Pag* 2 ICINGS MOUNTAIN HERALD-Tuatday. Octobar 28. 1980
V
■4 *• i
PUBLISHED EACH TUESDAY AND THURSDAY
GARLAND ATKINS GARY STEWART LIB STEWART
Publisher Co-Editor Co-Editor
MEMBER OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS ASSOCIATION
Tho Herald Is published by Herald Publishing House. P.O. Box 752, Kings Moun
tain. N.C. 28086. Business and editorial ofilces are located at Conterbury Road-
East King Street. Phone 739-7496. Second class postage paid at Kings Mountain.
N.C. Single copy 20 cents. Subscription rates: $12.48 yearly In state. $6.24 six mon
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$8.50. USPS 931-040.
Tribute to the OMMen
Reader Dialogue
Thanks to Moss,Broyhill
Dear Sir:
We members of Overmoumain ..Vieiot^ Trail
Assoeiaiion recently joined with other groups to
celebrate the Bicentennial of the Battle of Kings
Mountain. The marchers came from many states
and walked through rain and chilly days to get ip
Kings Mountain. Credit for the great success of the
Bicentennial and the naming of the trail “National
Historic Trail” goes to two people.
First, Mayor John Henry Mass, General Chair,
man worked with many groups, the National Park
Service, and State of North Carolina, Overmoun
tain Victory Trail Assoc, and others and did a
masterful job overseeing this tremendous effort.
Second, Congressman Jim Broyhill deserves most
of the credit for getting the trail designated a na
tional historic trail, the first fn the southeast. I’ve
never met Congressman Broyhill but I surely wish
he was my Congressman. ■ ’
Yours very truly,
JOHN H. PITTS ..
Atlanta, Ga.
Good job
To The tditor:
As a citizen of Kings Mountain I would like to
say that I am not only speaking foi just myself, but
quite a few others, when I say that it is alxrut time
we let our Police Department know that we would
like to say thank you for a job well done by each of
ficer involved, and I agree with others that the city
administration should hold a meeting and re
evaluate the very low pay scale that they have for
officers.
It stands to reason if you pay more you get more.
I for one would not risk my life for notbing.
WAYNh WORCtSTbR,
t 19 Ghettnut , Kings Moun{aiit "
4*. .wnfcn ' S m
Celebration a joy
Dear Sir:
Recently 1 had the opportunity to (tarticipate in
the outdoor drama “Then Conquer We Must” in
celebration of the bicentennial of the battle of Kings
Mountain.
1 met and got to know a lot of mighty fine folks
from Kings Mountain. And it was a joy to witness
the people of your area joining together in celebra
tion of this great historical event.
1 was impressed with the multitude of events the
people of Kings Mountain planned and carried out
in a most successful manner.
1 have always had a great respect for your town
and the way your citizens always get the job done.
My respect has been renewed!
And to the good folk of Kings Mountain I ex
press my appreciation for allowing me and others to
share with you the fellowship and associations sur
rounding the recent celebration.
Sincerely,
JOHN (Lord Cornwallis) BROCK
Drawer 1029, Shelby, N.C. 28150
Good paper
Poets
Corner
Dear Sir:
Congratulations to you and your staff on
outstanding Bicentennial Issue. The research, pic
tures and writing were great. In fact I brought
several copies back across the mountains to be plac
ed in appropriate places.
The City of Kings Mountain and Mr. John
Henry Moss did an exemplary job in planning and
■... ..A^ecutiexi oCfestivUies. First was the ceremonies for
jt^Si^he bbS. Poiial91'ard Firs^D■y of Issue, next was
the most delightful and entertaining parade and
then the program at the Kings Mountain Bat
tlefield.
It was a beautiful day and a great program.
Sincerely,
FRANK TANNEWITZ
Johnson City, Tenn.
WhaCs your opinion
Something bothering you? Get It oil your
chest. Feel good about something? Share it.
We want to hear from you. Address your let
ters to the editors to Reader Dialogue. P.O.
Box 752, Kings Mountoin, N.C. 28086. Unsign
ed letters will not be published.
BATTLE OF KINGS MOUNTAIN
Two hundred years ago,
our country belonged to En^and.
England made our forefaihers pay taxes.
On July 4, 1776, our leaders declared
that we were a free nation.
The Revolutionary War began.
On October 7, 1780
General Ferguson’s.“Redcoats” were
camping on top of Kings' Mountain.
Mountain men from all around
Surrounded ihc pinnucic.
When a musket was fired, the attack began ...
Rushing and shouting they took deadly aim ...
l.ess than an hour later, the guns were silent.
