Bockstruck, Lloyd. Virginia's Colonial Soldiers, Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1988.Amelia County
24 Sep. 1761 William Fitzgerald, Capt.
Augusta County
15 Aug. 1753 John Denton, Lt. of Foot; John Denton, Jr. Ens. of Foot; James Boreland, Lt. of Foot
20 Nov. 1755 George Wilson, Capt. of Horse; John Graham, Lt. of Foot; James Lockridge, Lt. of Foot; Andrew Foster, Ens. of Foot; Alexander (--?--), Lt. of Foot; Thomas Armstrong, Capt. of Foot.
16 Aug. 1759 Samuel McDowell, Capt.; James mcDowell, Lt.; John Lyle, Ens.; Francis Kirkley, Capt. of Foot
21 Sept. 1763 James McDowell, Capt.; Robert Curry, Ens.
2 Jan. 1772 William Gilmer, certificate from Capt. Samuel McDowell for provisions for militia of Augusta and Botetourt Counties; William Sharp, for service; Thomas Drinnen, for service; Charles Lewis, for service
Bedford County
26 May 1767 Richard Doggett, Capt.
Boutetourt County
8 May 1770 William Herbert, Capt.
Culpeper County
19 May 1763 William Russell, Capt. of Foot
Fauquier County
28 July 1767 Charles Morehead, Capt.; John Chilton, Lt.
2 Nov. 1757 William Morgan, Lt.; Archibald Ruddle, Lt.
10 May 1771 Daniel Morgan, Capt.
Northumberland County
9 July 1759 Presly Thornton, Lt. Col.
14 June 1773 Peter P. Thornton, Lt. Col.; Pemberton Cloughton, Lt.; Peter Cox, Lt.
Orange County
26 Feb. 1741/2 George Doggett, Lt.; Richard Winslow Capt.
26 Aug. 1742 Peter Sholl, Capt.; John Wilson, Capt.; John McDowell, Capt.; Hugh Thomson, Capt.; George Robinson, Capt.; James Gill, Capt.; Christopher Zimmerman, Lt.; Robert Scott, Lt.; George Scott, Ens.; William Anderson, Ens.; Robert Eastham, Capt.; Charles Dewitt, Lt.; Benjamin Roberts, Lt.; Samuel Ferguson, Ens.; William Duncan, Ens.
25 June 1772 Charles Bruce, Capt.
King George's War 1739-1748, expedition against Canada
William Draper, drummer listed on returns for 25 Oct. 1746 - 24 Dec. 1746; 24 Feb. 1747 - 24 Apr. 1747; 25 June 1747 - 24 Aug. 1747; 25 Aug. 1747 - 24 Oct. 1747; 25 Oct. 1746 - 24 Nov. 1747
French & Indian War 1754-1763
George Washington constructed Ft. Pitt (at present day Pittsburgh, PA) on orders of Gov. Robert Dinwiddie. In 1760 the Cherokees began their own war against Virginia and peace did not materialize until 1762.
Pay roll of Capt. Christopher Gist's Company, July 1756
Samuel Wilson, Aquilla Wilson
Pay roll of Capt. Robert McKenzie's Company, July 1756
James Robertson, Sgt.
Size Roll of Capt. Mercer's Company, 2 Aug. 1756
Samuel Stripling, 4 Dec. 1754, Caroline Co., age 33, 5'6" carpenter, Virginia, fair complexion, fair hair, stoops much in the shoulders.
John Morgan, 20 May 1756, Caroline Co., age 22, 5'4", planter, Virginia, brown, low, well set, a stoppage in his speech.
James Fitzgerald, 17 Aug. 1755, Stafford Co., age 24, 5'7", carpenter, Ireland, black complexion, likely well made man, talks much on the brogue
Receipts from Capt. Robert McKenzie's Company, August 1756
James Robertson, Sgt.
Payroll Receipts for Capt. Robert Stewart's Company, August 1756
Thomas Shepperd
Payroll of Capt. George Mercer's Company, Oct. 1756
James Stribling
Payroll of Capt. Robert Stewart's Company, November 1756
Thomas Shepperd
Size Roll of Col. George Washington, 28 Aug. 1757
Jeremiah Wilson, Nov. 1756, Augusta Co., age 30, 5'9", planter, England, ruddy, broad face, dark hair, well made.
James Fitzgerald, Aug. 1756, Frederick Co., age 26, 5'9", weaver, Ireland, dark complexion, black hair, pitted a little with the small pox, well made.
William Fitzgerald, Dec. 1756, Augusta Co., age 28, 5'8", planter, Ireland, brown complexion, dark hair, thick clumsy made
Size Roll of Capt. Thomas Waggener's Company at Fort Holland in the South Branch, August. 1757
Bibby Brooks, Essex Co., age 22, 5'6", brown, Virginia, planter, Sgt.
Necessary roll of Capt. Thomas Waggener's Company on the South Branch for Sept. 1757
William Robertson
Return for Month of Sept. 1757 of the Virginia Regiment, Fort Loudon, 1 Oct. 1757.
Col. George Washington's company: Solomon Long, deserted 6 Sept.; William Fitzgerald and John Crookbane, joined 27 Sept.
Capt. John Tipton's Roll
John Tipton, Capt., Francis McFall, Sgt.; William Artrip, Sgt.; Nathias McGlamary, Sgt.; Joseph Hopkins, Joseph Denton, deserted; Thomas Denton; William Slaughter; John Hunt; Jonas Denton
Lt. Sigismund Stribling's Roll
Sigismund Stribling, Lt.
