On october 7, 1780, a thousand patriots surrounded and attacked the british troops and loyalist soldiers. Mar 30, 2017 kings mountain is a rocky wooded hill on the border of north and south carolina. They advance and hail their visitors while permitting their horses to drink at the creek. Cowpens and kings mountain battlefields our wanderfilled life.
Cowpens and kings mountain, south carolina mountainmen. On october 7, 1780, the battle of kings mountain utilized guerilla techniques american over mountain men wearing buckskin and hunting shirts and armed with hunting rifles attacked. Historical statements concerning the battle of kings mountain. Includes map of approaches to kings mountain and cowpens and illus. Her superb selection of primary sources includes both dramatic eyewitness accounts and compelling vignettes of backcountry life. Oct 08, 2019 battle of kings mountain during the american revolution, patriot irregulars under colonel william campbell defeat tories under major patrick ferguson at the battle of kings mountain. Melissa walker presents a lucid narrative of these pivotal battles. At cowpens, the road is only three miles long and kings mountain does not even have one. Kings mountain national military park, cowpens national battlefield site, south carolina. Map the revolutionary war trusts formerly campaign 1776 map of the battle of cowpens.
British casualties were estimated at about 600, whereas the americans lost. Irregular warfare against superior strength and numbers. The battle took place on october 7, 1780, 9 miles 14 km south of the presentday town of kings mountain, north carolina. The battles of kings mountain and cowpens brings to light the world of the southern backcountry that engendered its role in the revolutionary war. As the british pushed inland, the americans suffered a string of defeats which allowed lieutenant general lord charles cornwallis to secure much of south. At the battle of cowpens in south carolina on january 17, 1781, during the revolutionary war 177583, american. The battle of kings mountain and its importance and outcome, also the death of patrick ferguson.
Having shifted their focus south, the british achieved a decisive victory in may 1780 when they captured charleston, sc. The battle of kings mountain was fought october 7, 1780, during the american revolution 17751783. Review of the battles of kings mountain and cowpens. From the rocky slopes of kings mountain to the plains of hannah s cowpens, the carolina backcountry hosted two of the re. They rode through a night of raintheir long rifles protected in blanketsand arrived at. Cowpens battle of kings mtn remembering kings mountain. The battle of cowpens cowpens national battlefield u. Most civil war battlefields we have been to have numbers in the tens of thousands. On october 7, 1780, a thousand patriots surrounded and. After cornwallis won a costly victory at guilford courthouse, north carolina, on march 15, 1781, he entered virginia to.
Tory plantation owner hiram saunders owned a fine herd of beef cattle which he could round up and drive to market at charleston. The battle took place 9 miles south of the presentday town of kings mountain, north carolina, in what is now rural cherokee county, south carolina. Available also through the library of congress web site as a raster image. Kings mountain is a rocky wooded hill on the border of north and south carolina. They learned that ferguson was camped to the east on a narrow flattopped mountain called kings mountain. Kings mountain and cowpens our victory was complete by brown.
Battle of kings mountain american revolutionary war. Twas the night before kings mountain at cowpens natl. Hoping to eliminate the threat posed by general daniel morgans american troops, 26 yearold lt. Read kings mountain and cowpens our victory was complete by robert w. Park ranger leah taber of kings mountain national military park with her choice for clash of the commanders, episode v.
His stockyard was known in the region as the cowpens. Kings mountain national military park preserves and commemorates the site of the october 7, 1780. But the horsemen responded only by a confused flight. Morgan learned of tarletons pursuit and marched his troops toward the broad. Living history farm at kings mountain state park, south carolina duration. More revolutionary war battles and skirmishes were fought in south carolina than any other state, including major engagements at sullivans island, camden, kings mountain, and cowpens. Francis marion this powerpoint presentation examines. British casualties were estimated to be 290 killed, 163. Historical statements concerning the battle of kings. The 230th anniversary of the battle of kings mountain and order of march, saturday, october 910, 2010.