It was a great victory for our country.
Today, we have a free and wonderful nation.
WmI School 4th Gradsrs
Trina Andsrson, KsUy Bms, Ronnie Carroll.
Tony Day, Jeremy Evans. Tommy Henschel,
Todd Jcrycox, Andrea Mayhew,
Eliiobeth Phillips. Shermetio Watkins
THERE IS GOLD IN A DAY
Touches of gold that take held and mold
moments into lasting pleasure.
Touches of sunshine where flowers entwine
for this worth there is no measure.
Touches of nature that touch so gently
the flutter of a butterfly’s wing.
A day when the morning is brightly dawning
A bluebird awakens- to sing.
The touch of a life that shines our path
bringing joy untold.
Banishes the gray from out of a day
and adds bright touches of gold.
There’s gold in a day in bright array
if we only have eyes to sec.
Where to sift through the sand and held in the hand
Pure gold without a fee.
Touches of gold that grasp and-^<^d
the heart in grateful praise.
When we look to God who is giver of all
and receptive to His caring ways.
Vivian S. BlltcIlH*
Lib
Stewart
DST is cause
of all our
present trouble
If you felt better Sunday morning than you did
Saturday, the reason is simple.
You got back the hour they stole from you in the
spring, when your clock sprang forward in defiance
of the natural order of things. It was not the earth
that suddenly jerked forward but you and your
digital watch.
The Wilmington Sunday Star-News in a tongue-
in-cheek editorial commented on this matter in a
Sunday edition.
“We have all been out of it ever since. If this so
called Daylight Savings Time is not a Communist
plot, it is only because the Reds weren’t smart
enough to think of it.
“It is rarely noted fact that since DST was in
vented, and forced upon an unsuspecting nation,
things have gone wrong. Since Daylight Savings
Time when have you seen a decent nickel cigar, a
good presidential candidate, a mechanic who can fix
your car? When have you seen a television commer-
I cial without a commercial for psoriasis cream?
il “Returning to Real Time until the spring will not
give the universe enough time to correct the damage
done by the last assault of chrono madness, but at
least it will give us all a few moment’s breathing
space.”
Vcond of ihicc ixirts.
(An oppralaol mad* by
Sam ). Ervlzi, Jr., oi Morgem-
ton. N.C.. In honor oi tho**
who r*-*nact annually a» a
patriotic obllgotlon th* ov*r-
th*-mountaln march oi th*
h*ro** oi King's Mountoin
irom Sycomor* Shoals to th*
King's Mountain battl*il*ld.)
After dispatching Ferguson to
western South Carolina, Corn
wallis marched from Camden to
Charlotte, where he arrived
September 26, 1780. While en
route, he was constantly harass
ed by small bands of South
Carolina partisans and North
Carolina Whigs, and was
reputed to have exclaimed that
he had run into a hornet’s nest.
Ferguson was highly suc
cessful in organizing the western
Tories. With the aid of British
Lieutenant Colonel Nisbet
Balfour, who was stationed at
Ninety-Six, S.C., he formed
about 4,000 of them into seven
regiments.
His success contributed to his
ultimate undoing. For several
years theseTories ■ • had ' bren
deterred from mibstiK action'^by
fear of reprisals at the hands of
the Whigs. Ferguson’s activates
in organizing them emboldened
them to throw off restraints and
to plunder and burn the homes
of Whigs. As a consequence,
much civil strife ensued among
the Tories and Whigs of the
area, and the determination of
the western Whigs to resist
Ferguson became implacable.
With the consent of Corn
wallis, Ferguson decided to in
vade North Carolina. He sent
couriers ahead during messages
to the inhabitants of Rutherford,
Tryon, and Burke Counties and
to the people dwelling beyond
the Blue Ridge on the Holston,
the Nolachucky, and Watauga
Rivers in what is now east Ten
nessee.
These messages urged that all
revolt against the King in these
areas cease, pledged to the peo
ple who submitted to the King’s
rule British protection against
the Whigs, and declared that if
the people of these areas per
sisted in revolt against the’King
Fetg.u^pn ,iyoul4 |ay j^aste tl^ir
country with fire and sword.
On September 7, 1780,
Ferguson crossed the North
Carolina border with about 50 of
his American Volunteers and
300 southern militia and march
ed to Gilbert Town in Ruther
ford County. During subsequent
days he extended his invasion of
North Carolina to Tryon and
Burke Counties, and remained in
North Carolina during the re
mainder of September, seeking
to enlist the aid of the Tories, to
persuade the Whigs to submit to
the King’s rule, and to subdue
any Whigs who refused to do so.