Capt. Michael Cresap, Sr.'s Roll
William Ogle
Capt. George McCullough's Roll
Joseph Ogle, Lt., William Cloyd, Edward Robertson, Edward Robertson, Jr.
Major John Connolly's Roll
James McDowell, Jacob Groove
Major John Connolly's & Capt. George Astor Rolls
Robert McDowell, James McDowell
Public Service Claims to be satisfied by the Colony of Virginia
Sigismund Stribling, Lt.
Public Service Claims of West Augusta
John Robertson
Service Records of Participants in Dunmore's War
Men on duty mentioned in letter of Capt. James Robertson, 15 Sept. 1774
Michael Clay, 51 days; Zekiel Clay 51 days; David Clay 51 days; Richard Blankenship 44 days; James Willson 51 days; Samuel Campbell 51 days; Joshua Inglis 51 days; Andrew Woods 51 days; Frances Farler 25 days; Henry Atkins 4 days.
List of Capt. William Nalle's Company of Volunteers from Augusta County, 10 Sept. 1774
John Breden
List of killed or wounded
Capt. Samuel Wilson, killed
List of Capt. Henry Pauling's Company
Thomas Wilson
Claims from Prince William County, troopers for 66 days service each - John Cornwell
On 4 May 1758 the lieutenant of the Prince William County militia was ordered to send 100 militia under the command of two captains to garrison Fort Loudoun at Winchester and to continue there until 20th December. John Robertson and Charles Cornwell deserted and never returned.
Petition of Richard Doggett who in 1762 enlisted 13 recruits for the Virginia Regiment. He paid the bounty and subsisted them until he delivered them to Capt. John Blagg of said regiment. Three deserted before they were received by the commanding officer. He had never had returned to him their bounty and subsistence of £37.10.0 27 Nov. 1764.
The petition of Richard Dogget rejected since he enlisted recruits under an agreement with Capt. John Blagg of the Virginia Regiment without any warrant or orders from the Governor. 28 Nov. 1764.
Abraham Denton served 14 days with 22 privates on an emergent occasion without full pay complement. He out to be allowed the pay of a captain. 15 Dec. 1766.
Petition of Richard Doggett who in 1762 enlisted 16 men, 3 of whom deserted before the place of rendezvous. He paid all their bounty and found subsistence for them for 29 days. 20 March 1767
Petition of Richard Doggett who in 1762 recruited and passed 13 soldiers with Col. Lewis and not being able to attend the army, the bounty of two was omitted. 23 March 1767
The claim of James McDowell for his pay as a captain and for provisions furnished in 1755 rejected. 25 March 1767
Richard Doggett allowed £50.7.0 for paying bounty for 4 soldiers and finding subsistence for 3 soldiers. 26 March 1767
Petition of Halbert McClure who in October 1759 was under Capt. James McDowell in pursuit of the Indians who murdered inhabitants of Carr's Creek. In a night engagement with enemy and in the confusion he was shot through the ankle from the rear.
Petition of William Shepherd who was wounded in the left shoulder and arm in the Battle of Point Pleasant on 10 October 1774. 6 June 1775.
The following entries are taken from William Waller Hening's collection of the laws of Virginia. During the French & Indian War, the House of Burgesses passed an act for the defense of the frontier of the colony on 14 September 1758. The soldiers mentioned in the schedule attached to this act appear below.
Augusta County
James McDowell, Lt, £1.17.0; Samuel McDowell, James Cloyd £9.16.0
The following are militia lists for the counties and dates indicated.
King & Queen County, ca. 1701/2 - James Taylor, Capt.
Stafford County, ca. 1701/2 - Moses Linton, cornet
Captain Thomas Harrison's Foot Company - Moses Linton, Ensign
Company of Horse Troops - Joel Striblin
Westmoreland County, ca. 1701/2 - John Bushrod, Captain
Among the Draper Manuscripts are various militia rosters and military references pertaining to service on the frontier. Below are those relating to the Shenandoah Valley, most notably Augusta County, and its environs.
Capt. William Preston's Pay Receipts
Ranger pay and enlistment money for Samuel Pugh 17 Nov. 1756; pay as corporal and enlistment money for Robert Elliot, enlisted 17 Nov. 1756; David Robinson pay as 2nd Lt. 5 Nov. 1756, £26.6.2; pay of William Davies as a Sgt. from 1 Feb. until 26 June 1756, received by David Robinson 18 Dec. 1756; pay of George Gear as a ranger, received by David Robinson 18 Dec. 1756; enlistment money and pay until discharge for James Askew enlisted 1 Feb. 1756.
Miscellaneous Records
James McDowell is entitled to 2,000 acres. Warrant dated 29 March 1774 by Lord Dunmore
Tobacco paid to rangers at the heads of the rivers as reported by William Byrd, Auditor, 13 Jan. 1691/2. - Lt. John Taliaferro, 8 months service, 3600 lbs. of tobacco.
Militia Officers, Stafford Co., 8 June 1692 - Ensign Joell Stribling
Abstract of the militia within the several counties of Virginia as they were returned by the respective officers in 1698 - Essex County, Capt. John Taliafero, 48 men
Rangers and Officers, 9 April 1753, Essex Co. - Richard Tyler, Capt. of 59 men
Rappahannock Co., Richard Stokes and his horse were impressed by Col. John Stone for 9 days service, 2 April 1684. Others included: Richard Tayler, 9 days.
Reference to Colonial War Service in the Revolutionary War Pensions Granted by the state of Virginia - William Shepherd, soldier in Greenbrier militia; wounded at Point Pleasant in 1774; aged about 32 on 11 Jan. 1787; Mercer Co., KY #381.
