learned that the night previous the Queen's American Regiment, commanded by Col. Ennes, from New York, had reached the post at the mill, and that the enemy were then from twelve to thirteen hundred strong. Just as this information was received the enemy's patrol fell in with the advanced corps of Shelby's force. The patrol was immediately fired on and driven | in with the loss of several men. This gave the enemy the alarm. Although the Tory force was so much larger than had been expected, neither Shelby nor his men thought of anything but meeting them. Ground was selected for an engagement stretching at right angles across the road, about half a mile from the Eronee river. The army was formed, Shelby taking command of the right wing, and Col. Clarke of the left. Col. Williams of South Carolina was stationed in the road in the centre, though without a separate command. Whilst the Tory force was forming, Shelby and his men were not idle. Immediately after taking their places in line and securing their horses, they commenced making breast works of logs. In half an hour they had one breast high. So soon as this was completed, Shelby sent Capt. Inman with a company of mounted men in advance to make a false attack on the enemy. This feint was well executed. Inman and his men charged on the enemy, fired their pieces, and then, as directed, fled in apparent confusion. The enemy's centre on whom the false attack had been made, seeing the flight of this force, immediately pressed forward in pursuit, in considerable disorder, shouting, "Huzza for King George." On approaching the breast work they were unexpectedly met with a deadly fire. The superiority of the enemy in numbers emboldened them to press forward their attack, notwithstanding the advantage which our troops possessed by the breast work. After an hour's hard fighting the left wing of the enemy, composed of the Queen's regiment, drove our right wing under Shelby from their breast work. Our left wing, which was opposed by the tories, maintained its position. The battle was maintained some time longer, the right flank of the right wing gradually giving way, whilst the left flank retained its connection with the centre at the breastwork. At this juncture

Col. Clarke sent his reserve, consisting of forty men, to Shelby's aid. Shelby thereupon rallied his men, and ordered a charge, which was well seconded by officers and men, and the enemy were broken and fled in confusion. The rout now became complete along the whole line, and the enemy were pursued to the Eronee river, with great slaughter. Above two hundred of the enemy were killed, and two hundred prisoners were taken. On our side, Capt. Inman, who had conducted himself most gallantly, and thirty men were killed.

The broken forces of the enemy having crossed the Eronee, it became necessary to follow up the pursuit on horseback. Shelby called back his forces and mounted with the intention of pursuing the scattered Tories, and then turning against Fort Ninetysix.

While consulting with Col. Clarke, a messenger arrived from Gen. McDowell, bringing a letter from Governor Caswell to McDowell, informing him of Gates's disastrous defeat at Camden on the 16th of August, and advising all officers commanding detachments to retreat, or they would be cut off.

Col. Shelby, perceiving the hazardous position in which he was placed by this unexpected calamity, with Cornwallis in front, and Ferguson on his flank, immediately ordered a retreat. Taking his prisoners with him, he travelled all that day and the ensuing night without rest, and continued their march the day succeeding until an hour by sun, when they halted and fed their horses. Although they had thus been marching and fighting incessantly for forty-eight hours, the indomitable energy of their commander permitted his troops no rest, when there was danger of losing all by delay. Halting therefore no longer than was required to feed their horses, the line of march was resumed. It was well it was so; for the news of the defeat of the tories at Musgrove's Mill had reached Ferguson, who had dispatched a strong detachment to intercept Shelby and release his prisoners. By making a hard forced march this detachment reached the spot where Shelby and his men had fed their horses, within thirty minutes after they had left it. But not knowing precisely how long Shelby had been gone, and the detachment being entirely exhausted, the pursuit was relin

quished, and Shelby reached the mountains in safety with his prisoners.

The time of service of the men having expired, and there being no opportunity of doing any immediate active duty by a partisan corps, when they reached the road which led to Col. Shelby's residence, he and the men from his neighborhood returned home, the prisoners being left in charge of Col. Clarke. After going some distance, Col. Clarke in like manner returned home, giving the prisoners in charge to Col. Williams, who conducted them to Hillsborough. At this place Col. Williams met with Gov. Rutledge, who finding him in charge of the prisoners, supposed he had commanded the expedition in which they were taken, and as a reward for the gallant achievement, gave him a Brigadier General's commission. Without detracting from the merits of Col. Williams, who was a gallant officer, is it not right to say that this is an example too frequent in military history, where the rewards of a bold achievement fall on the wrong shoulders?

