He instantly deployed his men, posted
them behind trees, and returned the fire with deadly effect. Ferguson,
rushed out with his regulars, made an impetuous charge with the
bayonet, and dislodging his assailants from their coverts, began to
drive them down the mountain, they not having a bayonet among them. He
had not proceeded far, when a flanking fire was opened by one of the
other divisions; facing about and attacking this he was again
successful, when a third fire was opened from another quarter. Thus,
as fast as one division gave way before the bayonet, another came to
its relief; while those who had given way rallied and returned to the
charge. Ferguson found that he was completely in the hunter's toils,
beset on every side; but he stood bravely at bay, until the ground
around him was strewed with the killed and wounded, picked off by the
fatal rifle. His men were at length broken, and retreated in confusion
along the ridge. He galloped from place to place endeavoring to rally
them, when a rifle ball brought him to the ground, and his white horse
was seen careering down the mountain without a rider.

This closed the bloody fight; for Ferguson's second in command, seeing
all further resistance hopeless, hoisted a white flag, beat a parley
and sued for quarters. One hundred and fifty of the enemy had fallen,
and as many been wounded; while of the Americans, but twenty were
killed, though a considerable number were wounded. Among those slain
was Colonel James Williams, who had commanded the troops of
Ninety-Six, and proved himself one of the most daring of the partisan
leaders. Eight hundred and ten men were taken prisoners, one hundred
of whom were regulars, the rest royalists. The rancor awakened by
civil war was shown in the treatment of some of the prisoners. A
court-martial was held the day after the battle, and a number of tory
prisoners who had been bitter in their hostility to the American
cause, and flagitious in their persecution of their countrymen, were
hanged. This was to revenge the death of American prisoners hanged at
Camden and elsewhere.

The army of mountaineers and frontier men, thus fortuitously
congregated, did not attempt to follow up their signal blow. They had
no general scheme, no plan of campaign; it was the spontaneous rising
of the sons of the soil, to revenge it on its invaders, and, having
effected their purpose, they returned in triumph to their homes. They
were little aware of the