Bounty Land Applications 1779 & 1780 for service in the French & Indian War.
Botetourt County
James Robinson, Sr., was a sergeant in Capt. Peter Hogg's Compnay of Rangers in 1758, granted 11 Nov. 1779.
David Robinson was a lieutenant in a company under Col. William Preston from July 1755 to 25 June 1756 when disbanded; he was also a lieutenant in a company of rangers under Capt. Dickenson from 1757 to May 1759, application 13 Apr. 1780.
Caroline County
Bibby Brooks was a soldier until discharged in 1758. He has since died, and his eldest son Humphrey Brooks is his heir, application 9 March 1780.
Ohio County
James Parkes was an artificer in 1760, granted 6 March 1780
James Park was a sergeant in regular service in 1763, application 3 April 1780
Orange County
Thomas Fitzgerrall was a soldier in Col. Byrd's Regiment in 1758, application 23 Sept. 1779.
Bounty Land Warrants - men serving in the French & Indian War were entitled to bounty land. A field officer received 5,000 acres, a caption 3,000, a subaltern / staff officer 2,000, a non-commissioned officer 200 and a private 50 acres. County militia units were excluded. The Proclamation of 1763 prevented the veterans from receiving land across the mountains. In May 1779 the Virginia Legislature gave veterans one year to make a claim and receive their bounty lands.
Warrant to Francis Tyler who served as a lieutenant in a ranging company on an expedition against the Ohio Indians; certified by Andrew Lewis, Aug. 1779, Stafford County.
Warrant for 200 acres issued to James Robinson, sergeant in Capt. Hogg's Company of Rangers in 1758. 11 Nov. 1779 Botetourt County.
Warrant for 2,000 acres issued to Col. James Robertson, a subaltern in a company of enlisted men on the frontier of Augusta until the fall of 1764 under different captain under the command of Col. Andrew Lewis. April 1780 Montgomery County.
Warrant for 2,000 acres issued to William Robinson, Lieutenant in the Company under Capt. Alexander Sayers and Col. Andrew Lewis from July 1763 until the following march on the frontiers of Augusta. April 1780 Montgomery County.
Warrant for 2,000 acres issued to Col. David Robinson, Lieutenant of a Company under Capt. Alexander Sayers from July 1763 to March 1764 under Col. Andrew Lewis. April 1780 Montgomery County.
Warrant for 200 acres issued to Jamse Fitzgerral, a sergeant in one of the Virginia Regiments under Col. William Byrd in 1759 and 1760. Feb. 1780 Amherst County
Court Martials - Augusta County
15 Sept. 1742 the return of Capt. John McDowel's delinquents - James McDowel, Ephraim McDowel
14 Sep. 1743 - Ephraim McDowel exempted from service due to age
3 Sep. 1746 - James McDowel fined for not appearing at 1 private muster under the command of Capt. Borden; Hugh McDowel fined for not appearing at a general muster
List of Capt. Allen's company 10 Aug. 1756, Augusta Co. - Matthew Robertson
25 Sep. 1760 - Capt. Samuel McDowell fined for not being equipped at last general muster; Lt. James McDowell fined for not being equipped at 1 general muster.
30 Oct. 1761 - Michael Goodnight fined for absence from 1 muster; fine of Lt. James McDowell remitted
23 Oct. 1762 - James Robinson fined for refusing to act as corporal in Capt. McDowell's company; Matthew Robertson summoned to appear at next court martial to show why he should not be fined for not appearing at 1 muster 1 Jan. 1762; Matthew Robertson & James Robertson for the same being absent at muster 9 Oct. 1762; Michael Goodnight's fine laid last year confirmed.
11 April 1766 - Matthew Robinson and Thomas Robinson fined for not appearing at 1 private muster March 25 and 1 general muster 10 April
17 April 1767 - Matthew Robinson & Thomas Robinson had fines confirmed for not appearing at 1 private and 1 general muster; John Breedin to appear at next court to show why he did not appear at a private muster 11 April 1767
List of Capt. James Cloyd delinquets
16 April 1768 - Capt. Samuel McDowell to appear at next court to show why he did not attend the general muster of 15 April 1768 with his company.
19 April 1769 - Capt. Samuel McDowell to appear at next court to show why he did not appear at a genearl muster in 1768; Capt. James McDowell and his company excused for not appearing at a general muster 1768.
9 April 1771 - Capt. Samuel McDowell acquitted for not appearing at the general muster in 1768 and the others of his company that were to be summoned to this court martial and were not summoned by the sheriff are to be summoned to the next court. David Robinson on Capt. Abraham Burd's delinquent list.
Crozier, William. Virginia Colonial Militia, 1651-1776, Baltimore, MD: Southern Book Company, 1954.
Fendrick, Virginia. American Revolutionary Soldiers of Franklin County Pennsylvania, Franklin County Daughters of American Revolution, nd.
Gormley, Myra. "Tracking Your War of 1812 Ancestors," unidentified magazine.
War of 1812 began on June 18 and lasted two and a half years. When war broke out, America's population was approximately 7.7 million. It is estimated that one in every 27 people were involved in the conflict. There were more than 280,000 soldiers, as well as suppliers to the military and privateers.
Most of the records are at the National Archives in Washington, DC. The bounty land grants and pension records have the most genealogical information.
Service could be Regular Army, Navy or Marines; volunteer US Army or state or territorial militias.
Index to Compiled Service records of Volunteer Soldiers Who Served During the War of 1812.
Index to Service Records of War of 1812 Soldiers.
