viting the friends of the British government to CHAP. VIL, take up arms, and to seize the most violent of 1780. their enemies, as well as the magazines and stores which might have been collected for the use of the Americans. These emissaries also carried with them assurances, that the British army would, without loss of time, march to their support. Mean-while, the utmost exertions were continued to embody the people of the country as a British militia; and major Ferguson, a partisan of distinguished merit, was employed in the district of Ninety-six, to train the most loyal inhabitants, and to attach them to his own corps, from which important services were expected. To keep up the spirits of the royalists in the back parts of North Carolina, and to embody them for co-operation with his army, lord Cornwallis directed major Ferguson to enter the western part of that state near the mountains. He was ordered to hazard nothing, but immediately to inform his lordship if an enemy from whom any apprehension could be entertained, should approach him.

The route marked out for the main army was from Camden, through the settlement of the Waxhaws, to Charlottetown in North Carolina. The legion of Tarlton was to keep open the communication between Ferguson and lord Cornwallis; and between the tory settlements

CHAP. VII. On Cross creek, and in what had been denomi 1780. nated Tryon county.

September.

Lord Cornwallis moved from Camden on the eighth of September. He reached Charlotte late in that month, and took possession of it after a slight resistance.* At that place he designed to establish a post in order to keep up his communication with Camden, and there too, he expected to be rejoined by Ferguson.

In attempting to reach that place, Ferguson was arrested by an event, alike unlooked for and important.

Among the inhabitants who abandoned their homes when the British took possession of the two southern states, was a colonel Clarke of Georgia.

This gentleman had formed a plan for the reduction of Augusta, which was only defended by a few provincials under the command of colonel Brown. About the time lord Cornwallis commenced his march from Camden to Charlotte, Clarke advanced against Augusta, at the head of a small body of men, whom he had collected in the frontiers of North and South Carolina, and laid siege to that place. Brown made a vigorous defence; and the ap

General Davidson commanded the North Carolina militia and occasionally harassed the British army in its route. The resistance in Charlotte was made by colonel Davie at the head of some volunteer militia cavalry.

c Stedman.

proach of colonel Cruger with a re-enforcement CHAP. VII, from Ninety-six, compelled Clarke to relin- 1780. quish the enterprise, and to save himself by a rapid retreat through the country, along which he had marched to the attack. It was supposed that he would find much difficulty in effecting his escape; and as the position of Ferguson was well calculated to favour the designs against him, intelligence of the transactions at Augusta was immediately given to that officer. It appearing impossible that any enemy could be near him, Ferguson readily adopted the proposition for intercepting Clarke. For that purpose he moved somewhat nearer the mountains, and remained longer in that country, than had been originally intended. This delay proved fatal to him. It gave an opportunity to several corps voluntarily formed in different parts of the country, with various objects and under various leaders, to assemble together and thus to constitute a force too formidable to be resisted. The hardy mountaineers inhabiting the extreme western parts of Virginia, and of North Carolina, assembled on horseback with their rifles, under colonels Campbell, Cleveland, Shelby, and Sevier; and moved with their accustomed velocity towards Ferguson. At the same time, colonel Williams, a distinguished militia partisan from the neighbourhood of Ninety-six, and colonels Tracey and Branan also of South Carolina,

1780.

CHAP. VII. conducted their several parties towards the same points. Ferguson had notice of their approach, and immediately commenced his march for Charlotte, dispatching, at the same time, different messengers to lord Cornwallis with information of his danger. These messengers were intercepted on their way, so that no movement was made to favour his retreat.

October 7.

These several corps of American militia, amounting to near three thousand men, met at Gilbert-town, the place lately occupied by Ferguson. About one thousand six hundred choice riflemen were immediately selected, and mounted on their best horses, for the purpose of following the retreating army. The pursuit was too rapid to render an escape practicable. Finding that he must inevitably be overtaken, Ferguson chose his ground, and waited for the attack on King's mountain.

The Americans came up and immediately forming themselves into three divisions, led by Campbell, Shelby, and Cleveland, began to ascend the mountain in three different and opposite directions. Colonel Cleveland first reached the enemy, and immediately com menced the action. An impetuous charge was made on him with the bayonet, and his regiment gave way; but before it could be dispersed, Shelby also came up, and poured in a heavy fire on the British troops. Against him in turn, the bayonet was used with success;

1780.

but before the advantage gained could be CHAP, VII, pressed so far as to be of any material consequence, a new enemy presented himself and called the attention of Ferguson to another quarter. Campbell had now brought up his division, and commenced a dreadful fire from a different part of the hill. Ferguson again used the bayonet with its accustomed success; but both the corps which had before been repulsed, had now returned to the charge, and kept up on all sides, from behind the trees, a very galling fire. The action was continued in this manner, with great spirit, for near an hour. Wherever the bayonet was applied, the assailants necessarily gave way; but the attack was at the same time pressed from other quarters. In this critical state of things, major Defeat of Ferguson received a mortal wound and instantly expired. The courage of his party fell with him. The second in command was unable to maintain the conflict, and quarter was immediately demanded.

In this sharp action, one hundred and fifty of Ferguson's party were killed on the spot, and about the same number were wounded; eight hundred and ten, of whom one hundred were British troops, surrendered themselves prisoners; and one thousand five hundred stand of excellent arms were taken.

The loss on the part of the Americans was inconsiderable. The nature of the action often

Ferguson.