p class='c015'><span class='label'><a href='#r8'>8</a>. </span>There is an interesting sketch of Major William Chronicle in “Hunter’s Sketches -of North Carolina.” He lived in the S. E. part of Lincoln, now Gaston county, was -born in 1755; his mother first married a McKee, and lived near Armstrong’s ford: -When McKee died she married a Chronicle, by whom she had Major William -Chronicle. Perhaps Col. Graham would have shared Chronicle’s fate, at the hand of -the sharpshooters if he had remained.</p> -</div> - -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <a id='Page_41'></a> - <h2 class='c004'><span class='xlarge'>DAVID VANCE.</span></h2> -</div> -<p class='c005'>When the war between the States began, there still -lived in North Carolina men and women who had come -down to us from Revolutionary times. They were the -repositories of many interesting anecdotes and reminiscences -of that stirring period. In addition, a mass of documentary -matter had been collected by Hawks, Wheeler, -Swain, Graham and others ready for the pen of the historian. -But the dreadful “clash of resounding arms” in -1861, and the equally momentous events which followed -the close of military hostilities suspended completely all -efforts in this direction and the minds of men were absorbed -in the great political and social questions of the -times which involved the very existence of the community.</p> - -<p class='c006'>With returning peace and prosperity loyal hearts and -loving hands resumed the work of historical research, but -alas! much precious time and valuable matter had been -irretrievably lost. The survivors of the patriots of 1776-’81 -had passed away and in their graves had been buried -the treasures of their recollections; and many valuable -papers collected with much care had been destroyed. -Yet much has been done and much remains to be done. -We can “gather up the fragments” and preserve them -for those who may come after us. Incidents, trifling in -themselves apparently, but which exhibit the manners of -the times and illustrate the character of the men who -took part in the establishment of our government, now -become of great interest. In addition there is the obligation—“a -pleasing burden”—we bear to preserve the -memory and perpetuate the virtues of those brave and -good men to whose suffering and wisdom we are indebted -for the blessings we enjoy.</p> - -<p class='c006'>The following sketch of one who took an active part in -<a id='Page_42'></a>the early history of western North Carolina has been prepared -chiefly for the use of his descendants. It has been -decided to print it in order that if it shall contain anything -of general interest it will be the more easily preserved.</p> - -<p class='c006'>David Vance was descended from that remarkable people, -known as Scotch-Irish, who were among the earliest -settlers of the Southern colonies, and from the beginning -exercised a powerful influence in every department of affairs. -His father, Samuel, about the middle of the -eighteenth century, lived in Frederick county, Virginia, -near “Zane’s Iron Works.” His wife was Miss Colville, -and of this marriage there were five sons and three daughters; -David, the eldest, having been born about the year -1745. His father removed to south-western Virginia and -settled near Abingdon in 1776, where some of his descendants -still reside. At what period David came to -North Carolina is not precisely known, but about the -year 1775 he married, in what is now Burke, but was then -Rowan county, Priscilla Brank; and here, pursuing his -avocation of surveyor and school-teacher, the beginning -of the Revolutionary war found him. He seems to have -been among the first in North Carolina who took up arms -in support of the cause of the Colonies. He was commissioned -Ensign in the Second North Carolina Continental -Regiment on the 8th of June, 1776, and in April -following was promoted to a Lieutenancy. He served -with his regiment until May or June 1778 when, because -of decimation from losses in battle and from sickness the -regiments composing the North Carolina Brigade were -consolidated by act of the Provincial Congress, he, with -many other officers, according to Col. John Patton’s return -of September 9th, 1778, was sent to Carolina to be -assigned to one of the four regiments which were to be -thereafter organized in North Carolina. He was with his -<a id='Page_43'></a>regiment at Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth, and -during that dreadful winter of 1777-’78 at Valley Forge, -and doubtless took part in all the other minor engagements -of those campaigns. One of his daughters used -to tell his grand-children that, during the privations of -the winter at Valley Forge, the officers endeavored to -keep up the spirits of their men by promoting games, -contests and other amusements, and her father brought -home from the war a “Spanish Milled dollar” which had -been presented to him by Washington as the prize won -in a running match.</p> - -<p class='c006'>It does not seem that he ever re-entered the regular -service, but resided with his family on the Catawba river, -near Morganton, during the year 1778 and 1779, teaching -school. He was the neighbor and fast friend of Charles -and Joseph McDowell. When the seat of war was transferred -from the Northern to the Southern Colonies and -the campaigns of 1780-’81 opened in the Carolinas, he -again became an active participant in the field, serving -under Generals Rutherford, Davidson and Morgan in the -militia and other temporary forces raised from time to -time to meet the emergencies resulting from Cornwallis’ -invasion. He fought at Ramseur’s Mill, Musgrove’s Mill, -Cowpens (probably), and on that glorious day at King’s -Mountain, where the long struggle for independence and -the destiny of a continent were decided. In his narrative -of the events connected with that battle he says he -“was a captain.” It is presumable therefore that in the -forces hastily gathered for the purpose of resisting the -advance of the British, he commanded a company, most -probably in the battalion under Major Joseph McDowell.