Index to Service Records of War of 1812 Soldiers Who Served from Louisiana, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Index to War of 1812 Pension Records
Check archives in states that existed between 1812 and 1815: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Illinois Territory, Michigan Territory, Mississippi Territory and Missouri Territory.
Congress passed bounty-land laws to induce men to join the military. The laws provided that every non-commissioned office, soldier, seaman or marine would receive 160 acres upon his honorable discharge from service. If killed, his right of bounty went to his heirs. Congress increased the bounties from 160 to 320 acres.
Until 1842 bounty lands were located in Missouri, Illinois and Arkansas. After 1842 government land in any state or territory could be obtained.
Hamilton, Emory. "Frontier Forts of Southwest Virginia," Historical Sketches of Southwest Virginia, No. 4, 1968.
Fort Preston, Fort Christian, Moore's Fort, Blackmore's Fort, Elk Garden Fort, Witten's Fort, Maiden Springs Station, Big Crab Orchard Fort, Daniel Smith's Fort, New Garden Station, Tate's Fort, Rye Cove Fort, Carter's Fort, Houston's Fort, Rocky Station, Martin's Stations, Mump's Fort, Priest's Fort, Owen's Fort, Yokum's Fort, Gibson's Station, Davidson's Garrison, Richlands Station, Dump's Creek Station, Guest Station, Fort Patrick Henry, Anderson Blockhouse, Harrison's Fort, Vance's Station, Benham's Fort, William Wynn's Fort, Scott County Fort Houses, Duncan's Fort, Porter's Fort, Dorton's Fort, Scott's Fort, Chadwell's Station
Haun, Weynette. North Carolina Revolutionary Army Accounts Secretary of State Treasurer's & Comptroller's Papers Journal A (Public Accounts), 1775-1776, Durham, NC: W.P. Haun, 1988.
38. Colo. William Bryan of Johnston County . . . cr.
7. By his services as Lieut. Colo. on an Expedo. against the Insurgents 25 Days 10/ £12.10.--
By William Gurley, Corporal, 25 days 3/ £3.15.--
Colo. Abraham Sheppard . . . cr.
By Amount brought forward £44.16.--; £131.2.4
By Edwards Gurley Sergt. 36 4/ £7.4.--
23. John Bradford Colo. of the Halifax Regiment of Militia Guards &c . . . Cr.
1776 March & April
By Nicholas Gurley, private 1 day
Haun, Weynette. North Carolina Revolutionary Army Accounts Secr3etary of State Treasurer's & Comptroller's Papers Vol. I, Vol. II, Part II, Durham, NC: W.P. Haun, nd
#3107 granted by Bruce & Bagge to Will. Gurley, 6 Sep. 1782, sum £1.8.--, interest £--.2.--, to what date 21 Oct. 1783, £1.10.-- principal and interest
#1237 granted by Hawks & Coor to Arthur Gurley, 31 Jan. 1782, sum £1.8.--, interest £--.2.10, to what date 25 Oct. 1783, £1.10.10 principal and interest
#1318 granted by Hawks & Coor to Arthur Gurley, 4 Feb. 1782, sum £3.12.--, interest £--.8.--, 25 Oct. 1783, £4.--.-- principal and interest
#146 granted by Hawks & Coor to Arthur Gurley, 3 Jun. 1782, sum £5.10.--, interest £--.9.--, to what time 25 Oct. 1783, £5.19.-- principal and interest.
#1300 granted by Coor & Hawks to Lazarus Gurley, 10 Jan. 1783, sum £20.5.--, interest £--.19.--, 25 Oct. 1783, £21.4.-- principal and interest
#395 granted by Green & Macon to Joel Parish, 30 Aug. 1781, sum £--.16.--, interest £--.2.--, to what time 25 Oct. 1783, £--.18.-- principal and interest
#1883 granted by Mebane & Nichols to Will Beasley, 10 Jun. 1783, sum £18.--.--, interest £--.7.10, to what time 27 Oct. 1783, £18.7.10 principal and interest
#292 granted by Bagge & Hunter to Joel Gurley, 15 Jun. 1782, sum £2.6.--, interest £--3.6 to what time 27 oct. 1783, £2.9.6 principal and interest
#2607 granted by Bagge & Hunter to Josa. Speer, 5 Sep. 1782, sum £9.4.--, interest £--.12.4 to what time 27 Oct. 1783, £9.16.4 principal and interest
Allowed Joseph Gurley for his pay as Soldier including interest to the first day of August 1783 £58.4.2
Allowed K?endred Spears for his pay as Soldier including interest to the first day of August 1783. 3 months & 8 days unsettled for £25.9.7
Haun, Weynette. North Carolina Revolutionary Army Accounts Secretary of State Treasurer's & Comptroller's Papers, Vol. III, Vol. IV, Part III, Durham, NC: W.P. Haun, nd
No. 6 Joseph Gurley, private, $145.47 charged, $145.47 balance paid & charged by the state, $132.60 balance actually found due
Haun, Weynette. North Carolina Revolutionary Army Accounts Secretary of State Treasurer's & Comptroller's Papers, Vol. V, Vol. VI, Part IV, Durham, NC: W.P. Haun, nd
Hillsborough Treasury Office
No. 12 Jeremiah Gurley, principal £3.12.--
No. 47 George Gurley, principal £2.5.--
No. 92 Henry Beasly £212.10.--
A list of certificates paid into the treasury for ____ of the Taxes of 1785 & 1786
No. 1693 G. Gurly £9.0.--, £2.0.6, £464.13.1
No. 3331 H. Speir, £36.11.4, £5.10.10
No. 3360 J. Speir, £6.4.--, £--.18.--
Certificates received for the year 1786.
