The Known Patriots at the Battle of Kings Mountain October ...

The Known Patriots at the Battle of Kings Mountain October 7, 1780

Image Courtesy of National Park Planner at

? 2015 ? J.D. Lewis

Note #1

Most who study the Battle of Kings Mountain are certainly aware that the Patriot leaders made a smart choice in leaving the "infantry" behind,

and for only "able horsemen" to ride on.

What they intuitively "know" ? but seem to fail to thoroughly "embrace" is:

Almost all "officers" had good horses.

Therefore....

Many Patriot "Captains" had few men, sometimes no men, under their command during the actual battle at Kings Mountain. Most historians refuse to accept that at this important event, there were almost more Patriot officers engaged than militiamen, and that this is significant.

Majors led as few as two (2) Captains, and many who had no men, or only one to five. It was rare, but some Captains

did have more than ten men. Few had their original companies at full strength. It will soon be shown that the companies averaged only 5 men.

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Note #2

Although the British seized Charlestown and many officers, and they once again devastated both the SC and NC militia at the Battle of Camden, the Patriots constantly kept rebuilding their militia in both states, and they

retained their "semblance of order" by continuing the well-known "regiments" and recognized the leaders of all established militia units.

Leaders of these well-established and well-known militia regiments agreed to "work with each other" for the common good of all.

Ever since the start of the war, Captains attached themselves to other regiments when it was convenient. This does not mean they were now

in this new regiment and no longer part of their original regiment.

And, since the beginning of the war, whenever a regiment was mustered in "times of stress," the entire regiment could not be assembled in time to meet the exigency. So, leaders hastily pulled together what men they could, and proceeded with incomplete regiments. In military parlance,

these are called "detachments."

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Note #3 We may never know ? for certain ? the names of each and every Patriot

who truly participated in the Battle of Kings Mountain.

And, we may never know ? for certain ? the exact "order of battle," that is, which officers led specific men at a specific location, at the

Battle of Kings Mountain.

But...

We CAN do better... and we should.

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Washington County Regiment of Militia (VA)

Col. William Campbell

- Maj. William Edmondson - 19 Companies - Rockbridge Rifles under

Col. William Bowyer (Unknown number)

Wilkes County Regiment of Militia (NC)

Col. Benjamin Cleveland

- Lt. Col. William Shepherd - Major Joseph Harden - 20 Companies

Surry County Regiment of Militia (NC)

Maj. Joseph Winston

- Maj. Micajah Lewis - Maj. Edward Lovell - 14 Companies

Lincoln County Regiment of Militia (NC)

Lt. Col. Frederick Hambright

- Maj. John Barber - Maj. William Chronicle - Maj. Joseph Dickson - Maj. Francis McCorkle - 18 Companies

14 Regiments, 14 Detachments, 234 Companies

Patriots at Kings Mountain Commanding Officer

Col. William Campbell (VA)

Little River District Regiment of Militia (SC)

Col. James Williams

Burke County Regiment of Militia (NC)

Maj. Joseph McDowell

- Lt. Col. Joseph Hayes - Maj. George Anderson - Maj. Samuel Hammond - Maj. John Moore - 13 Companies (SC/NC) - 3 Companies from

Chatham County, NC - 1 Company from

Guilford County, NC - 1 Company from

Granville County, NC - 1 Company from

Lower District, SC

2nd Spartan Regiment of Militia (SC)

- Maj. George Wilfong - 21 Companies

Rutherford County Regiment of Militia (NC)

Col. Andrew Hampton

- Maj. James Gray - Maj. James Porter - Maj. Robert Porter - 14 Companies

Rowan County Regiment of Militia (NC)

Lt. Col. Matthew Brandon

Col. Thomas Brandon

- Lt. Col. James Steen - Maj. John Moore - Maj. Thomas Young - 8 Companies - 4 Companies 1st Spartan

- Lt. Col. John Hampton - 7 Companies - 6 Companies from Mecklenburg County, NC

These regiments all worked with Maj. Joseph McDowell

Roebuck's Battalion of Spartan Regiment of Militia (SC)

Col. Benjamin Roebuck

Clarke's Regiment of Militia Detachment (GA)

Maj. William Candler

- 8 Companies

- Maj. John Cunningham - 6 Companies

New Acquisition District Regiment of Militia (SC)

Col. Samuel Watson

Upper Ninety-Six District Regiment Detachment (SC)

- Lt. Col. Andrew Love

Lt. Col. Robert Anderson

- Maj. John Wallace - 7 Companies

- Maj. James McCall - 3 Companies

These regiments all worked with Col. James Williams

Washington County Regiment of Militia (NC)

Lt. Col. John Sevier

- Lt. Col. John Lewis - Lt. Col. Charles Robertson - Maj. Isaac Lane - Maj. Benjamin Sharp - Maj. Jonathan Tipton - Maj. Jesse Walton - 26 Companies

Sullivan County Regiment of Militia (NC)

Col. Isaac Shelby

- Maj. Evan Shelby, Jr. - 15 Companies

Turkey Creek Regiment of Militia (SC)

Col. Edward Lacey

- Lt. Col. John Nixon - Maj. John Adair - 7 Companies - 3 Companies from

Camden District, SC - 3 Companies from

Fairfield District, SC

Hill's Regiment of Militia Detachment (SC)

Lt. Col. James Hawthorn

- Maj. Samuel Tate - 5 Companies

1,127 ? 1,661 Men. Why a Range? 5

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