</p> - -<p class='c006'>The war having been ended and the independence of -his country secured, he resumed his peaceful pursuits, taking, -however, his share of the burden and responsibility -in the grave task of establishing a form of government -<a id='Page_44'></a>suitable to the condition and wants of the people. It is -impossible for us now to appreciate the gravity of the -situation which presented itself to the men of those times. -The imperfect records which have been preserved of the -discussions of the problems they were called upon to -solve disclose the anxieties and difficulties which surrounded -them. Much as we admire their bravery, endurance -and skill in war, it was in the border-fields of politics and -statesmanship their wisdom and patriotism were more -fully displayed. When we reflect upon the result of their -labors and recall the prosperity and happiness the whole -country so long enjoyed in consequence, we are almost -impelled to believe the marvellous sagacity they exhibited -was of divine inspiration.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Captain Vance, as he was then called, represented -Burke county in the General Assembly of 1785-’86 and -in 1791. He was one of the commissioners appointed by -the legislature of 1785 to carry into effect the act passed -at that session for the relief of the “officers, soldiers and -seamen who had been disabled in the service of the United -States” in the late war, and to adjust the controversies -arising from the entries of public lands in “the District of -Morgan.”</p> - -<p class='c006'>Soon after the treaty of peace with Great Britain, hostilities -with the Cherokee Indians, who then occupied that -portion the State west of the Blue Ridge, ceased, and -the fertile lands of the French Broad Valley began to attract -the attention of the emigrant. Some time between -the years of 1785 and 1790, Captain Vance crossed the -mountains with his family and settled at the head of the -lovely little valley of Reems Creek. He here acquired a -large and valuable body of land upon which he built a -comfortable home—yet standing, a good type of the substantial -frontier architecture—in which he reared his family -and resided the balance of his life.</p> - -<p class='c006'><a id='Page_45'></a>This territory was in then Burke county. At the session -of the General Assembly of 1791, Captain Vance introduced -and had passed the bill creating the county of Buncombe. -As this is the genesis of that now famous county, -it will not be inappropriate to insert here an extract from -the Journal of the House of Commons for Saturday, December -17th, 1791, the General Assembly then sitting at -New Berne:</p> - -<p class='c006'>“Mr. Vance presented the petition of the inhabitants -of that part of Burke county lying west of the Appalachian -Mountain, praying that a part of Rutherford county -be made into a separate and distinct county. Mr. William -Davidson presented a petition to the same effect; both of -which being read, Mr. Vance moved for leave and presented -a bill to answer the prayer of the said petitions, which -was read the first time, passed and sent to the Senate.”</p> - -<p class='c006'>The Journal of the Senate shows that the bill was received -and passed by that body on the same day. The -Mr. William Davidson referred to in this extract was the -representative from Rutherford county, and at that time -resided on the south side of the Swannanoa river not far -from the present site of the city of Asheville, that part of -Buncombe then being, or supposed to be in Rutherford -county.</p> - -<p class='c006'>At the organization of the county of Buncombe in April -1792, David Vance was chosen clerk of the County Court, -which position he continuously occupied until his death. -Some of the records of that court while he was its clerk -are extant, and the beauty of his chirography, the order -and neatness, as well as the accuracy of his entries, bear -witness of his entire qualifications for the duties of his -office.</p> - -<p class='c006'>A story is related of him in connection with his office -of clerk, which shows something of the manners of -the time and the character of the man. On one occasion -<a id='Page_46'></a>two young men called at his house, one of whom desired -to procure a marriage license. They were invited to enter, -and the Captain soon produced from his side-board, -a decanter, from which he invited them to refresh themselves. -They did so, whereupon the Captain replaced his -decanter and proceeded to dispatch the business for which -they had come. When they were about to leave, one of -the young men ventured to ask for another dram. The -old gentleman indignantly refused, and proceeded to read -the young man a lecture, which perhaps he never forgot, -winding up with the declaration that “such a request had -never before been heard of in the house of a gentleman.”</p> - -<p class='c006'>About the time he was elected clerk, he was appointed -colonel of militia for Buncombe—a position then, and for -many years after, regarded as the highest dignity and influence -in the county organizations. Thereafter he was -known as Colonel Vance.