No. 1911 J. Perry, £1.2.6, £--.4.--
No. 1936 G. Gurley, £13.10.--, £2.12.3
Haun, Weynette. North Carolina Revolutionary Army Accounts Secretary of State Treasurer's & Comptroller's Papers, Vol. VII and Warrenton Settlements, 1786, Part V, Durham, NC: W.P. Haun, nd
A list of certificates to be paid to the Comptroller for the Taxes of 1787 including those due for the years 1784, 1785 & 1786
#647 J. Speers, principal £2.17.6, interest £--.18.9
#683 J. Perry, principal £2.6.8, interest £--.15.7
A List of certificates to be paid to the Comptroller for the Taxes of 1787 including those due for the years 1784, 1785 & 1786
S. Porter, sheriff, Robinson Co.
#1684 J. Gurley, principal £43.13.1 1/2
#497 John Beasley, principal £6507.15.2, interest £1835.10.6
#9 Jacob Gurly, principal £1.8.--, interest £--.14.4
#21 Will Spier X £1.18.8
#60 Will Gurley £9.6.--
Certificates paid by the treasurer to the comptroller July 1790
Rec'd. of J.C. Pinder, sheriff of Wayne County
#320 John Durrell, principal £4.12.--, interest £1.15.5
Soldiers Cloathing from Kedar Powel, sheriff of Johnston County for 1781
#97 L. Gurley, £1.1.6
#104 J. Gurley, £--.12.0
#110 A. Gurley, £--.6.0
#123 J. Gurly, £--.16.0
#129 J. Gurley, £1.2.0
#143 L. Gurly, £--.8.0
#146 E. Gurley, £--.10.0
Register of the Settlements of Army Account at Warrenton in the Year 1786
No. 2377 Gurley, Ehhraim (sic), commencement of pay as admitted by the state 1 Jan. 1777, to what period paid by the state 28 Jan. 1788, Difference 36 months, 28 days, sums paid by the state Drs. 243, Difference Drs. 243, sums paid in cash or due bills Drs. 68, 98ths 67 1/2
Haun, Weynette. North Carolina Revolutionary Army Accounts (Secretary of State's Papers) Vol. IX, Part VII, Durham, NC: W.P. Haun, nd
Account of certificates delivered into the Treasurer's Office . . .
Isom Gurley, £--.13.4 principal
Hillsborough Treasury Office: A List of Specie and Currency Certificates received from the County Treasurers, Entry Takes, &c. 1785
By whom paid: Nathan Williams, sheriff of Johnston County
No. 2 John Gourley, £--.9.-- principal
No. 12 Lazarus Gurley, £--.5.-- principal
No. 13 Lewis Gurley, £--.7.-- principal
No. 40 Arthur Gurley, £--.19.-- principal
No. 44 Edward Gurley, £--.8.-- principal
No. 43 Lewis Gurley, £45.--.-- principal, £67.17.-- interest, £198.17.-- total
Haun, Weynette. North Carolina Revolutionary Army Accounts (Treasurer's & Comptroller's Papers), Vol. X, Part VIII
Specie Certificates paid by W. Skinner, Treas. Edentn District
No. 251 Lewis Gurley, £9.--.--
Haun, Weynette. North Carolina Revolutionary Army Accounts (Treasurer's & Comptroller's Papers) North Carolina Continental Line, 1776-1783, Part IX
Copy of a Register shewing the names alphabetically, rank, dates of Commissions and enlistment periods of service and occurrencies, taken from the original muster and pay rolls of the North Carolina Line of the late army of the United States.
2nd Regiment
Gurley, Simon, private, Vail's Company, enlisted 1777, died 6 May 1778
? regiment
Gurley, Joseph, private, Raiford's Company, enlisted 1781, 1 months, time out, 13 Sept. 1782 reenlisted for the War
Hay, Gertrude. Roster of Soldiers from North Carolina in the American Revolution, Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1967.
Pierce's Register - From Seventh Report of the National Society Daughters American Revolution. The general index of the register is preserved in MSS in the Library of Congress N.C. Certificates 89,501 to 91,938.
90303. Parry, John
Alphabetical List of Officers of the Continental Army by Heitman. Including many officers of the Militia during the war of the Revolution 1775 to 1783, showing the various ranks they held, how long they served, when and where wounded taken prisoners, exchanged, died, etc., and ll cases in which thanks, swords or medals were awarded by Congress.
Groves, William, 1st Lt. 5th NC April 16, 1776; Capt. Aug. 17, 1777; retired June 1, 1778 (name also spelled Graves).
Gurley, William, Capt. 8th NC Nov. 28, 1776 to . . .
Roster of the Continental Line from North Carolina. Reference: North Carolina State Records, Clark, Vol. XVI, 1782-1783. Copy of a Register showing the names alphabetically (in Regiments) rank, dates of commission and enlistment, periods of service, and occurrences, taken from the original muster and pay rolls of the North Carolina Line of the late Army of the United States.
3rd Regiment - Col. Jethro Sumner
Perry, Jerry, Pt, Easton's Company, Enlisted 29 Apr. 1776, Period of Service 2 1/2 years, Discharged 10 Nov. 1778, Corpl. from Feb. to June 1778
10th Regiment - Col. Abraham Shepard
Perry, Robt., Pt. Armstrong's Company, Enlistment 30 March 1781, Period of Service "W", mustered Jan. 1782
Perry, Jno., Pt. Yarboro's Company, Enlistment 1781, Period of Service 12 months, time out 17 May 1782
North Carolina Revolutionary Army Accounts. Vol. II Old Series, Vol. I, No. 6; Vol. II, No. 7-10. Book A.A. Vol. II Pages 1-44 Inclusive.
