Overview of the campaign at the battle of King's Mountain 1780 Essay

Overview of the campaign at the battle of King's Mountain 1780 - Essay Example Ferguson sent a warning to the frontiersmen: if they did not â€Å"desist from their opposition to the British army, and take protection under his standard, he would  march his army over the mountains, hang their leaders, and lay their country waste with fire and sword†1. The patriots responded by gathering a force of about 1,400 militiamen, with no formal military training, belonging to ten counties. Under the command of Col. William Campbell,  of Washington County, Virginia, the Overmountain Men pursued Ferguson’s forces to King’s Mountain on the afternoon of 7 October. The patriots divided forces into four columns, encircled the mountain and attacked the defensive position of the Loyalist forces on the exposed, rocky ridge. Using their skill in sharpshooting and moving under cover, learned in the frontiers wars, the patriots overwhelmed Fergusons’s forces and decisively won the battle in a little over one hour of combat. Accepted figures give the casualties as 225 Loyalists killed, 163 wounded and 716 captured, while only 28 Patriots were killed, including Colonel James Williams, and 68 wounded.  The Battle of King’s Mountain was a turning point in the Revolutionary War. Cornwallis retreated from Charlotte, North Carolina and was forced on the defensive. The patriots gained time to recoup and went on to win the