The Battle of Kings Mountain proved to be a turning point in the southern theater of the American Revolutionary War. Not only did this overwhelming patriot victory quell loyalist support in the southern colonies, but it exposed the left flank of British General Lord Charles Cornwallis’ Army and forced him to fall back into South Carolina. Today, Kings Mountain National Military Park preserves the sacred ground where this engagement took place over 240 years ago.
History
In May 1780, British Major Patrick Ferguson (pictured below on the left) was appointed Inspector of Militia and tasked with organizing a force of loyalist militia in the Carolina backcountry. The intent was for Ferguson’s force to protect the left flank of the British Army under Lord Charles Cornwallis (pictured right), which was then stationed near Charlotte, North Carolina.
Up until this point in the war, the southern colonies had been embroiled in what amounted to civil war, as neighbor fought against neighbor (of course, there were particular towns and regions that were strongly patriot or loyalist). Yet by the spring of 1780, the British military had successfully occupied the key port southern cities of Savannah and Charleston. A few months later on August 16th, the southern Continental Army under command of General Horatio Gates suffered a galling defeat at the Battle of Camden. This overwhelming British victory destroyed any organized patriot resistance in the Carolinas; however, pockets of patriot militia, led by fierce veteran backcountry men, remained a threat to British dominance in the region.
Just two days after the Battle of Camden, approximately 200 mounted patriot militiamen under command of Colonels Isaac Shelby, James Williams, and Elijah Clarke, attacked a loyalist camp at Musgroves Mill. The patriots earned a decisive victory, but soon fled the region after learning about the crushing defeat at Camden. Colonel Ferguson and his growing band of loyalist militia and provincial regulars aggressively pursued. Shelby and his over mountain men were able to safely retreat across the Appalachian Mountains to regroup.
By September 10th, Colonel Ferguson and his force established camp at Gilbert Town, North Carolina. With his presence now known, Ferguson hoped to strike fear into the hearts of the overmountain men, their families, and any reluctant patriots in the region. In a now-famous proclamation, Ferguson threatened “If you do not desist your opposition to the British Arms, I shall march this army over the mountains, hang your leaders, and lay waste your country with fire and sword.” Instead of terrifying the “over mountain” folk, they became incensed and vowed to fight.
In late September, Isaac Shelby’s men were joined by John Sevier (pictured above on the right- Isaac Shelby is on the left) and other militiamen at Sycamore Shoals, located near modern-day Elizabethton, Tennessee. Over the coming days, Virginia men arrived with their commander, William Campbell, along with additional militiamen with leaders Joseph & Charles McDowell. These men set out and on September 30th, arrived at Quaker Meadows in Burke County, North Carolina. Here they were met by Benjamin Cleveland and 350 of his men. This swelled the patriot ranks to approximately 1,400 men, who set out for South Mountain in pursuit of Major Patrick Ferguson and his loyalist troops.
Two patriot deserters informed Ferguson of the militiamen’s approach. After an unexplained three day delay, Ferguson decided to maneuver his force east towards the safety of British-held Charlotte. Additionally, he sent a letter to General Cornwallis requesting reinforcements; however, this letter would not arrive in time.
On October 6th, the patriot force arrived at the Cowpens. Local spies alerted the patriots that Ferguson had around 1,200 men, who made camp atop Kings Mountain near the South/North Carolina border. At this point, the five patriot leaders (Campbell, Sevier, Cleveland, McDowell, and Shelby) decided to organize a force of 900 men on horseback to rapidly maneuver towards Kings Mountain and attack Ferguson’s camp before they could get away. Throughout the rainy night of October 6th and the morning of October 7th, these 900 men aggressively pressed forward and arrived at Kings Mountain in the early afternoon of the 7th. Immediately they surrounded Ferguson’s camp and in eight detachments of 100-200 men, they began to ascend the steep slopes and took Ferguson and his loyalist troops completely by surprise.
When the shooting began, each patriot detachment fought on its own- the only coordination was the agreement to surround and attack the enemy. Utilizing natural barriers such as rocks and trees, the patriots steadily fired upon the camp and moved up the slopes. Although three bayonet charges were carried out by Ferguson and his men, they proved to only be temporary gains (though patriot Colonel Williams was killed during one of the charges).
After one hour of fighting, patriot forces managed to gain a foothold atop the hill and get behind the loyalists. This enabled the patriots to drive the enemy back into their camp, which forced many to surrender (it is said Major Ferguson struck down any white flag he saw with his sword). Despite Ferguson’s unwillingness to surrender, the patriot firepower overwhelmed the loyalists and Ferguson was shot off his saddle and hung perilously from his horse. When Ferguson was approached by a patriot officer, who demanded his surrender, Ferguson shot and killed the man. Militiamen immediately fired upon and killed Ferguson, whose body was later found to have seven bullet wounds.
