Tara, the way you paint a story. It's like almost being there, fighting uphill towards victory. Americans have always been scrappy and they certainly were Kings of the mountain, that day.
What a feeling of elation that victory must have been.
Thank you Tara for another awesome story of our march to independence and freedom.
There was a great deal of pent up frustration and determination on the part of the Over the Moyntain Boys. The tales of Britsh and Loyalist actions in the southern campaign surely added to the zeal of the patriots to beat them. And so, they did.
“The Over Mountain Boys” and the other Virginia and SC patriots at Kings Mountain were a little fed up. British Colonel Banastre Tarleton had instituted “Tarleton’s Quarter” as it was called by the Patriots. This was the killing of surrendering/surrendered Patriots. So the King’s Mountain actions were just payback in kind. Further Tarleton had put the word out that he would come to their settlements and kill them and burn them out. They did not wait for this and went of the offensive with the other units mentioned and ran into Major Ferguson. Who found that in a woods fight the rifle was king. From my reading a great many of the dead were from head shots. I would also point out that according to R. LaCrosse in “The Frontier Rifleman” in battles where riflemen participated the Patriots won 63% of actions against the British. In actions where all or most of the patriots were riflemen they had a 74% win. This battle and Cowpens (General Daniel Morgan of Morgan’s Riflemen fame) basically assured Greene’s victory in the South. A British officer wrote that Kings Mountain ruined their campaign in the South. Cowpens destroyed “Tarleton’s Legion”. many American commanders, wanting to fight the British fight in the war, disliked the rifle units since almost all were from the frontier areas and were not prone to standing in an open field being showered with musket balls and many were fiercely independent and would call stupidity what it was. This is never popular in the military. But without riflemen and specifically Morgan’s Riflemen at Second Saratoga we could easily have lost the Revolution or it would have taken far longer.
You are correct in every way. My compatriot ancestor was a Sergeant in the VA Militia Rifle company serving under Col. Campbell (my ancestor lived in Bedford County, later named Campbell County) in 1780 and later in 1781 at Guilford Courthouse serving under Col Lynch and eventually marching with Lynch to Yorktown.
Arrogance and pride is the downfall of many people. They only take a person so far before they suffer defeat. British Major Ferguson learned it the hard way. It cost him his life.
One of my favorite stories of the American Revolution! These Over the Mountain Men came from the frontier of Virginia, North Carolina (actually over the mountains into Tennessee), South Carolina and even Georgia. They were so desperate that they ate wild onions when rations ran low! When the British were located a decision was made for those with mounts to press ahead of those on foot so that a significant portion of the militia was left behind to catch up as they could! And those 900 gave the well armed and equipped Redcoats a whipping that destroyed the force as a threat. Few escaped. The remainder did not fare well at the militia’s hand. It was a great day for the American Revolution!
Tara, the way you paint a story. It's like almost being there, fighting uphill towards victory. Americans have always been scrappy and they certainly were Kings of the mountain, that day.
What a feeling of elation that victory must have been.
Thank you Tara for another awesome story of our march to independence and freedom.
There was a great deal of pent up frustration and determination on the part of the Over the Moyntain Boys. The tales of Britsh and Loyalist actions in the southern campaign surely added to the zeal of the patriots to beat them. And so, they did.
“The Over Mountain Boys” and the other Virginia and SC patriots at Kings Mountain were a little fed up. British Colonel Banastre Tarleton had instituted “Tarleton’s Quarter” as it was called by the Patriots. This was the killing of surrendering/surrendered Patriots. So the King’s Mountain actions were just payback in kind. Further Tarleton had put the word out that he would come to their settlements and kill them and burn them out. They did not wait for this and went of the offensive with the other units mentioned and ran into Major Ferguson. Who found that in a woods fight the rifle was king. From my reading a great many of the dead were from head shots. I would also point out that according to R. LaCrosse in “The Frontier Rifleman” in battles where riflemen participated the Patriots won 63% of actions against the British. In actions where all or most of the patriots were riflemen they had a 74% win. This battle and Cowpens (General Daniel Morgan of Morgan’s Riflemen fame) basically assured Greene’s victory in the South. A British officer wrote that Kings Mountain ruined their campaign in the South. Cowpens destroyed “Tarleton’s Legion”. many American commanders, wanting to fight the British fight in the war, disliked the rifle units since almost all were from the frontier areas and were not prone to standing in an open field being showered with musket balls and many were fiercely independent and would call stupidity what it was. This is never popular in the military. But without riflemen and specifically Morgan’s Riflemen at Second Saratoga we could easily have lost the Revolution or it would have taken far longer.
You are correct in every way. My compatriot ancestor was a Sergeant in the VA Militia Rifle company serving under Col. Campbell (my ancestor lived in Bedford County, later named Campbell County) in 1780 and later in 1781 at Guilford Courthouse serving under Col Lynch and eventually marching with Lynch to Yorktown.
Any time people have mocked God throughout history, He always pounds His fist on the Smite Button. Yet people never seem to learn!
Exactly Right ✅️
When your home is threatened, you don't stop simply because the monster who threatened it wants you to. Stop the threat completely!
Absolutely 👍 💯 👍 💯 👍 💯
Even “todays patriots” need an, occasional, Victory, such as early Americans experienced!
(And there were many).
Thank you Tara. Another terrific and detailed account that I really enjoyed reading. Tara you are the best !!!
A great and overlooked battle in that war that I learned about today! It is much appreciated, Tara!
Arrogance and pride is the downfall of many people. They only take a person so far before they suffer defeat. British Major Ferguson learned it the hard way. It cost him his life.
One of my favorite stories of the American Revolution! These Over the Mountain Men came from the frontier of Virginia, North Carolina (actually over the mountains into Tennessee), South Carolina and even Georgia. They were so desperate that they ate wild onions when rations ran low! When the British were located a decision was made for those with mounts to press ahead of those on foot so that a significant portion of the militia was left behind to catch up as they could! And those 900 gave the well armed and equipped Redcoats a whipping that destroyed the force as a threat. Few escaped. The remainder did not fare well at the militia’s hand. It was a great day for the American Revolution!
I live close and spent time in and around Kings Mountain. The friend I have in the area are examples of those who fought this battle.
God bless them all. They helped us get our nation's freedom from Britain.
A Great account of that decisive battle. Thank you Tara! Until now I had little knowledge of that battle.
Thank you, Tara.
👍👍👍