Captain John Sevier | Kings Mountain

After the patriot's victory at the Battle of Camden, under the direction of Major Patrick Ferguson, British Provincials and Loyalist solders were sent to suppress Patriot activity in the mountains. Ferguson sent the Overmountain men a bold warning.

Captain John Sevier along with Colonel Isaac Shelby decided to combine their militia men and go after Ferguson at Kings Mountain.

"This force consisted of 240 Washington County militia commanded by Sevier, 240 Sullivan County militia commanded by Shelby, and 400 Virginians commanded by William Campbell." --- Wikipedia, Accessed February 17, 2017.

On October 7, 1780, almost a thousand patriots surrounded Ferguson and his army. A hail of patriot bullets hit Ferguson as he tried to break through Sevier's battle line. The Loyalist soldiers eventually surrendered.

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IMAGE CREDIT: The portrait of Captain John Sevier was painted by Thomas Kelly Pauley.

Standards

• 4-3 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the conflict between the American colonies and England.
  • Revolutions result from resistance to conditions that are perceived as unfair by the people who are demanding change. The changes brought about by revolution can be both positive and negative. To understand the results of the conflict between the Amer...
    • 4-3.3 Summarize the importance of the key battles of the Revolutionary War and the reasons for American victories including Lexington and Concord, Bunker (Breed’s) Hill, Charleston, Saratoga, Cowpens, and Yorktown.
• 8-2 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the causes of the American Revolution and the beginnings of the new nation, with an emphasis on South Carolina’s role in the development of that nation.
  • The events surrounding the American Revolution transformed British colonists into American citizens. To understand South Carolina’s pivotal role in this process, the student will utilize the knowledge and skills set forth in the following indica...
    • 8-2.1 Explain the political and economic consequences of the French and Indian War on the relationship of the South Carolina colonists with Native Americans and England.