The Battle of King's Mountain

 

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After General Horatio Gates fled the battlefield at Camden, South Carolina, in August both Tory and British forces sensed victory in the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution.  The war – it seemed – would soon come to an end.  But a verbal threat from a British officer would incite and ultimately release “one long sulfurous blaze” over this mountain.

 

225 years ago many of our ancestors fought here.  It started at 3 o’clock that afternoon in a misty rain.  A force of backwoods patriot militia – over the mountain men - formed a circle at the base of this mountain and attacked.  Loyalist fired down upon them but the militia clawed their way up the sides and closed in on the top of this site.  The fight was over in only an hour.  The Overmountain Men were victorious!

 

Modern historians credit this victory as the turning point of the Revolutionary War – at least in the South.  Instead of an end to warfare, General Charles Cornwallis would become decisively engaged at Guilford Courthouse, North Carolina the following March and eventually surrender the remnants of his army at Yorktown , Virginia a full year later from Kings Mountain .    

 

Today we celebrate the patriot victory at Kings Mountain, South Carolina by the wreaths we place at this federal monument.  They are tributes to men who fought for our freedom.

 

As president of the North Carolina Society, I invite you to spend the day at Kings Mountain enjoying the exhibits in the Visitors Center and the various planned activities scheduled throughout the day and over the weekend.       

 

Finally I wish to thank the staff of the National Park Service in making this wreath-laying event possible, and especially to the members of the host chapter, the Marquis de Lafayette Chapter of the North Carolina Society, and to the members of the multi-state society composite color guard – many who have traveled here long distances to celebrate this the 225th anniversary of the Battle of Kings Mountain.

 

JH/October 7, 2005