The Battle Of King's Mountain
John MullinsThe only known Revolutionary War soldier buried in Dickenson County rests on knoll to left of intersection McClure and Mullins Avenues (State Highway 83) died in 1849 at home of his son John who in 1829 was the first settler on Holly Creek at what is now Clintwood. The Mullinses came from Toe River Mitchell County, N.C. Family tradition has it Great-Grandsir John joined Col. William Campbell's Over Mountain Men as they passed his home and was one of that little band of patriots to turn the tide of battle at Kings Mountain that glorious October day in 1780. Below is a story of the battle.
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On October 7, 1780, in the rolling hills of northern South Carolina, a small
army of men under the command of a British officer, Major Patrick Ferguson, was overtaken
and defeated by a group that had been assembled from the farms and fields of southwest
Virginia, North Carolina and the area that would become Tennessee. The American colonists
had been waging a revolution against the crown of England for four years but victories had
been few and far between. Had the British left well enough alone and let this struggle
grind on a while longer, the colonists might soon have abandoned their dream of an
independent nation. But they wanted to hasten the end of the conflict and decided upon a
strategy that called for bringing the southern colonies under complete submission and
then rapidly pressuring the remnants of the rebel army from all sides. Maj. Ferguson had orders
from Lord Cornwallis to lead his army of British trained Tories in a conquest of the
inhabitants of the western Carolinas. Ferguson sent out the word that he was on his way
and if the settlers wished to save their homes from his torch they would have to pledge
their allegiance to the British crown. Having learned of this threat, the settlers
prepared for action. They mustered their militia units and sent out a call for volunteers.
Then having gathered their little army together and not being content to wait for trouble
to come to them, they set out to look for it, and Ferguson. They caught up with him on
that day in October of 1780. He had positioned his army along the top of a long wooded
hill known as King's Mountain. The colonists surrounded the hill and launched a fearless
attack up the southern slope. Their courage was met by deadly musket volleys and bayonet
charges as they scaled the hillside. But they were able to use the high
ground held by the enemy against them by keeping the Tories in a crossfire and they soon
were swarming over the enemy encampment. Maj. Ferguson was killed along with many of his
troops and the remaining Tories were taken prisoner. It was a total and decisive victory.
The victory at King's Mountain not only put an end to the British conquest of the western
colonies but it breathed new life into the revolution. As people learned of what took
place on that long, wooded hill out on the frontier, they rallied once more around their
leaders and renewed the struggle for independence.
Plaque on the monument at King's Mountain National Battlefield
Photo courtesy of Stephen Short, Great-great-great-great-grandson
of Frederick Fisher
Two of my ancestors were part of that army of citizen soldiers that defeated
the British Tories at King's Mountain. On my father's side of the family was 18 year old
Frederick Fisher. He was part of the Virginia Militia from Washington Co. He was
"severely wounded" at King's Mountain. One account stated that he was shot in
the leg as he was charging the hillside. He was unable to run to escape the bayonet charge
that followed the rifle volley and tried to hide by rolling into a thicket of brush. One
of the charging Tories discovered him and he was stabbed with a bayonet as well as shot in
the leg. These wounds resulted in a state of disability for the remainder of his life and
a pension from the state of Virginia and later the United States.
On my mother's side of the family, there was John Loggins. John had
already served in the Continental Army from Virginia and been wounded at the
battle of the Waxhaws in South Carolina. He had been allowed to return to his home in Halifax Co.
Virginia while his wounds healed. A short time later a call for volunteers was issued and
John found himself marching under the command of a Col. Cleveland. Their objective was to
join forces with other companies and go after Ferguson.
The following is a first hand account of the Battle of King's Mountain written
by Benjamin Sharp, another militiaman from Washington Co. Virginia.
