nistration, terminating with cold-blooded murders
at the battle of Alamance in 1771, caused the General Assembly in 1779
to blot out his odious name and divide the territory into Lincoln and
Rutherford counties. These names were imposed during the Revolution
when both of the honored heroes were fighting the battles of their
country.

Lincoln county, separated from Mecklenburg by the noble Catawba river,
has a Revolutionary record of peculiar interest. In June, 1780, the
battle of Ramsour's Mill was fought, which greatly enlivened the
Whigs, and, in a corresponding degree, weakened the Tory influence
throughout the surrounding country. In January, 1781, Lord Cornwallis,
with a large invading army, passed through the county and camped for
three days on the Ramsour battle-ground. General O'Hara, one of his
chief officers, camped at the "Reep place," about two miles and a half
west of Ramsour's Mill. Tarleton, with his cavalry, crossed the South
Fork, in "Cobb's bottom," and passed over the ridge on which
Lincolnton now stands (before the place had a "local habitation and a
name,") in approaching his lordship's headquarters. Although Lincoln
county contained many who were misled through the artful influence of
designing men, and fought on the _wrong side_, yet, within her borders
were found a gallant band of unflinching patriots, both of German and
Scotch-Irish descent, who acted nobly throughout the struggle for
independence, and "made their mark" victoriously at Ramsour's Mill,
King's Mountain, the Cowpens, and at other places in North and South
Carolina.

Lincoln county, as Tryon, sent to the first popular Convention, which
met at Newbern, on the 25th of August, 1774, Robert Alexander and
David Jenkins. To Hillsboro, August 21st, 1775, John Walker, Robert
Alexander, Joseph Hardin, William Graham, Frederick Hambright and
William Alston. To Halifax, April 4th, 1776, James Johnston and
Charles McLean. To the same place, November 12th, 1776, (which body
formed the first State Constitution,) Joseph Hardin, William Graham,
Robert Abernathy, William Alston and John Barber. Several of these
names will be noticed in the subsequent sketches.

BATTLE OF RAMSOUR'S MILL.

The unsuccessful attempt made by General Lincoln to take Savannah, and
the subsequent capture of the army under his command at Charleston,
induced Sir Henry Clinton to regard the States of South Carolina and
Georgia as subdued and restored to the British Crown.