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Abingdon in Washington County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
 

Overmountain Men

 
 
Overmountain Men Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, October 23, 2022
1. Overmountain Men Marker
Inscription. In the summer of 1780, the American Colonies' hopes of independence seemed bleak. Britain's commander in the South, Lord Charles Cornwallis, considered the southern colonies, especially Georgia and the Carolinas, mostly loyal to King George. Cornwallis began a campaign to recruit Loyalist militia to assist British regulars and provincial troops. Major Patrick Ferguson, a British officer, was appointed Inspector of Militia for the Southern Department since he had been successful at recruiting Loyalists (Tories) to the British side.

By the 7th of September, Ferguson had moved into North Carolina along the base of the Appalachian Mountains. He issued proclamations and threats across the mountains to the people, including their leaders, that if the “backwater men” did not lay down their arms and pledge allegiance to King George he would march over the mountains, hang their leaders and “lay waste the country with fire and sword.”

On September 24, 1780, in response to the threat, some two hundred Virginia men gathered at the site now known as the Abingdon Mustering Ground (located on Colonial Road one mile west of Veterans Memorial Park). On September 25th, these Virginia men, rendezvoused with another 200 Virginia men, under the command of Colonel William Campbell, and about 400 Wataugans (from present day Tennessee) under
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the commands of Colonel Isaac Shelby and Colonel John Sevier, at Fort Watauga near Sycamore Shoals (present day Elizabethton, TN). The Virginians and the Wataugans left Sycamore Shoals, and in deep snow crossed the high mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina. It had been decided that they would go after Ferguson before he could carry out his threats. They left behind their homes and families, not knowing if they would ever return – many of them did not.

As they prepared to do battle with Ferguson and his Loyalist army, the Overmountain leaders chose Colonel William Campbell of Virginia to lead the entire force. They had learned that Ferguson was encamped on King's Mountain in South Carolina. On October 6, just over 900 Overmountain Men from Virginia, present day Tennessee, North and South Carolina and Georgia rode out of the Cowpens in South Carolina on an all-night march in pouring rains. At three o'clock in the afternoon of the following day, October 7, 1780, the patriot army encircled King's Mountain and surrounded Ferguson and his troops. The battle would now begin. Ferguson boasted, “God Almighty and all the Rebels of Hell” could not drive him from it. Colonel Campbell told the Americans not to wait for orders to attack: “Let each man be his own officer. If in the woods, shelter yourselves and give them Indian play!” Shortly after the battle began, Campbell threw
Overmountain Men Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, October 6, 2022
2. Overmountain Men Marker
off his coat and led his men along with the words, “Here they are, my brave boys; shout like hell and fight like devils!” Shout they did; it was shouting the British had heard before in battle with the backwoodsmen. Ferguson's second-in-command informed his commander, “These things are ominous: these are the damn yelling boys." Sixty-five minutes later, it was over. The American Patriots totally decimated Ferguson's 1,100 Tory Loyalists with every last man of them, either dead or taken prisoner, and Major Ferguson lay dead on the battlefield.

The numbers were staggering: The Tory losses were about 225 dead, 163 wounded and 716 captured. The American Patriot casualties were 28 killed and 62 wounded.

Using their skills as woodsmen and Indian fighters, without orders, formal military training, uniforms or provisions, and with no promise of pay – against the forces superior in number and equipment, the Overmountain Men changed the course of the Revolution, and helped to ensure the colonies gained their independence from Britain.

While several of those who marched to King's Mountain had fought in the Continental Army, most were hunters, backwoodsmen, farmers and settlers. Many who survived the campaign saw action during subsequent battles at the Cowpens, Guilford Courthouse, Eutaw Springs in the Carolinas and at Yorktown, Virginia; others went home to defend
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their land and families from the constant Indian attacks, most of which were instigated by the British. Husbands, fathers, sons, uncles and grandfathers, they all fought for one purpose: Freedom!

The news of the battle spread rapidly throughout the Colonies. It encouraged the militia in North Carolina and Virginia, and greatly demoralized the Tories throughout the South and re-energized a demoralized Continental Congress in the war for independence. (The Colonial forces had lost most of its battles with the British before Kings Mountain) The Battle of King's Mountain was a major turning point in the American Revolution. According to British General Sir Henry Clinton, Kings Mountain was to the British “the first link in a chain of evils that ended in the total loss of America.” Forty-two years later, Thomas Jefferson recalled that battle as “the joyful annunciation of that turn of the tide of success which terminated the Revolutionary War.” Washington's Continental Army had been fighting valiantly for five-and-a-half years though without decisive effect; yet, only one year and 12 days after the Battle of Kings Mountain, General Cornwallis surrendered his British Army to General Washington at Yorktown. The American Revolution would soon be over and a new nation would be born.
 
Erected by Veterans Park Memorial Foundation.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Revolutionary. A significant historical date for this entry is October 7, 1780.
 
Location. 36° 42.265′ N, 81° 58.514′ W. Marker is in Abingdon, Virginia, in Washington County. Marker can be reached from Lt Billy Webb Avenue, 0.1 miles north of Cook Street. Marker is in Veterans Memorial Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 425 Lt Billy Webb Ave, Abingdon VA 24210, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Spirit of 1776 (here, next to this marker); Pvt. Michael Widener (a few steps from this marker); Purple Heart (a few steps from this marker); Liberty-Peace Tree (within shouting distance of this marker); Lewis & Clark Expedition (within shouting distance of this marker); War of 1812 (within shouting distance of this marker); Star-Spangled Banner (within shouting distance of this marker); Washington County Iraq Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Abingdon.
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 10, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 117 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos:   1. submitted on November 10, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.   2. submitted on November 14, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.

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Mar. 28, 2024