rough that section of country. At this time,
hearing that Ferguson was coming on with a strong force, it was deemed
advisable to retreat and cross the Catawba at Tuckaseege Ford. Col.
Graham then marched with his forces to that place, and there met some
other troops from South Carolina, under Col. Williams, retreating
before Cornwallis, whose army had just reached Charlotte. The two
forces then united under Col. Williams and marched up the west side of
the Catawba river, and thence across the country in a circuitous
direction towards South Carolina in the rear of Ferguson, and thus
were enabled to fall in with the "over mountain" troops under
Campbell, Shelby, Cleaveland, Sevier, and others, at the Cowpens,
afterwards rendered famous by the battle fought there. The officers
having agreed upon the plan of operations, a select portion of the
combined forces marched rapidly in pursuit of Ferguson, and found him
encamped on King's Mountain on the 7th of October, 1780. The action
immediately commenced, and resulted in one of the most decisive
victories gained during the Revolutionary struggle, and constitutes
the _turning point_ of final triumph in the cause of American freedom.
Soon after the battle, Major Forney and Capt. James Johnston were
appointed to number the dead on the British side. They soon found
Ferguson at the foot of the hill, dead, and covered with blood. His
horse having been shot from under him, he continued to advance, sword
in hand, cheering on his men by word and example, until five or six
balls pierced his body and sealed his fate. Major Forney often stated
he picked up Ferguson's sword, intending to keep it as a trophy, but
some subordinate officer getting hold of it, made off with it, and
thus deprived him of his prize. An incident connected with the closing
scenes of this memorable battle is here worthy of being recorded:

As Major Forney was surveying the prisoners, through the guard
surrounding them, he spied one of his neighbors, who only a short time
before the battle had been acting with the Whigs, but had been
persuaded by some of his Tory acquaintances to join the king's troops.
Upon seeing him Major Forney exclaimed, "is that you, Simon?" The
reply quickly came back, "Yes, it is, Abram, and I beg you to get me
out of this _bull pen_; if you do, I will promise never to be caught
in such a scrape again." Accordingly, when it was made to appear on
the day of trial that he had been unfortunately