He. increased the resentment
of the western Whigs by con
fiscating their horses for British
use and by appropriating their
cattle, swine, poultry, and crops
for the sustenance of his forces.
The Tories hastened to assure
Ferguson of their allegiance to
the King. A few'wealthy men Of
Whig sympathies pretended to
submit to the King’s rule to
secure British protection for
themselves and their possessions.
The majority of the people,
however, revealed to Ferguson
their abiding determination to
support the cause of in
dependence against all hazards.
The courage apd ^at^acity of
the Whig woihen'folk equaled
that of the men.
The truth of this observation
was revealed by three Burke
County women: Mrs. Thomas
Lytle, wife of a Captain of Whig
militia; Grace Greenlee
Bowman, widow of Sheriff John
Bowman, a deceased Captain of
Whig militia; and Mrs. Thomas
Hemphill, the wife of a Captain
of Whig militia.
Ferguson visited the Lytle
home and sought to persuade
Mrs. Lytle to induce her absent
husband to desert the Whigs and
take British protection. Mrs. Ly
tle refused to do so. Ferguson
told her that “the rebellion” had
had its day and is now vinually
“put down" and warned her that
if her husband persisted in the
rebellion and came to harm his
blood would be “upon his own
head”, Mrs. Lytle calmly replied:
“I don’t know how this war will
end, but I do know rqy husbiihd
will never prove a traitor loTlis
country.”'
Oh 'refeeipt of news in June,
1780, that her husband had been
mortally wounded in the Battle
of Ramseur’s Mill, Grace
Greenlee Bowman carried their
two year old daughter on
horseback 40 miles to him, nurs
ed him during his dying hours,
and saw that his remains were
decently buried.
When Ferguson invaded
Burke County, the widowed
Grace Greenlee Bowman ap
prehended one of his officers tak
ing her horse from her stable.
When she objected, the officer
stated: “Madam, the King hath
need of your horse.” Mrs.
Bowman stepped into her home,
returned with her late husband's
loaded rifle, aimed it at the of
ficer’s head, and ordered him to
pul the horse back in the stable.
The officer replied, “Madam, the
King hath no further need of
your horse," and returned the
horse to the stable. The widow
afterwards contracted a second
marriage with General Charles
McDowell.
A foraging party of
Ferguson’s men seized the entire
flock of the Hemphill sheep, car
ried them to his camp, and put
them in an enclosure guarded by
a soldier ignorant of the vagaries
of sheep. Mrs. Hemphill
mounted her horse and rode
directly to Ferguson’s head
quarters. This colloquy ensued
between her and Ferguson:
She said: “Your men have
taken all my sheep. Winter is
coming. I have no means of
clothing my little children except
from the wool of my sheep.’*
Ferguson asked: “Where is
your huband?”
Mrs. Hemphill answered: “1
will not tell you a lie. Sir. He is
out with the Whigs.”
Ferguson responded:
“Madam, your husband is engag
ed in a rebellion against his
lawful King, with others that are
at war with me; but I am not
here to oppress women and
children. My soldiers must be
fed, but you may have half of
the sheep."
Mrs. Hemphill inquired; “May
I choose my half?"
Ferguson answered in the af
firmative and sent her to the
guard with an orderly, who told
the guard that the commander
had instructed that he return to
her the half of the sheep chosen
by her.
Mrs. Hemphill first chose the'
old bellwether ram, who had led
the flock for years. To the
frustration of the guard, the
whole flock jumped out of the
enclosure and followed their fly
ing leader home.
Pending the assembling of
enough Whigs to offer Ferguson
adequate resistance, many
Whigs hid themselves and their
horses and cattle from the forces
of Ferguson to escape discovery.
While he remained in Ruther
ford, Tryon, and Burke, trouble
was brewing for Ferguson
beyond the Blue Ridge.
Acting with the approval of
Colonel Charles McDowell, of
Burke County, N.C., Colonel
Benjamin Cleveland, of Wilkes
County, N.C., and Colonel
William Campbell, of
Washington County, Va., Col
onel John Sevier and Colonel
Isaac Shelby, who resided in the
over-the-mountain country,
scheduled a rendezuous for the
Whigs at Sycamore Shoals on
the Watauga for September 25,
1780, to plan action against
Ferguson.