Note - Vol. I, North Carolina Army Accounts, Old Series Vol. I, Nos. 1-5. Paid by John Armstrong. (No remarks to tell the status or service of the person whose names are within the book, hence it is omitted from the Roster.)
Vol. II. Book A.A. - Pages 1-44 Inclusive
Jeremiah Perry, Soldier
Military Land Warrants Continental Line. (Part I) A list of warrants for lands granted the officers and soldiers in the continental line out of the secretary's office.
No. 557 Jeremiah Perry, Privt., 228 acres, 30 months service, land deeded to himself April 20, 1783.
Reference, Comptroller's Office. Vouchers in Box B-1 Follow.
Militia, William Gurley, No. 1295, Newbern District
Continental, Joseph Gurley, No. 151, Halifax District
Militia, Andrew Gurley, No. 545, Newbern District
Militia, Jeremiah Gurley, No. 155, Newbern District
Comptroller's Office Certificates, 1785
Militia, Mich'l. Gurley, No. 547, Newbern District
Militia, Matthew Gurley, No. 595, Newbern District
Militia, Andrew Gurley, No. 545, Newbern District
Militia, Jeremiah Gurley, No. 155, Newbern District
Militia, Jessie Gurley, No. 1169, Newbern District
Militia, Wm. Gurley, No. 1295, Newbern District
Militia, George Gurley, No. 2112, Newbern District
Militia, Abraham Perry, No. 4852, Wilmington District
Militia, William Perry, No. 65, Newbern District
Militia, Wavel Perry, No. 176, Newbern District
Militia, John Perry, No. 1230, Wilmington District
Militia, Robert Perry, No. 4784, Wilmington District
Militia, Hardy Perry, No. 1556, Newbern District
Militia, Demsey Perry, No. 509, Newbern District
Continental, Robert Perry, No. 1308, Halifax District
Continental, John Perry, No. 577, Hillsborough District
Continental, Isaac Perry, No. 116
Continental, Jeremiah Perry, Soldier, No. 209, Halifax District
Continental, Needum Perry, No. 935, Halifax District
Militia, John Durrill, No. 1099, Wilmington District
A List of the Volunteer & Drafted Men, Halifax Returns, Mch. 1779
William Gurley
Here returned by me Jas. Allen, Colo. Co.
Several of the above men taken for wagoners by the request of Col. Long; their names to (wit) William Barksdall, Isaac Aaron, John Garland, James Brewer, Vol. Garnor, Mark Browning, john Cane, John Martin.
Clark's state Records. Roll of Capt. John Ingle's Company, 2nd NC Battalion, commanded by Col. John Patton, Sept. 9, 1778. (Pages 509, 510, 511, Vol. XIII)
43. Jeremiah Perrey, enlisted April 29, 1776
Heitman, Francis. Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army During the War of the Revolution, Washington, DC: Rare Book Shop Publishing Company, 1914.
Clark, Fitzgerald, Hopkins, Taylor, Shepard, Beall, Brooks, Taliaferro, Arnold, Cloyd, Dove, Fitch, Galbreath, Groves, McDowell, Magruder, Porter, Robertson, Spear, Stout, Tipton, Wilson
Includes an alphabetical list of battles & actions and chronological list of battles & actions
Sanchez-Saavedra, E.M. A Guide to Virginia Military Organizations in the American Revolution, 1774-1787, Richmond, VA: Virginia State Library, 1978
The regiment was the basic unit in the Continental army, as it had been in the English army since Cromwell's time. As will be evident in the guide sections that follow, the term regiment was used interchangeably with battalion throughout the Revolution. In September 1776 Congress established the size of the Continental army at eighty-eight battalions, fifteen of which were assigned as Virginia's quota. The fifteen numbered units that Virginia actually sent into congressional service, however, were officially designated regiments. According to established British custom, a battalion was one-half of a regiment. Since most American regiments were chronically below the prescribed strength of 680 men, the use of the word was not inaccurate.
The basic units that composed a regiment were companies, each commanded by a captain. Ten companies, each of sixty-eight men, made up a full regiment. Generally, the captains recruited their own companies and were commissioned after raising a set quota of men, usually about twenty. Because of this procedure it is possible, if one knows the captain's county of residence to determine the area in which a given company was raised.
All the regiments or units from a given state were referred to collectively as that state's line, a term derived from the tactical line of battle which was still very much a part of eighteenth century warfare.
Virginia and several other states also raised individual state lines. These were made up of regular troops paid by the state governments for local defense, and they were distinct from the common militia. The 1st Virginia Continental Regiment and the 1st Virginia State Regiment were separate organizations, one paid by Congress and the other by the Virginia General Assembly.
In addition to their official names, many Virginia units also had unofficial designations and local nicknames. On muster rolls and in dispatches, for example, the 8th Virginia Continental Regiment also appears as "the German Regiment" and as "Muhlenburg's Regiment."
Assuming that the soldier kept his powder dry and his flints sharp, he could be expected fire his weapon from one to five times per minute under most weather conditions. In the line of battle, as well as on parade, regiments and companies were arranged according to the seniority of their commanders. Traditionally the right flank was the post of honor, and the eldest captain, who commanded the first company, was stationed on the right. A British custom, whereby the colonel, lieutenant colonel, and major each commanded a company, was adopted in the Virginia Continental Line after September 1778.