</p> - -<p class='c006'>He, with Gen. Joseph McDowell and Mussendine Matthews -were appointed commissioners by act of the General -Assembly at the session of 1796 to settle and mark -the boundary line between the States of North Carolina -and Tennessee. Although the act was passed in 1796 the -commissioners did not run the line until the year 1799. -They began at White Top Mountain, a point where the -boundaries of North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee -meet and ran westwardly, locating the boundary between -Tennessee and North Carolina, to a point at the eastern -end of the great Smoky Mountains in a gap near where -the present Cattalooche turnpike leading from Waynesville -to Tennessee, crosses Mt. Starling. This, at that -time, was supposed to be the eastern boundary of the Indian -Territory.</p> - -<p class='c006'>It was while running this line, the incident occurred -which gave rise to the preparation of the accounts of the -campaign and Battle of King’s Mountain by Colonel -<a id='Page_47'></a>Vance and Robert Henry, Esquire, (the latter being one -of the surveyors appointed by the commissioners) known -as the “Vance-Henry Narrative.”</p> - -<p class='c006'>He survived until the early part of the year 1813, when, -having faithfully and honorably accepted and discharged -the duties which the conditions of his life demanded; -having justly acquired the love and veneration of his fellow-citizens; -having lived long enough to see the great -principles for which he had fought securely established -and his countrymen marching onward toward a glorious -and happy future, he peacefully died, leaving behind him -the record of a life worthy of the emulation of all men -and one which his descendants may proudly contemplate -and fondly cherish.</p> - -<p class='c006'>He was buried on a beautiful knoll a short distance -north of his residence, a spot selected by himself as a -last resting-place, and which, it is said, he often spoke of -as “a beautiful place from which to arise on the Resurrection -Morn.”</p> - -<p class='c006'>He left surviving him, his wife, three sons, Samuel, David -and Robert Brank, and five daughters, Jean, who -married Hugh Davidson; Elizabeth, who married Mitchell -Davidson and after his death Samuel W. Davidson; Sarah, -who married —— McLean; Priscilla who married -—— Whitson, and Celia, who married Benjamin S. Brittain. -Samuel and Jean, Sarah and Priscilla, with their -husbands, about the beginning of this century, removed -to and settled upon the lands in Tennessee on the Duck -river, which their father had provided for them. They -numerous children, some of whom, together with many -of their children, still reside in the vicinity. The late Judge -Hugh Law Davidson and his brother Robert B. Davidson, -who is still living, a highly esteemed citizen and a member -of the Bar at Shelbyville, Tennessee, were the sons of -Jean.</p> - -<p class='c006'><a id='Page_48'></a>David lived and died in the county of Buncombe. He -was the father of Hon. Zebulon B. Vance and Gen. Robert -B. Vance.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Elizabeth and her husband settled on Jonathans creek -in Haywood county, where they reared a large family. -Hon. Allen T. Davidson, now living in Asheville, is one of -their sons.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Robert Brank, never married, suffering from a physical -infirmity which forbade a more active life, was carefully -educated and became a physician, though he never practiced -his profession. He resided in Asheville. While -still quite young, he entered public life and was elected -to Congress, succeeding Felix Walker, the first representative -from the Transmontane District. At the next -election he was defeated by Hon. Samuel Carson, and in -November following was killed in a duel with that gentleman—the -unhappy event being the result of their -canvas.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Celia, the youngest child, with her husband, located in -that part of the county of Haywood subsequently included -in Macon county; but soon afterwards upon the organization -of Cherokee county removed to Murphy, where -she died in 1876, leaving a number of children and grand-children, -many of whom reside in that vicinity, useful and -respected citizens.</p> - -<p class='c006'>Although the condition of the country denied to Colonel -Vance the opportunities for collegiate training, he -seems to have had a taste for books. At the time of his -death he had accumulated a respectable library for that -period. He was careful that his children should enjoy all -the educational advantages which were accessible to -them.</p> - -<p class='c006'>He was distinguished among his contemporaries for his -soundness of judgment, integrity of conduct, firmness of -purpose and public spirit.</p> - -<p class='c006'><a id='Page_49'></a>He accumulated a handsome estate for those times, -which he disposed of by will prepared by himself. It is -an exceedingly interesting document, and perhaps no -better index to his character now remains to us or a more -fitting close of this imperfect sketch can be made than -that contained in the following extracts from it:</p> - -<p class='c006'>“I hope I may be excused for expatiating in divers -parts of this last solemn act upon subjects that require -clearness and plainness, for I have heard of so many instances -of confusion and disagreement in families, and so -much doubt and difficulty for want of absolute clearness -in the testaments of departed persons, that I have often -concluded (were there no other reasons but those which -respect the peace of surviving friends) that the last act -as to its designation and operation, ought not to be the -last in its composition or making; but should be the result -of cool deliberation; and (as is more frequently than -justly said) of a sound mind and memory, which are seldom -to be met with, but with sound health. All pretenses -of insanity of mind are likewise prevented when a testator -is pointed and clear in what he wills; all cavils about -words are obviated; the obliged are assured, and they enjoy -the benefit, for whom the benefit was intended.