Kings Mountain National Military Park, SC (9-13-12)
Read MoreBattlefield Trail - Winston's Attack
It was this view of the hill which North Carolina troops under Major Joseph Winston saw upon their attack upon Kings Mountain. A critical portion of the battlefield, Winston's 60 troops were placed astride the main road to Charlotte, the Loyalists only escape route...
Battlefield Trail
As is common with many modern sites, the surrounding forest is somewhat different today the it was at the time of the battle. Today's forest is fairly young while soldiers at the time fought amongst old growth trees, large and widely spaced with little undergrowth. This allowed for unlimited options for cover and good, long-distance lines of sight through the woods...
Battlefield Trail - William Chronicle Marker
These monuments were erected in honor of Major William Chronicle who fell near here leading his North Carolina up the northern face of the hill. The fighting here was especially brutal with each side attacking and counter-attacking before the Patriots finally carried the hill.
The left-hand monument is the original and is one of the oldest monuments to the American Revolution in the country, dating to 1815. The right-hand stone is simply the modern 'replacement'.William Chronicle Marker
A closer look at the inscription on the new monument which was, in turn, transcribed from the original: "Sacred to the memory of Major William Chronicle, Captian John Mattocks, William Rabb and John Boyd who were killed at this place on the 7th of October, 1780, fighting in defense of America. Colonel Ferguson, an officer of His Britannic Majesty was defeated and killed at this place on the 7th of October, 1780."
Battlefield Trail - Cleveland's Attack
The last Patriot troops to reach the base of the hill and, thus, the last to attack were the North Carolina troops under Colonel Benjamin Cleveland. Cleveland vehemently hated Loyalists and was eager to take the fight "the cowards". The slopes Cleveland's troops attacked were some of the steepest at Kings Mountain...
Battlefield Trail - South Carolina & Georgia Positions
To the right of Cleveland's troops were the only South Carolinian and Georgian troops on the field (the majority at this battle were from North Carolina). The 70 South Carolina troops and 30 Georgia troops were under the commands of no less than five different men. These units suffered 16 men killed, including the highest ranking American officer, Colonel James Williams (S.C.)...
Battlefield Trail
The steepness of the terrain and the plethora of large trees growing on the slopes provided a serious advantage to the attackers. Shots fired down from the Loyalists at the summit more often than not passed harmlessly overhead, while the trees allowed the attackers plenty of cover on the ascent...
Battlefield Trail - The Spring
One of many springs nearby that would have been of great use during and after the battle, particularly for the wounded, this spot sits about 100 yards from the crest of the ridge which was the maximum effective firing distance of the Loyalists above. The crest of the ridge at the time was completely cleared so while, as mentioned earlier, most of the Loyalist shots went high they were likewise perfectly silhouetted against the sky for the Americans returning fire from below...
Battlefield Trail - Shelby's Attack
On these slopes 120 of the famous Overmountain Men of the Tennessee and North Carolina Blue Ridge mountains, under Colonel Isaac Shelby, waged a fierce see-saw battle against Ferguson's men on the ridge. Deadly accurate riflemen, three times they nearly gained the ridge before being driven back in front of charging bayonets (of which the riflemen had none), they finally drove the Loyalist troops back upon their fourth charge up the ridge...
Battlefield Trail - Sevier's Attack
There is some question to where exactly the 120 Tennessee men under Colonel John Sevier were engaged at Kings Mountain but the most recent studies have led historians to believe they attacked here, to the right flank of Colonel Shelby on the summits western slopes. Sevier's troops were subjected to the same kind of see-saw battle Shelby's troops experienced...
Battlefield Trail - Hoover Monument
On October 7, 1930 (the 150th Anniversary of the battle) President Hoover delivered a speech to over 70,000 people on this hillside, recognizing the heroism and sacrifice of the men who fought here. Less than a year later the park was officially designated Kings Mountain National Military Park.
Battlefield Trail - Campbell's Attack
The Virginian's under Colonel William Campbell were the first to press the attack the day of the battle, ascending towards this shot. The largest single unit of American troops on the battlefield, of the 200 men under Campbell 35 fell before the fighting ended, nearly a third of all Americans killed this day...
Battlefield Trail - Provincial Regulars
Out of the 900 total troops under the command of Loyalist Major Patrick Ferguson, about 100 were Provincial Regulars, also known as American Volunteers. These regulars were Americans who had formally enlisted into the British Army. Equal in training to any British Regular, these troops were responsible for defending the ridge against the attacks of Campbell, Sevier, and Shelby. Through numerous, bloody bayonet charges the Provincial Volunteers only grudgingly fell back. Their bravery is reflected in their losses; out of 100 men engaged, 53 fell dead or wounded...
Battlefield Trail - Centennial Monument
This monument was dedicated during the festivities held here in 1880, on the 100th Anniversary of the battle. As a result of the interest gained through the festival, the Kings Mountain Centennial Association was able to purchase the 40 acres encompassing the summit battleground which preserved the site until turned over to the federal government in 1930...
Battlefield Trail - Centennial Monument
A panoramic view of the ridge from the monument. As mentioned before the ridge was completely bare at the time of the battle. Ferguson's Loyalists would not have been aligned here at the crest but rather out around the perimeter of the summit ridge where they could more effectively fire on the attackers below...
Battlefield Trail - Loyalist Militia
The vast majority of Ferguson's Loyalist force was formed from local militia in North and South Carolina. Exact unit dispositions during the battle are unknown but as a whole they faced the attacks on the ridge to the north, east, and south. They were trained to fight in the traditional British way, with massed volley's and bayonet charges, which were less than effective when being used in the thick forest and on the steep slopes...
Battlefield Trail - McDowell's Attack
This is the Loyalist viewpoint down the hill, to the east, from where the North Carolina Patriots under Major Joseph McDowell attacked. Eventually falling back under constant attack, the Loyalists came under a deadly crossfire from American forces gaining the ridge to their rear...
Battlefield Trail
In this shot, looking northeast, you can see the narrowness of the ridge as it slopes away to the left and right. Loyalist forces were, eventually, literally fighting back-to-back as the American attack gradually gained the summit. At this demoralizing point, units not only had to worry about deadly fire from the front but crossfire from behind them...
Battlefield Trail - Loyalist Surrender / U.S. Monument
Eventually the loyalist forces were forced into an ever shrinking circle around this green. Realizing the fight was lost they began surrendering, though Ferguson at first was quick to knock down any white flags he saw. Panic eventually overwhelmed them and the Loyalists began surrendering in mass though, at first, there was little safety in this as American troops eager to revenge the recent 'massacre' at Waxhaws continued to fire into them.
The entire battle has lasted little more than one hour...
kw
on May 22, 2013Thanks for sharing an important, yet little known bit of our country's history!!! (couldn't help but give a 'thumbs up' to so much beauty along the way-- hard to believe the battle fought and lives lost in such a pretty area as it is today!! So happy, too, for the foresight to protect this section of land!