In the fall of 1774 small numbers of well-to-do young men throughout Virginia organized themselves into companies of "gentlemen independents," ostensibly to prepare for an attack by Shawnee Indians. By the time they procured weapons, uniforms and drill manuals, Andrew Lewis's militia regiments had defeated Chief Cornstalk at Point Pleasant and ended the immediate threat. After discovering the fun of being peacetime soldiers, however, the youths were loath to disband, so a few of the volunteers in Prince William and Norfolk counties remained mobilized.
The Independent Company of Prince William
(Independent Company of Cadets), 1774-1775
Captain William Grasyon, Captain Philip Richard Francis Lee
On November 11, 1774, an independent company of cadets was organized among the gentry of Prince William County. After adopting a uniform based on one designed by George Washington in the French and Indian War, they took the King's Regulations of 1764 (also presented by Washington) as their drill manual. Washington even assisted the officers in procuring their uniforms.
The Prince William company adopted the motto Aut Liber, Aut Nullus (Either Freedom or Nothing) and used it on their colors and drums. With some of the other independent companies, it took part in the abortive march on Williamsburg in April 1775 but turned back on Washington's orders.
The Virginia common militia was first organized under the authority of Governor Thomas Dale's famous martial laws, imposed on the struggling colony in 1611. The militia, made up of all white males between the ages of sixteen and fifty, existed as an institution from Dale's time until 1865. During the Revolution the militia provided the principal manpower pool for both the Continental and state lines.
Milita Companies in Service, 1774-1775
Augusta County
Captain John Bell
Captain Anthony Bledsoe
Captain John Gilmore
Captain William Leftwich
Captain Alexander Long
Captain William Lowther
Captain George Moffatt
Captain William Nalle
Captain John Vanbeaver
Botetourt
Captain Edward Cowan
Captain James Cooke
Captain James Henderson
Captain Robert McAfee
Fincastle
Captain William Cock
Captain William Campbell
Captain Walter Crockett
Captain Joseph Cloyd
Captain David Campbell
Captain Hugh Crockett
Captain Robert Doak
Captain William Edmondson
Captain John Floyd
Captain James Harrod
Captain David Looney
Captain Henry Patton
Captain William Robinson
Captain David Smith
Captain Henry Skeggs
Captain James Thompson
Botetourt Regiment Companies
Col. William Fleming
Major William Inglis (Ingles)
Capt. Thomas Burford (Buford)
Catp. Philip Love
Capt. John Murray
Capt. Robert McClenachan
Capt. James Robertson
Independent Companies, September - December 1774
Capt. Samuel McDowell
Capt. William Herbert
Capt. William Russell
Virginia Militia at Kings Mountain
(Also designated as Colonel William Campbell's Militia Regiment of 1780)
Field Officers - Colonel William Campbell, 1777-1780; Major William Edmondson 1780
About ten companies of Virginia militiamen under Campbell arrived in September. These men included musketeers, riflemen, and some mounted troops.
On October 7 the two armies met at the British camp on Kings Mountain. Ferguson's command was completely surrounded by the nearly equal force of Virginia and North Carolina militia, who charged the hilltop position. In the thickest of the fighting Ferguson was hit simultaneously by several American bullets. British resistance ceased soon afterwards.
About four hundred Virginians participated in the battle.
Companies of Campbell's Regiment, 1780
Captain David Beatie
- 1st Lt. Robert Edmundson, Jr. wounded
- 2nd Lt. Nathaniel Dryden
- Ensign William Willoughby
Captain William Bowen
- 1st Lt. Reece Bowen, commanding, killed
Captain Andrew Colville
- 1st Lt. Samuel Newell, wounded
- 2nd Lt. William Davidson
- Ensign John Beatie, killed
Captain Robert Craig
- 1st Lt. William Blackburn killed
- 2nd Lt. William Bartlett
- Ensign Andrew Goff
Captain james Dysart, horsemen
-1st Lt. Andrew Kincannon
- 2nd Lt. James Roberts
- Ensign Robert Campbell
Captain William Edmundson
- 1st Lt. Robert Edmundson, Sr. killed
- 2nd Lt. Patrick Campbell
- Ensign James Houston
Lt. Thomas McCullough
- 2nd Lt. Humbertson Lyon, killed
Captain William Neal
- 1st Lt. William Russell, Jr.
Captain John Campbell
Captain James Elliott
The Virginia Militia at Cowpens, Jan. 17, 1781
Capt. Francis Triplett, Fauquier Co.
Capt. James Winn, Fauquier Co.
Capt. James Gilmore, Rockbridge Co.
The Virginia Militia at Guilford Court House, March 15, 1781
Capt. John Smith, Augusta Co.
Capt. David Gwin, Augusta Co.
Capt. James Tate, Augusta Co.
Capt. William McClanachan, Botetourt Co.
Capt. (--?--) Hoyd, Botetourt Co.
Trowbridge, John. "Kentuckians on the Mississinewa, War of 1812," Kentucky Ancestors, Vol. 41, No. 1.
The following is a correct list of the killed and wounded in the Battle of Mississineway on the morning of the 18th inst. and in the skirmish on the 17th.
Captain Hopkins troops
Private Thomas Robinson, badly wounded
Roll of Field & Staff, Lieutenant Colonel James Simrall's Regiment, Kentucky Volunteer Light Dragoons.
James McDowell Major
Roll of Captain George Trotter's Troop, Lieutenant Colonel James Simrall's Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Light Dragoons. 12 month volunteers
Samuel McDowell 4th Sergeant, widow pension, Mary, WC-1932
Abraham McDowell, Pvt.