"As well as I can remember, some time in August, in the year 1780, Col. McDowel of
N. Carolina, with three or four hundred men, fled over the mountains to the settlements of
Holstein and Watauga, to evade the pursuit of a British officer by the name of Ferguson,
who had the command of a large detachment of British and Tories. Our militia speedily
embodied, all mounted on horses, the Virginians under the command of Colonel William
Campbell, and the two western counties of North Carolina (now Tennessee) under the
Colonels Isaac Shelby and John Sevier, and as soon as they joined McDowel, he recrossed
the mountains and formed a junction with Colonel Cleveland, with a fine regiment of North
Carolina militia. We were now fifteen or eighteen hundred strong , and considered
ourselves equal in number, or at least a match for the enemy, and eager to bring them to
battle; but Colonel McDowel, who had the command, appeared to think otherwise, for
although Ferguson had retreated on our crossing of the mountains, he kept us marching and
counter-marching for eight days without advancing a step towards our object. At length a
council of the field-officers was convened, and it was said in camp, how true I will not
pretend to say, that he refused in council to proceed without a general officer to command
the army, and to get rid of him, the council deputed him to General Green, at
headquarters, to procure a general. Be this as it may, as soon as the council rose Colonel
McDowel left the camp and we saw no more of him during the expedition.
As soon as he was fairly gone the council reassembled and appointed Colonel
William Campbell our commander, and within one hour we were on our horses and in full
pursuit of the enemy. The British still continued to retreat, and after hard marching for
some time, we found progress much retarded by our footmen and weak horses that were not
able to sustain the heavy duty. It was then resolved to leave the foot and weak horses
under the command of captain William Neil, of Virginia, with instructions to follow as
fast as his detachment could bear. Thus disencumbered we gained fast upon the enemy. I
think on the seventh day of October, in the afternoon, we halted at a place called the Cow
Pens, in South Carolina, fed our horses and ate a hearty meal of such provisions as we had
procured, and by dark mounted our horses, marched all night and crossed the Broad River by
the dawn of the day, and although it rained considerably in the morning, we never halted
to refresh ourselves or our horses. About twelve o'clock it cleared off with a fine cool
breeze. We were joined that day by Colonel Williams, of South Carolina, with several
hundred men who informed us that they were just from the British camp, that they were
posted on the top of King's Mountain, and that there was a picket-guard on the road not
far ahead of us. These men were detained least they should find means to tell the enemy of
our approach, and Colonel Shelby, with a select party undertook to surprise and take the
picket; this he accomplished without firing a gun or giving the least alarm, and it was
hailed by the army as a good omen.
We then moved on and as we approached the mountain the roll of the British
drum informed us that we had something to do. No doubt the British commander thought his
position was a strong one, but the plan of our attack was such as to make it the worst for
him he could have chosen. The end of the mountain to our left descended gradually to a
branch; in front of us the ascent was rather abrupt and to the right was a low gap through
which the low road passed. The different regiments were directed by guides to the ground
they were to occupy, so as to surround the eminence on which the British were encamped;
Campbell's to the right, along the road; Shelby's next to the left of him; Sevier's next,
and so on till last the left of Cleveland's to join the right of Campbell's, on the other
side of the mountain at the road.
Thus the British major found himself attacked on all sides at once, and so
situated as to receive a galling fire from all parts of our lines without doing any injury
to ourselves. From this difficulty he attempted to relieve himself at the point of the
bayonet, but failed in three successive charges. Cleveland, who had the farthest to go,
being bothered in some swampy ground, did not occupy his position in the line until late
in the engagement. A few men, drawn from the right of Campbell's regiment, occupied this
vacancy; this the British commander discovered, and here he made his last powerful effort
to force his way through and make his escape; but at that instant Cleveland's regiment
came up in gallant style; the colonel, himself, came up by the very spot I occupied, at
which time his horse had received two wounds, and he was obliged to dismount. Although fat
and unwieldy, be advanced on foot with signal bravery, but was soon remounted by one of
his officers, who brought him another horse. This threw the British and Tories into
complete disorder, and Ferguson seeing that all was lost, determined not to survive the
disgrace; he broke his sword, and spurred his horse into the thickest of our ranks, and
fell covered with wounds, and shortly after his whole army surrendered with discretion.
The action lasted about one hour, and for most of the time was thick and bloody.
I cannot clearly recollect the statement of our loss, given at the time,
but my impression now is that it was two hundred twenty five killed, and about as many, or
a few more, wounded; the loss of the enemy must have been much greater. The return of the
prisoners taken was eleven hundred and thirty three, about fifteen hundred stand of arms,
several baggage wagons, and all their camp equipage fell into our hands. The battle closed
not far from sundown, so that we had to encamp on the ground with the dead and wounded,
and pass the night among groans and lamentations."
Photo courtesy of Stephen Short, Great-great-great-great-grandson
of Frederick Fisher. Text courtesty of Fisher Family Pages
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