In the wake of Ferguson’s death, most of the loyalists attempted to surrender; however, the fight continued as some patriots desired to give no quarter. Colonels Sevier and Campbell were finally able to gain control of their men and the shooting ceased. In the end, 290 loyalists were killed, 163 wounded, and 668 were taken prisoner. The patriots suffered only 28 killed and 60 wounded.
The Battle of Kings Mountain was an overwhelming patriot victory, which came at a crucial time in the war. American prospects in the southern colonies up to that point was grim; however, this smashing victory infused southern patriots with a renewed sense of strength and hope.
Our Visit & Recommendations
Kings Mountain National Historical Park (2625 Park Road, Blacksburg, SC) is one of the best preserved and most unique Revolutionary War battlefields in the United States. Although we weren’t able to visit in October (the month the battle was fought), we still had a very enjoyable visit in the spring. Even the drive up to the visitor center was incredibly scenic and had a few signs to see along the way (I was sure to pull off the the side of the road for a few pictures!).
As mentioned, there is a National Park Visitor Center with plenty of parking, restrooms, a small museum, and gift shop. The visitor center was unfortunately closed during our visit (thanks a lot, COVID), but we had done some research prior to our visit and had a good understanding of the battlefield and national park. The map below shows the 1.5 mile paved trail that circumnavigates the battlefield and provides a ton of interpretive signs and historical markers to assist visitors in better understanding the battle.
I’ve always wanted to visit the Kings Mountain battlefield. Not just because I love everything about American history (especially about the American Revolution), but because my 4th Great Granduncle, Ralph Griffin, fought in the battle. Ralph was a South Carolina militiaman who served under Edward Lacey during the Battle of Kings Mountain (his brother, my 4th Great Grandfather, served a stint in the Georgia militia). Needless to say, my personal connection to the battle made our visit even more special.
When we set out on the 1.5 mile trail, we were the only ones out there at the time (we had arrived fairly early in the morning). I’ve always appreciated setting out early and having a battlefield to myself, because it allows me to better imagine the action that took place there. At any rate- we set out on the counter-clockwise battlefield trail, excited to explore. The following roughly follows our visit, with some pictures of signs and sites along the way.
There are a number of detailed interpretive signs along the trail, which provide great information about the battle and oftentimes, what happened at the specific location you are standing. Even better, all of these signs were legible and in excellent shape (we’ve visited have many battlefields and historic sites where these signs are faded or in poor shape). If you have the time, I highly recommend reading each of these signs, as they will provide you the best in-depth experience of the battlefield.
There are also a number of monuments throughout the park, which are well marked and easy to explore. One such monument is dedicated to patriot Major William Chronicle, who was killed during the battle (this small stone monument was dedicated in 1930). As you get near the top of the mountain, you will see another stone monument, this one dedicated to the three known African American patriots who fought in the Battle of Kings Mountain. These three men were: Esaias Bowman, John Broddy, and Andrew Ferguson.
At the top of the mountain, you will find the two main battlefield monuments. The first is older and known as the “Centennial Monument,” since it was dedicated on October 7, 1880 (the 100-year anniversary of the Battle of Kings Mountain). This obelisk-like monument, which is made in an Egyptian inspired design, stands at 28-feet tall and is made of marble. On each side is a slab of Vermont marble with an inscription on them. My favorite of the four inscriptions simply reads:
“Here the tide of battle turned in favor of the American Colonies.”
The second monument, which is an 83-foot tall obelisk made of white marble bricks, was dedicated on October 7, 1909. This imposing monument towers above the trees and is a fitting monument to the men who fought and died on that mountain. On each of the four sides is a tablet, which lists the soldiers/units engaged from each side.
As we continued on the trail and began our descent towards the Visitor Center, we came upon a few more smaller monuments and side trails. Perhaps the most interesting monument there is actually a gravesite. The cairn of British Major Patrick Ferguson marks his approximate burial location, although patriots buried him in an unmarked grave after he was shot eight times and killed.
Legacy
In recent years, the Battle of Kings Mountain has gained much attention from American Revolutionary War enthusiasts and historians. This is certainly because the action proved to be a decisive and incredibly important battle in the southern theater of the war. If it weren’t for the brave actions of these farmers, overmountain men, and backcountry folk, then it is quite possible that the British Army would’ve gained much more loyalist support and secured the Carolinas for the crown.