the 18th following, Colonel McDowell
disbanded, for a time, his little army, and he himself retreated over
the mountains.

This was a dark and doleful period of American history. The British
flag floated in triumph over Charleston and Savannah. The troops of
Lord Cornwallis, with all the pomp and circumstance of glory, advanced
from the battle-field of Camden to Charlotte, with the fond
expectation of soon placing North Carolina under his subjection. Many
of the brave had despaired of final success, and the timid, and some
of the wealthy, to save their property, had taken "protection" under
the enemy. Colonel Ferguson, with chosen troops, was ravaging the
whole western portion of upper South Carolina, subduing in his
progress to western North Carolina, all opponents of English power,
and encouraging, by bribes and artifice, others to join the royal
standard.

Under all these discouraging circumstances the brave "Mountain Boys,"
and other kindred spirits of the west never despaired. On the mountain
heights of North Carolina, and in her secure retreats, like Warsaw's
"last champion," stood the stalwart soldiers of that day:

"Oh Heaven! they said, our bleeding country save!
Is there no hand on high to shield the brave?
What though destruction sweep these lovely plains!--
Rise, fellow-men! our country yet remains;
By that dread name, we wave the sword on high,
And swear for her to live! for her to die!"

If the sky was then gloomy, a storm was gathering in these mountain
retreats which was soon to descend in all its fury on the heads of the
enemies of our country. In a short time afterward the battle of King's
Mountain was fought and won by the patriots, which spread a thrill of
joy throughout the land.

Colonel Charles McDowell was elected the first Senator to the State
Legislature from Burke county in 1778, and successively from 1782 to
1790. From 1791 to 1795, he was succeeded in the same position by his
brother, Major Joseph McDowell. About this period, at three or four
different times, all three of the members of the Assembly to which the
county was entitled were of this family, which proved their great
popularity and worth. Major Joseph McDowell also served as a member of
Congress from 1793 to 1795, and from 1797 to 1799. He lived on John's
river, and died there. His family returned to Virginia, where some of
his descendants may still be found. One of his sons, Hugh Harvey,
sett