Sevier and Shelby knew that
the Whigs would provide their
own horses, long rifles, hunting
knives, blankets, and other per
sonal equipment for the execu
tion of any plan adopted, and
serve without pay. They knew,
however, that money would be
required to finance the expenses
incident to any expedition over
the Blue Ridge, and persuaded
John Adair, the patriotic entry
taker of Sullivan County, to ad
vance to them for this purpose
$12,735 he had collected from
land sales and had been unable
to remit to the North Carolina
Treasurer because of the unsettl
ed state of the country. Adair
made the advancement to Sevier
and Shelby for this patriotic pur
pose upon their personal
assurances that they would
replace the money in case North
Carolina so demanded.
On September 25, 1780, the
following Whig contingents met
at Sycamore Shoals on the
Watauga: 240 “over-the-
mountain” men under Colonal
John Sevier; another 240 “over-
the-mountain" men under Col
onel Isaac Shelby; 400 Virgi
nians under Colonel William
Campbell, of Washington Coun
ty; and 160 North Carolinians
under Colonel Charles
McDowell, of Burke County,
and Colonel Andrew Hampton,
of Rutherford County. They
agreed to cross the Blue Ridge
and attack Ferguson without
delay.
On the following day, the
Reverend Samuel Doak, an
“over-the-mountain”
Presbyterian preacher, delivered
to the assembled Whigs a ser
mon of moving power. He im
plored the Almighty to bless the
fight of the Whigs for freedom,
and exhorted the Whigs to un
sheathe the Sword of the Lord
and Gideon and smite Ferguson.
As soon as the sermon ended,
the Whigs mounted their horses
and began their trek across the
Blue Ridge. The route they took
has been traced with meticulous
care by historians.
When they reached the
beautiful Roan Mountain, they
encountered an early snowfall,
and discovered that two of their
number had deserted and hur
ried ahead to warn Ferguson of
their coming.
On September 30, they reach
ed Quaker Meadows which lay
below the hillside home of
Charles McDowell and across
the Catawba River from
Morganton. They were joined at
this place by 350 North Carolina
Whigs under Colonel Benjamin
Cleveland, of Wilkes County,
and Major Joseph Winston, of
Surry County, and camped for
the night at Quaker Meadows.
The Whigs enjoyed the relaxing
hospitality of the McDowells
and their neighbors, and their
leaders held a council of war
under the historic Council Oak.
This venable oak succumbed
long ago to the ravages of time,
and the spot where it stood is
now indicated by a simple
marker.
On the following day the
Whigs resumed their trek, and at
even time pitched camp at Bed
ford Hill near the present Burke,
McDowell, and Rutherford
County lines. The next day rain
made travel difficult, and the
Whigs remained in camp all day
to enable their leaders to solve a
perplexing problem.
Colonel Charles McDowell
was the senior militia officer pre
sent, and protocol dictated that
he w^ entitled to the overall
comniaind (Vf'all rtjc''as.^embled
Whig forces.' ' ""
Some weeks before the British
had made a surprise attack upon
a small Whig encampment on
the Pacolet in South Carolina,
and killed Noah Hampton, a son
of Colonel Andrew Hampton.
Hampton had an emotional con-
‘ viction fhat Colonfcl- McDowell
was morally responsible for his
sons’s death for failing to station
pickets at proper distances from
the encampment, and was reluc
tant to serve under his direct
orders. While there seems to be
no substantial evidence that the
other Whig leaders in the camp
at Bedford Hill shared
Hampton’s emotional convic
tion, some of them believed Col
onel McDowell too cautious to
have overall command of their
hazardous mission when they
confronted Ferguson.
They.wished to solve their
problem without causing embar
rassment t6 anyone, and they ac
complished their objective by
means revealing that they were
diplomats as well as warriors.
They argued that the highest
ranking officers in camp at Bed
ford Hill were colonels of militia
holding their commissions under
different jurisdictions; that it
would be inappnopriate,
therefore, for any ope of t hem to
exercise authority over the
others; that in consequence they
should request Major. General
Cate^: who was a( Hillsborough,
to assign to them as ah overall
commander at Continental of
ficer holding the rank of
General; and that Colonel
McDowell, as the senior militia
officer present, ought to journey
to Hillsborough and present to
Gates a letter signed by
Cleveland, Shelby, Sevier,
Hampton, Campbell and
Winston, asking Gates to assign
a general officer such as the Old
Wagoner, Daniel Morgan, or the
gallant William Lee Davidson, to
exercise command over the ex
peditionary force as a whole.
These arguments had convinc
ing power. They moved Colonel
McDowell to action which ex
plains why he, as the senior
militia officer among the
assembled Whigs, did not com
mand them at King's Mountain.
After delegating the im
mediate command of the Burke
County Whigs to his younger
brother. Major Joseph
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