Col. Shelby described the battle at Musgrove's Mill as the hardest and best fought action he ever was in. He attributed this to the great number of officers who were with him as volunteers. Considering the nature of the march, and the disparity of numbers, the action at Musgrove's Mill must be considered as one of the most brilliant affairs fought by any partisan corps during the Revolution.

BATTLE OF KING'S MOUNTAIN.

In the early part of the year 1780, Col. Shelby was appointed Colonel of Sullivan county in North Carolina, with the authority of County Lieutenant. Col. Sevier held the same command in Washington county, N. C. These counties are situate west of the Alleghany mountains, and now constitute a part of Tennessse. Col. William Campbell at the same time commanded a regiment in Washington county, Virginia, but was not the County Lieu

tenant.

After the defeat of General Gates at Camden, on the 16th of August, 1780, the patriots were very much dispirited. Many who resided in the eastern portions

of North and South Carolina, sought safety and liberty in the mountains of North Carolina and Virginia, amidst the hardy patriotic mountaineers of those districts.

In September, 1780, Major Ferguson, who was one of the best and most enterprising of the British officers in America, had succeeded in raising a large body of Tories, who, with his own corps of regulars, constituted an effective force of eleven hundred and twenty-five men. With a view of cutting off Colonel Clarke, of North Carolina, who had recently made a demonstration against Augusta, which was then in the hands of the British, Ferguson had marched near the Blue Ridge and had taken post at Gilbertstown, which is situated but a few miles from the mountains. Whilst there he discharged a patriot, who had been taken prisoner, on his parole, and directed him to tell Col. Shelby, (who had become obnoxious to the British and tories from the affair at Musgrove's Mill,) that if Shelby did not surrender, he (Ferguson) would come over the mountains, and put him to death and burn his whole county.

It required no further taunt to rouse the patriotic indignation of Col. Shelby. He determined to make an effort to raise a force, in connection with other officers, which should surprise and defeat Fergu

son.

With this object in view, he went to a horse-race near where Jonesborough has since been built, to see Sevier and others. Shelby and Sevier there resolved, that if Col. Campbell would join them, they would raise all the force they could, and attack Ferguson; and if this was not practicable, they would co-operate with any corps of the army of the United States with which they might meet. If they failed, and the country was overrun and subdued by the British, they would then take water and go down to the Spaniards in Louisiana.

Col. Campbell was notified of their determination, and a place of rendezvous appointed in the mountains, east of Jonesborough. At the time appointed, September 25th, Campbell joined them, and their united force numbered about one thousand mounted riflemen. They crossed the mountains on the 27th, in a ravine, and fell in, accidentally, with Col. Cleveland of North Carolina, who had under his command about four hundred men.

The force having been raised by officers of equal rank, and being without any higher officer entitled to command the whole corps, there was a general want of arrangement and organization. It was then determined that a board of officers should convene each night and decide on the plan of operations for the next day, and further, that one of the officers should see those orders executed as officer of the day, until they should otherwise conclude. Shelby proposed that Colonel Campbell should act as officer of the day. Campbell took him aside, and requested Shelby to withdraw his name and to consent to serve himself. Shelby replied, that he was himself the youngest colonel present from his State, that he had served during that year under several of the officers who were present, and who might take offence if he commanded; that Gen. McDowell, who was with them, was too slow an officer for his views of the enterprise in which they were engaged, and added that as he ranked Campbell, yet as Campbell was the only officer from Virginia, if he (Shelby) pressed his appointment, no one would object. Col. Campbell felt the force of this reasoning and consented to serve, and was appointed to the command as officer of the day.

The force of the detachment was still considered insufficient to attack Ferguson, as his strength was not known. It was agreed that an express be sent to invite General Morgan or General Davidson to take the command. Gen. McDowell tendered his services for this purpose, and started on his mission. Before proceeding far he fell in with Col. Williams of South Carolina, who was at the head of from two to three hundred refugees. Gen. McDowell advised them where the patriot force was encamped. They joined the army, and thus made a muster-roll of about sixteen hundred men.

and learning what was his real strength, it was determined, on Thursday night, the 5th of October, to make a desperate effort to overtake him before he should reach any British post, or receive further reinforcements. Accordingly they selected all who had good horses, who numbered nine hundred and ten, and started the next morning in pursuit of Ferguson, as soon as they could see.