Daniel morgan an american brigadier general and one of the most gifted battlefield planners, he devised a clever strategy at the battle of cowpens, thus winning a. Cowpens and kings mountain battlefields our wander. British general clinton and the capture of savannah and charleston forcing american armies into retreat. The known patriots at the battle of kings mountain october 7. Normally, we would recommend driving the tour road. British and loyalist prisoners from both kings mountain and cowpens were brought to gilbert town.
Along with the british defeat at the battle of kings mountain, cowpens was a decisive blow to cornwallis, who might have defeated much of the remaining resistance in south carolina had tarleton won at cowpens. On october 6, they reached cowpens, south carolina, site of the future battle of cowpens, where they received word that ferguson was east. The park preserves the site of this important battle. To protect his left flank, he dispatched his inspector of militia, ferguson into the south carolina backcountry. In terms of numbers, both battles were relatively small around 1,000 on each side at kings mountain and 2,000 for cowpens.
American revolutionary war kings mountain, cowpens. The revolutionary war trusts formerly campaign 1776 map of the battle of cowpens. The battle of kings mountain, fought october 7th, 1780, was an important american victory during the revolutionary war. Colonel campbell was given overall command but actually commanded only his own column at kings mountain. The best numbers available are those prepared by draper in his kings mountain and its heroes. With careful attention to political, social, and military history, walker concentrates on the communities and events not typically covered in books on the revolutionary war. Kings mountain and cowpens from the rocky slopes of kings mountain to the plains of hannahs cowpens, the carolina backcountry hosted two of the revolutionary wars most critical battleson october 7, 1780, the battle of kings mountain utilized guerilla techniques american over mountain men wearing buckskin and hunting shirts and armed with hunting rifles attacked. The actual battle took place on october 7, 1780, nine miles south of the presentday town of kings mountain, north carolina in rural york county, south carolina, where the patriot militia defeated the loyalist militia commanded by british major. His breakdown shows that 440 overmountain men 48% and 470 men from the piedmont 52% made up the army. A scottish officer in the britsh army who was killed leading his men at the battle of kings mountain. Apr 08, 2018 kings mountain and cowpens revolutionary war battlefields duration. Cowpens january 17, 1781 american battlefield trust.
For those who want to stay overnight at kings mountain, campground accommodationsincluding equestrian facilitiesare available at the kings mountain campground, with easy access to kings mountain hiking, fishing and more. Similarly, no roll is available for cowpens, where an additional 200 joined in. The known patriots at the battle of kings mountain october. Both banastre tarleton and daniel morgan passed through gilbert town. The patriot army kings mountain, cowpens, ninetysix. Patrick ferguson and consisted of about 1,100 soldiers. Battle of kings mountain during the american revolution, patriot irregulars under colonel william campbell defeat tories under major patrick ferguson at the battle of kings. Cowpens the overmountain group joined up with 400 south carolinians on oct 6. Battle of kings mountain, battle of cowpens, battle at.
From the rocky slopes of kings mountain to the plains of hannahs cowpens, the carolina backcountry hosted two of the revolutionary wars most critical battles. The american revolution in the southern backcountry critical moments in american history. Kings mountain and cowpens exemplified the extent to which the american revolution was a civil war that divided many communities. Daniel morgan an american brigadier general and one of the most gifted battlefield planners, he devised a clever strategy at the battle of cowpens, thus winning a decisive battle for the americans. Tarleton met morgans men on january 17, 1781 at the battle of cowpens. In terms of numbers, both battles were relatively small around 1,000 on each side at kings mountain and 2,000 for. The 17th was a light dragoon regiment not a dragoon regiment. This was held with authentic camps, candle making, arts and crafts, cookery and more. The fields are significantly smaller than most civil war battlefields we have visited. Kings mountain and cowpens our victory was complete by. William campbell and consisted of about 910 soldiers. Former residents said that there wasnt much to see in sc, but we beg to differ.
