Kings Mountain National Historic Park


Following the American defeats at Charleston, Waxhaws, and Camden South Carolina, the American army regulars were in disarray and retreated north. Cornwallis sent Major Patrick Ferguson to enlist loyalist support to suppress remaining patriot resistance.

Toward this end, Ferguson sent a proclamation to the areas "overmountain" for those settlers to lay down their arms or he would march his army west and "lay waste the countryside with fire and sword". (Bad idea)

Just how bad Ferguson would learn.

These independent "overmountain" men took objection to these demands and decided not to wait for Ferguson to come to them. They would go to him. Starting at Sycamore Shoals, Virginia, a group of these backwoodsmen started for South Carolina. Over the mountains they rode or walked with followers in tow with William Campbell nominally in command. Their numbers grew and after stopping in Cowpens overnight, they learned of Ferguson's location at King's Mountain.

Early on the morning of October 7, 1780, the mountainmen took on Ferguson (a British regular) and American loyalist soldiers entrenched on King's Mountain. They were picked off by sharpshooters and eventually were defeated after a charge straight up the mountain.

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The American patriots started here at the bottom of the mountain, a heavily wooded area.

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Their route--straight up the mountain, all four sides, leaving no escape.

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They went from tree to tree, picking off the American loyalists as they went.

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The British position, a clearing at the top of the mountain. It was a good lookout, if you were looking for a large army. Not so good if you are being attacked by a group of mountain men with a grudge.

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Ferguson's grave

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DAR Marker at the top of the mountain.

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The fighting at the top was fierce--at first, with no quarter given by the Americans in retaliation for Tarleton's treatment of the patriots at Camden. Eventually the entire British army was captured or killed.

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For more information, check out the National Parks Service Official Website for Kings Mountain or Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail.

Also, The History Channel has an excellent program on this campaign "Frontier: The Decisive Battles. Battle for King's Mountain."

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