Ferguson, after marching a short distance towards Ninety-Six, had filed off to the left towards Lord Cornwallis. His pursuers never stopped until late in the afternoon, when they reached the Cowpens. They there halted, shot down some beeves, ate their suppers, and fed their horses. This done, the line of march was resumed, and continued through the whole night, amidst an excessively hard rain. In the morning Shelby ascertained that Campbell had taken a wrong road in the night, and had separated from him. Men were posted off in all directions, and Campbell's corps found and put in the right road. They then crossed Broad river, and continued the pursuit until 12 o'clock of the 7th of October. The rain continued to fall so heavily that Campbell, Sevier and Cleveland concluded to halt, and rode up to Shelby to inform him of their determination. Shelby replied, "By - I will not stop until night, if I follow Ferguson into Cornwallis's lines." Without replying, the other colonels turned off to their respective commands and continued the march. They had proceeded but a mile when they learned that Ferguson was only seven miles from them, at King's Mountain.

Finding that Ferguson was retreating,

When the patriots came near the mountain they halted, tied all their loose baggage to their saddles, fastened their horses and left them under the charge of a few men, and then prepared for an immediate attack. About 3 o'clock the patriot force

was led to the attack in four columnsCol. Campbell commanded the right centre column, Col. Shelby the left centre, Col. Sevier the right flank column and Col. Cleveland the left flank. As they came to the foot of the mountain the right centre and right flank columns deployed to the right, and the left centre and left flank columns to the left, and thus surrounding the mountain they marched up, commencing the action on all sides.

Ferguson did all that an officer could do under the circumstances. His men too fought bravely. But his position, which he thought impregnable against any force the patriots could raise, was really a disadvantage to him. The summit was bare, whilst the sides of the mountain were covered with trees. Ferguson's men were drawn up in close column on the summit, and thus presented fair marks for the mountaineers who approached them under cover of the trees. As either column would approach the summit, Ferguson would order a charge with fixed bayonet, which was always successful, for the riflemen retreated before the charging column slowly, still firing as they retired. When Ferguson's men returned to regain their position on the mountain, the patriots would again rally and pursue them. In one of these charges Shelby's column was considerably broken; he rode back and rallied his men, and when the enemy retired to the summit, he pressed on his men and reached the summit whilst Ferguson was directing a charge against Cleveland. Col. Sevier reached the summit about the same time with Shelby. They united and drove back the enemy to one end of the ridge. Cleveland's and Campbell's columns were still pressing forward and firing as they came up. The slaughter of the enemy was great, and it was evident that further resistance would be unavailing; still Ferguson's proud heart could not think of surrender. He swore "he never would yield to such a dd banditti," and rushed out from his men sword in hand and cut away until he broke his sword and was shot down. His men, seeing their leader fall, immediately surrendered. The British loss in killed and prisoners was eleven hundred and five. Ferguson's morning report showed a force of eleven hundred and twenty-five. A more total defeat was

not practicable. Our loss was about forty killed. Amongst them we had to mourn the death of Col. Williams, a most gallant and efficient officer. The battle lasted one hour.

The victors encamped on the mountain that night, and the next morning took up their line of march for the mountains under a bright sun, the first they had seen for many days. They made the prisoners carry their own arms, as they could not have carried them in any other way. Amongst the prisoners Shelby found some officers who had fought under him a few weeks previously at Musgrove's Mill. They said they had been compelled to join Ferguson, and when they had been examined and their account found to be correct, they were well treated.

