THE BATTLES OF RAMSOUR'S MILL
AND CAMDEN COURT HOUSE.
A. D. 1750.
When the great disaster at Charleston became known to the North
Carolina Tories, and they fully realized that British troops were
close at hand, the spirit that had seemed crushed at Moore's
Creek began to revive. They had suffered indignities from the
Whigs on account of their support of the King, and they now
determined on swift and bloody revenge.
2. John Moore, who was Lieutenant-Colonel in Hamilton's Regiment,
returned to his former residence in Lincoln county and assembled,
early in June, thirteen hundred Royalists at Ramsour's Mill.
General Rutherford, hearing of this in his camp near the Waxhaws,
thought it impolitic to leave that position because of a
threatened movement of the British then in his front. He
therefore sent orders to Colonel Francis Locke, of Rowan, to
assemble his militia and at once attack the Tories.
3. No command was ever more promptly or bravely obeyed. Locke
mustered four hundred of his neighbors and went through the
darkness of the night in search of foes outnumbering him
threefold. At early dawn on the 20th, with mounted men in front,
he charged boldly upon the Tory camp that was pitched near
Ramsour's Mill, in sight of the present village of Lincolnton.
The Royalists fled at the first charge, but rallied on a hill and
checked the horsemen in pursuit. The Whigs on foot came to the
rescue and drove the Royalists routed from the field.
4. This brilliant victory was all-important at that fearful
juncture. It was a bloody and heroic affair; and was a timely
foretaste of the spirit of the brave men of the west. It was a
struggle between neighbors and old friends, and carried
bitterness and sorrow to many North Carolina firesides.
5. Major Davie, with his small command, commenced a series of
daring adventures, which gave him great reputation for bravery
and military skill. At Flat Rock, and also at Hanging Rock, in
South Carolina, he inflicted such stunning blows, that Tarleton's
Legion learned to be very cautious of a foe so daring and so
wary. Colonel Isaac Shelby also distinguished himself at
Musgrove's Mill.
6. Thus the militia of North Carolina assumed the defence of
their homes and inflicted such frequent and telling blows upon
the enemy that Lord Cornwallis halted at Camden to receive
further reinforcements before venturing to enter a State whose
undrilled citizen-soldiers had shown themselves so formidable.
7. Upon the fall of Charleston, General Horatio Gates had been
put in command in the South, in place of General Lincoln. His
success at Saratoga had given him great popularity, and some
misguided men were advocating his advancement even to the place
of General Washington. A short time exposed the folly of all
such views. He was, at best, but a martinet, who had learned
something of military routine in the camps, but was as devoid of
real ability as he was vain and rash.
8. He came to Deep River on July 25th, where in camp he found one
Delaware and two Maryland battalions of Continentals, Colonel
Armand's light-horse and three companies of artillery, under the
command of the Baron DeKalb. Learning that General Caswell had a
considerable militia force at Cheraw, in South Carolina, he
started, two days later, for the neighborhood of Lord Cornwallis
and his army at Camden.
9. He reached Cheraw with some additional troops that had joined
him on the march. On August 15th, taking a large portion of
Caswell's militia, he set out with the purpose of surprising
Cornwallis. Colonel Armand was marching in front, when, at
midnight, his dragoons recoiled from an unexpected meeting with
the British vanguard. The collision was unexpected on both
sides, and threw General Gates's column into disorder.
10. His officers vainly besought him to retreat, as the veteran
forces of the enemy had not been surprised. Both sides halted
and prepared for battle. At dawn Lord Cornwallis sent his
regulars with fixed bayonets to attack the militia on the right,
and these untrained troops, unable to withstand so fierce an
onset from regular veteran soldiers, abandoned the field.
11. Colonel Henry Dickson held his regiment of North Carolina
militia firmly to the front, and with the Continental, or regular
troops, they offered a stubborn and gallant defence, but the
flight of so many made it necessary to withdraw the few who thus
gallantly stood their ground.
12. The American defeat was complete. Two thousand men were
killed, wounded and captured. All the stores and transportation
were utterly lost. General Gates fled early in the action, and
spurred on, without stopping, to Hillsboro, in this State. His
defeat nearly ruined the American cause in the South, and his
reputation as a military leader received a severe blow.
[NOTE--The capture of General Griffith Rutherford at Camden was
one of the most deplorable incidents of the disaster. His
courage, military ability and influence among his people made him
invaluable to the American cause.]
QUESTIONS.
1. What was the feeling of the Tories in North Carolina after the
disaster at Charleston?
2. Where were the Tories assembling? Who was sent to attack them?
3. Describe the attack. What was the result?
4. In what respect was this an important victory?
5. Mention some of Major Davie's exploits.
6. How did these engagements affect Cornwallis?
7. Who was put in command of the Southern forces? What kind of
man was General Gates?
8. What was his first military movement?
9. What occurred on August 15th, 1780?
10. How did the engagement result?
11. What was said of Colonel Dickson and his regiment?
12. What was the termination of this affair? How did General
Gates act?