BKM People
Attention has been concentrated on patriot casualties. That list is extremely accurate.
In the following charts, Indicators: k=killed, d=mortally wounded, x=does not belong, a=absent from Moss’ list, w=wounded, ?=dubious Evidence source shows federal pension application file number where known. Evidence B8 and B19 are the Beattie and Bowen roster in RevWarApps.org. Posting updates to the charts is a tedious chore. As ongoing research changes them, they will lag behind the latest information. These views are of value to see the placement of the Patriots around Kings Mountain. All for one and one for all. Most of the Whigs were fighting for liberty regardless of captain and readily moved wherever needed. With the fluid changes of command, some of them are likely shown under an earlier or later commander instead of their BKM unit. These rosters are tedious and time consuming to recreate, so some additions and corrections could be delayed for weeks.
Brandon
Campbell
Clarke
Cleveland
Graham
Hampton
Lacey
McDowell
Roebuck
Sevier
Shelby
Williams
Winston
Unidentified
Col William Campbell brought his Virginians from Washington County out of bounds. With orders to defend his county from Tories, he interpreted the order to include catching Ferguson. About 400 went to Sycamore Shoals with him. Col. Arthur Campbell brought about 200 more, then was sent back to protect the home front.
Col Isaac Shelby brought about 240 from Squabble State, Long Island, and Evan Shelby’s Fort.
Col John Sevier brought about 240 from Watauga Settlements of over mountain NC.
Col Charles McDowell’s Burke County militia was scattered. Major Joseph McDowell and about 80 Burke County refugees returned from Watauga with Campbell, Sevier, and Shelby. He brought back some 160 Rutherford and Burke County men and they picked up stragglers along the way.
Col Benjamin Cleveland led the well organized Wilkes County militia to Quaker Meadows to join the over mountain men.
Major Joseph Winston under Col Cleveland, brought the Surry County contingent.
Col James Williams took some things from Laurens/Newberry SC to his brother’s place near Hillsborough NC for safe keeping. In Caswell County, he recruited some central NC and VA militia men and headed back to Salisbury. They picked up some remnants of Gen. Sumter’s SC forces including Col Edward Lacey, Col Andrew Hampton and Col Thomas Brandon’s militiamen and proceeded to Cow Pens. Col. McDowell had gone to get the governor to appoint a general for the two to four thousand soldier gathering patriot army. Unwilling to wait while Ferguson escaped, the officers’ council chose Col. Campbell to lead them across Broad River.
others
-from Gen Rutherford’s old Tryon County militia (Lincoln Co NC) under Col William Graham, but Graham went home for an emergency leaving Major William Chronicle in command, Col Andrew Hampton’s western Rutherford County militia was scattered from the defeat at Cane Creek and Ferguson’s Tories ransacking their homes. About 80 of them took refuge at Watauga where they joined the Overmountain men.
-some Georgians of Col Elijah Clarke’s militia under Captain William Candler
-some regular army wandering paroled prisoners from Charleston
-some local SC patriots
About 920 with good horses left Cowpens Friday night 06Oct1780, hot on the trail of Patrick Ferguson.