Owing to the number of wounded and the destitution of the army of all conveyances, they travelled slowly, and in one week had only marched about forty miles. When they reached Gilbertstown a week after the battle, they were informed by a paroled officer, that he had seen eleven patriots hung at Ninety-six a few days before, for being rebels. Šimilar cruel and unjustifiable acts had been committed before. In the opinion of the patriots it required retaliatory measures to put a stop to these atrocities. A copy of the law of North Carolina was obtained, which authorized two magistrates to summon a jury,and forthwith to try, and if found guilty, to execute persons who had violated its precepts. Under this law thirty-six men were tried and found guilty of breaking open houses, killing the men, turning the women and children out of doors and burning the houses. The trial was concluded late at night. The execution of the law was as summary as the trial. Three men were hung at a time, until nine were hung. Three more were tied ready to be swung off. Shelby interfered and proposed to stop it. The other officers agreed, and the three men, who supposed they had seen their last hour, were untied. One of them said to Shelby, "You have saved my life, and I will tell you a secret. Tarleton will be here in the morning. A woman has brought the news."

It was then two o'clock at night, but no time was to be lost; the camp was instantly aroused, everything packed up, the wounded sent into secret hiding places in

up.

The next day it rained incessantly, but the army continued its march without stopping, until they crossed the Catawba at 2 o'clock the succeeding night. The river was breast high when they crossed it. The weary troops bivouacked on its banks, and the next morning it had risen so much as to be past fording. This obstacle being such as to prevent all pursuit, they leisurely retired with their prisoners. As an evidence of the hardships undergone by these brave and hardy patriots, Col. Shelby says that he ate nothing from Saturday morning until after they encamped Sunday night at 2 o'clock A. M.

The information given Shelby by the condemned prisoner, turned out to have been substantially correct. Lord Cornwallis had detached Tarleton to pursue and attack the patriots and to rescue the prisoners. Soon after Tarleton was dispatched the former took an old Whig prisoner and examined him. He told the prisoner he could not learn who had defeated Ferguson. The old man told him. Cornwallis then inquired the force of the patriots. He told him it was 3000 riflemen. Cornwallis asked where they were gone. He replied, they were bearing down on him. Whether this was told under the belief that it was true, or if it was told as a ruse de guerre, it answered a very excellent purpose. Lords Cornwallis and Rawdon immediately consulted together, beat to arms, struck their tents, burnt some extra clothing, and retreated to the south side of Broad river in confusion. At the same time a messenger was sent to recall Tarleton, who was overtaken after he had proceeded eighteen miles, and who immediately returned to Cornwallis's camp.

At the time Shelby and his co-patriots raised their force, Cornwallis, supposing he would meet no further serious resistance in North or South Carolina, had projected the invasion of Virginia in three columns. He was to advance in the centre, a second detachment was to march on his right, and Ferguson was to command the left wing. The time for the invasion was fixed, officers were out through the country collecting the tories, and a few days more would have made them very strong. The defeat of Ferguson prevented this invasion, and so intimidated the tories that most of them

At the time the nine hundred and ten men were selected to pursue Ferguson, they were informed that there were six hundred tories embodied near them, and it was suggested that they should be attacked. Shelby opposed this, saying that if they turned after any other object they would lose Ferguson.

After the battle at King's Mountain, this force, like all other partisan bodies called out for a particular emergency, was difficult to be kept embodied. The men one after another returned home, so that when they reached the Catawba there were not more men than prisoners.

It is impossible for those who have not lived in its midst to conceive of the exasperation which prevails in a civil war. The execution, therefore, of the nine Tories at Gilbertstown, will by many persons be considered an act of retaliation unnecessarily cruel. It was believed by those who were on the ground to be both neces sary and proper, for the purpose of putting a stop to the execution of the patriots in the Carolinas by the Tories and British. The event proved the justice of the expectation of the patriots. The execution of the Tories did stop the execution of the Whigs. And it may be remarked of this cruel and lamentable mode of retaliation, that whatever excuses and pretences the Tories may have had for their atrocities, the British officers, who often ordered the executions of Whigs, had none. Their training to arms and military education should have prevented them from violating the rules of civilized warfare in so essential a point.

Those patriots who desired to continue in service after the battle at King's Mountain, especially the refugees, wished to be formed into a corps and to be under the command of Gen. Morgan. To effect this Col. Shelby went to head-quarters and saw Morgan, who said they were just the men he wanted. Gen. Gates consented, and the Board of War of North Carolina ordered out these militia, who marched up and joined Morgan; most of them were with him the next campaign, and proved the stuff they were made of at the nobly-won battle of the Cowpens,