</p> - -<p class='c006'>“I, David Vance, of the county of Buncombe, in the -State of North Carolina, being of sound and perfect -mind and memory, as I hope these presents, drawn up -by myself and written with my own hand, will testify,” -&c.</p> - -<p class='c006'>In disposing of some old slaves, he directs:</p> - -<p class='c006'>“It is my will and desire that they have full liberty, -and I do by these presents give them full liberty, to go -and live with any of my children where their own children -live, not as slaves, but as old acquaintances, who -labored and spent their strength to raise my said children -and their own also. I enjoin it upon my children -<a id='Page_50'></a>who may have the children of said black old people not -to confine them, but to let them go awhile to one, and -awhile to another, where their children may be; and I -enjoin it upon my children to see that the evenings of -the lives of those black people slide down as comfortable -as may be. **** And I charge and adjure my -negroes, old and young, as they will answer to God, to -be obedient and obliging to their mistress and not vex or -contrary her in old age. ****</p> - -<p class='c006'>“And now, having disposed of and settled all my worldly -business and concerns, do I with a lively faith, humbly -lay hold of the meritorious death and sufferings of Christ -Jesus and hope and trust thro’ His atonement to triumph -in redeeming love, the ceaseless age of eternity.”</p> - -<div class='figcenter id002'> -<img src='images/colophon.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -</div> -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> -<p class='c017'><span class='large'>TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE</span></p> - -<p class='c018'>Punctuation has been normalized.</p> - -<p class='c015'>Variations in hyphenation have been retained as they -were in the original publication.</p> - -<p class='c015'>Footnotes have been renumbered and relocated -at the end of each chapter.</p> - -<p class='c015'>The following typographical errors have been fixed:</p> - -<table class='table0' summary=''> -<colgroup> -<col width='13%' /> -<col width='43%' /> -<col width='43%' /> -</colgroup> - <tr> - <td class='c019'>Page</td> - <td class='c020'>Original</td> - <td class='c021'>As Corrected</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c019'>9</td> - <td class='c020'>Tuckoseage</td> - <td class='c021'>Tuckaseage</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c019'>10</td> - <td class='c020'>to to hasten</td> - <td class='c021'>to hasten</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c019'>11</td> - <td class='c020'>staightened</td> - <td class='c021'>straightened</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c019'>11</td> - <td class='c020'>by the the time</td> - <td class='c021'>by the time</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c019'>15</td> - <td class='c020'>firece</td> - <td class='c021'>fierce</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c019'>20</td> - <td class='c020'>Monntain</td> - <td class='c021'>Mountain</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c019'>21</td> - <td class='c020'>Willams</td> - <td class='c021'>Williams</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c019'>22</td> - <td class='c020'>occassionally</td> - <td class='c021'>occasionally</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c019'>25</td> - <td class='c020'>Carolna</td> - <td class='c021'>Carolina</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c019'>26</td> - <td class='c020'>minntes</td> - <td class='c021'>minutes</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c019'>26</td> - <td class='c020'>continously</td> - <td class='c021'>continuously</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c019'>28</td> - <td class='c020'>pealings</td> - <td class='c021'>peelings</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c019'>28, 29,</td> - <td class='c020'>Thermopyle</td> - <td class='c021'>Thermopylae</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c019'>28</td> - <td class='c020'>Geat</td> - <td class='c021'>Great</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c019'>30</td> - <td class='c020'>ammuition</td> - <td class='c021'>ammunition</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c019'>30</td> - <td class='c020'>emmisaries</td> - <td class='c021'>emissaries</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c019'>33</td> - <td class='c020'>fiill</td> - <td class='c021'>fill</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c019'>34</td> - <td class='c020'>Willam</td> - <td class='c021'>William</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c019'>41</td> - <td class='c020'>establishmant</td> - <td class='c021'>establishment</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c019'>43</td> - <td class='c020'>batallion</td> - <td class='c021'>battalion</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c019'>46, 47,</td> - <td class='c020'>Tennesse</td> - <td class='c021'>Tennessee</td> - </tr> -</table> - -<p class='c015'>Variant spellings of the names -Beatty and Beattie have been maintained.</p> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Narrative of the Battle of Cowan's -Ford, February 1st, 1781, by Robert Henry - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BATTLE OF COWAN'S FORD, 1781 *** - -***** This file should be named 50137-h.htm or 50137-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/0/1/3/50137/ - -Produced by readbueno and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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