Battle of Kings Mountain, SC

Turning point of the Revolutionary War

In late September, 1780, the Overmountain Men mustered at Fort Watauga for their march to Kings Mountain, SC, to give battle to Colonel Ferguson, who had threatened to march over the mountains and lay waste to their land with "fire and sword". Ferguson was killed and most of his army captured. This battle was the turning point of the Revolutionary War in the south. It saved the Patriot cause, which had suffered so many military defeats in this region and set off the events that led to the surrender of Cornwallis's Army at Yorktown the next year.

THE BATTLE OF KING'S MOUNTAIN

During the year 1780, our Isbells fought in the Battle of King's Mountain. Zachary Isbell (from Virginia) was an early Watuga settler along with Daniel Boone and other lsbells in northeast Tennessee. These mountain men came from North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. There were 1,900 men. They came from all directions to meet at Sycamore Shoals. One of the leaders was William Campbell, a brother-in-law to Patrick Henry.

From Washington county, Virginia, under Col. W. Campbell 400

From Sullivan county, North Carolina, under Col. Isaac Shelby 240

From Washington, North Carolina, under Col. John Sevier 240

From Burke and Rutherford counties, N. C., under Col. Charles McDowell 160

From Wilks and Surry counties, North Carolina,
under Col. Benj. Cleveland and Major James Winston 350

James, Francis, Livingston, Thomas and William were Isbell brothers and sons of our James B. Isbelle who were said to have been in the same company at King's Mountain. Zachary Isbell (son of our Henry Isbell), an early Watuga settler was also in the battle. He was one of thirteen commissioners elected by the convention of 1772 to formulate laws.
These rugged individualists who settled this area believed in the Bible, their gun and themselves.
In "Tennessee Cousins," by Worth S. Ray, the following is written: 'They were mountain men, fighting on a mountain. They were woodsmen, engaging in a wooded area. They were unregimented individualists, meeting in man-to-man combat."
Battle of King's Mountain was perhaps, the most important battle in the Revolutionary War. This battle was won by the cunning back-country "hillbillies" (volunteer army) who fought against the English Redcoats. These Redcoats didn't know about back-country fighting. Because of this victory the Americans were given a new pride and enthusiasm towards their cause and the result came as the winning of the Revolutionary War.
American history has no other instance of a thousand frontiersmen coming together of their own free will to be a volunteer army. Their only equipment their rifles, their own horses, and a pocketful of parched corn for each. These men did not know professional warfare, but they knew how to keep tories and Indians from their settlement.
England's sharpshooter colonel sent word to the settlers that they had to join him and the king or be hanged. The brave men decided to take care of this colonel, Patrick Ferguson, who had chased the Americans in the South to the Blue Ridge and sent the insolent letter which caused his ruin.
During thirty-six hours the riflemen from North Carolina, South Carolina and Washington County, Virginia, never alighted but once and then at Cowpens. They had little to eat but parched corn. A persistent rain made them wrap their guns and ammunition in sacks, blankets, and even their hunting shirts. It was necessary to keep their powder dry, even though their bodies were drenched by the cold downpour. When they did catch up with Colonel Ferguson, they went into the fight with neither rest nor refreshment.
The battle lasted only an hour. The haughty Freguson was slain and his army wiped out of existence. This happened on October 7, 1780 and became the turning point of the American Revolution. These volunteers took Ferguson's horse, and "dogged" Cornwallis, cutting off his foraging parties.
Cornwallis had led a British invasion of North Carolina with a Loyalty force of about 1,100 led by this same Major Patrick Ferguson. They were caught atop King's Mountain on the border between the Carolinas by a 900-man force of American frontiersmen. Can't you just picture these "hillbillies" hiding under the bush, letting the Redcoats climb the steep mountain, just waiting patiently until they got to the top? Their marksmanship prevailed over the bayonet charges. The Americans lost 28, with only 62 wounded in killing or capturing the entire enemy force. Cornwallis retreated back into winter quarters.

The Battle of Kings Mountain
by General Joseph Graham
Published in The Southern Literary Messenger, September 30, 1845.

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Disclaimer: The purpose of this Web Page is to share information for the purpose of research. I have not proved documentation of all genealogy material, nor have I kept source notes as I should. But I had lots of fun and met some great people along the way..
If you find any mistakes please contact the Web Page creator, Trisha Carden , and I shall try to correct them.

From Washington county, Virginia, under Col. W. Campbell	400
From Sullivan county, North Carolina, under Col. Isaac Shelby	240
From Washington, North Carolina, under Col. John Sevier	240
From Burke and Rutherford counties, N. C., under Col. Charles McDowell	160
From Wilks and Surry counties, North Carolina, under Col. Benj. Cleveland and Major James Winston	350