Battle of cowpens, south carolina travel photos by galen. The battle was the first major patriot victory to occur after the british invasion of charleston, sc in may 1780. The most common characterization is that the overmountain men won the battle. Kings mountain national military park home facebook. Kings mountain national military park, blacksburg, sc. Many knew the geography some were overmountain men who had camped at the cowpens on their journey to the battle of kings mountain. Banastre tarleton led a combined force of cavalry and infantry into the south carolina backcountry. Select the three battles that were american victories. We camped overnight on the 9th at long creek presbyterian church, 701 long creek road, kings mountain, nc 28086. Sep 15, 2009 from the rocky slopes of kings mountain to the plains of hannahs cowpens, the carolina backcountry hosted two of the revolutionary wars most critical battles. A gravestone marker sits in the middle of eutaw springs battlefield park on tuesday, june 25, 2019, in eutawville. From the rocky slopes of kings mountain to the plains of. The southern campaign of the american revolution cowpens. From the rocky slopes of kings mountain to the plains of hannah s cowpens, the carolina backcountry hosted two of the revolutionary war s most critical battles.
Robert w brown from the rocky slopes of kings mountain to the plains of hannahs cowpens, the carolina backcountry hosted two of the revolutionary wars most critical battles. The battle of kings mountain was a military engagement between patriot and loyalist militias in south carolina during the southern campaign, resulting in a decisive victory for the patriots. American revolutionary war kings mountain, cowpens, guilford. After his victory at the battle of camden in august, 1780 british general charles lord cornwallis marched into north carolina. The battle of kings mountain and the battle of the cowpens. The battle of kings mountain was a military engagement between patriot and loyalist militias in south carolina during the southern campaign of the american revolutionary war, resulting in a decisive victory for the patriots. Steadily, the americans fought their way up kings mountain. Thought unreliable by some continental officers, they proved themselves at the battles of kings mountain and cowpens. One claim is that thousands of south carolinians joined in to win the battle and are forgotten today. The battle of kings mountain was a decisive battle between the patriot and loyalist militias in the southern campaign of the american revolutionary war. During the american revolution, patriot irregulars under colonel william campbell defeat tories under major patrick ferguson at the battle of kings mountain. Casualties american casualties were estimated to 28 killed and 62 wounded. A summary of the battle of kings mountain on october 7, 1780.
At the battle of cowpens in south carolina on january 17, 1781, during the revolutionary war 177583, american troops under brigadier general daniel morgan 17361802 routed british forces. On october 7, 1780, the battle of kings mountain utilized guerilla techniques american over mountain men wearing buckskin. The battle of cowpens was an engagement during the american revolutionary war fought on january 17, 1781 near the town of cowpens, south carolina, between u. Rebel spies reported ferguson was making camp on kings mountain with some 1200 men. Oct 17, 2017 the fields are significantly smaller than most civil war battlefields we have visited.
The battle of kings mountain was a military engagement between patriot and loyalist militias in. Apprised of the threat, various whig militias led by william campbell, benjamin cleveland, joseph mcdowell, john sevier, and isaac shelby rallied to. The summit is 150 feet high, 500 yards long, and 70 to 80 yards. In fact, no muster roll is known to exist for any of the camps. Battle of cowpens, january 17, 1781, in the american revolution, brilliant american victory over a british force on the northern border of south carolina that slowed lord cornwalliss campaign to invade north carolina. Coming on the heels of a patriot victory at nearby kings mountain on october 7, 1780, cowpens was the second successive staggering defeat for british forces under general charles cornwallis. South carolina ratified the united states constitution on may 23, 1788, becoming the eighth state to enter the union. Probably the most controversial aspect of kings mountain is the makeup of the patriot army. On october 6, they reached cowpens, south carolina, site of the future battle of cowpens, where they received word that ferguson was east of them, heading towards charlotte and cornwallis. Battle of cowpens american revolution 1781 britannica. Kings mountain and cowpens revolutionary war battlefields duration. After cornwallis won a costly victory at guilford courthouse, north carolina, on march 15, 1781, he entered virginia to join other british forces there, setting up a base at.
They fired upon the flying corps and a single horse stops, unable to proceed. Living history farm at kings mountain state park, south carolina. American revolution kings mountain, cowpens, ninetysix. On friday 06oct1780, the over mountain men reached the cowpens. Thomas jefferson called it the turn of the tide of success. South carolina is host to two significant battles during the revolutionary war. Twas the night before kings mountain at cowpens natl battlefield. Only nine months after the battle, cornwallis was forced to surrender his army to general george washington at yorktown, virginia in october 1781.