Roll of Captain Robert Smith's Troop, Lieutenant Colonel James Simrall's Regiment, Kentucky Volunteer Light Dragoons. 6 month volunteers.
Johnathan Stout, Farrier, also listed as Jonathan
Roll of Captain William E. Young's Troop, Lieutenant Colonel James Simrall's Regiment, Kentucky Volunteer Light Dragoons, 12 month volunteers.
Wilson, Alexander, Pvt.
Roll of Captain William Garrard's Troop, "The Bourbon Blues," Major James V. Ball's Squadron, 2nd Regiment of Dragoons
Ephraim Wilson, Trumpeter
John Wilson, Pvt. Not listed in Kentucky Adjutant General's Report. Pension IF#25932.
William Wilson, Pvt. not listed in Kentucky Adjutant General's Report
White, Emmett. Revolutionary War Soldiers of Western North Carolina: Burke County, Volume I, Southern Historical Press, 1984.
McDowell, Colonel Charles
Summary of Early Life
Charles McDowell was born in Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia, ca. 1743. He was the son of Joseph McDowell and Margaret O'Neal McDowell, both Scotch-Irish immigrants to America. His father had obtained land at Quaker Meadows in Burke County, NC, shortly before the onset of the French & Indian War. (then Anson, later Rowan Co.). There is no documentary evidence that the family had moved to North Carolina at that time, despite the fact that "improvements" were necessary to obtain a land grant.
During the French & Indian War, McDowell's father served as a Captain of Virginia militia.
One source states that Charles McDowell received his education at the well-known Liberty Hall Academy in the Shenandoah Valley.
The family moved permanently to Quaker Meadows ca. 1765, as Charles McDowell was reaching adulthood.
For the next ten years, Charles McDowell took an active role in events along the western North Carolina frontier. The McDowells soon became the dominant family in the western Catawba Valley. One of the McDowells, Charles and older brother Hugh were principal figures. Unfortunately, Hugh died prematurely at the beginning of the Revolutionary period, followed shortly by the death of the elder Joseph McDowell. Charles, therefore, became the head of the household at Quaker Meadows as the Revolutionary War began.
Summary of Military Service
Early Service
The military service of Charles McDowell began in 1774, on presentation of his captain's commission (of militia) to the Rowan County Court, said commission having been issued by the Royal Governor of North Carolina.
Later, in the same year, as the American Revolution approached, McDowell was appointed a member of the Rowan County Committee of Safety. The Committee of Safety constituted, for all practical purposes, the governing bodies of the people throughout the colonies.
Colonial Rule had been dissolved and no regional or national government had been established to take its place. In North Carolina the committees were the temporary form of government (combined with a central provincial council) until the new state constitution was adopted in 1776. The Rowan Committee, like other committees, assembled and armed its troops, continued the judicial and civil processes, arrested suspected Tories, and procured military supplies and weapons. Charles McDowell was active in all of these functions, as attested by the still extant committee minutes.
The first military action of the Revolution in the South was the so-called "Snow Campaign" directed against the Scovellite Tories of western South Carolina. It is quite probable that McDowell took part in this action, though documentary evidence is somewhat lacking. It is known, however, that Rowan soldiers under his command were in the campaign (Nov. - Dec. 1775). McDowell at this time still held the rank of captain.
In early 1776, the British revealed plans to invade the lower part of North Carolina, working in unison with Loyalist Militiamen recruited from central and southeastern parts of the state. A rendezvous was planned near Wilmington. In learning of the proposed invasion, an alarm was spread throughout the military districts of the state. General Griffith Rutherford of Salisbury District, immediately began to bring together a brigade to march against the Loyalists. The resulting campaign was the "Cross Creek Expedition." McDowell served as a field officer on this campaign. Other officers from McDowell's area included John Hardin, Hugh Brevard, John Franklin, Reuben White, William Davidson, Christopher Beekman.
Gen. Rutherford's brigade arrived in Cross Creek shortly after the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge, and thus did not participate in the main action which thwarted the invasion attempt. They did assist in "mop-up" activities - arresting ardent Tories, confiscating arms and property, etc. Rutherford, McDowell, and the remainder of the force then returned home after a rather easy and uneventful campaign.
Military Restructuring
Shortly after the end of the Moore's Creek Bridge and Cross Creek Expeditions, a Provincial Assembly was held at Halifax in April, 1776. At this assembly North Carolina instructed its Continental delegates to vote for independency from Great Britain. It was also important in that the newly formed state militia underwent complete reorganization. The new militia structure was basically similar to that of the old colonial militia, except that field officers were selected from their own counties, rather than from a state-wide network of officers. Each judicial district was a military district, represented by a brigade. Each county to furnish a regiment to the brigade, sometimes two if a populous county (eg. Rowan). Each regiment was composed of 10 or 12 companies of 40 to 100 men each. Company grade officers were elected by the men of each company. Field officers, were appointed by the state.
Griffith Rutherford was appointed the commanding officer of Salisbury Brigade with rank of Brigadier General. The commanding officer of the First Rowan Regiment (eastern) was Colonel Francis (western) was Colonel Christopher Beekman.
Charles McDowell remained second in command of the Second rowan Regiment with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.
Cherokee War of 1776
Shortly after Halifax, the Cherokee Indians began grouping together to harass the western frontier, possibly in concert with the proposed British attack on Charleston (by the same invasion force that earlier had threatened North Carolina). A think line of crude forts was quickly reinforced and several new forts built ("forts" were usually fortified plantation homes). McDowell was dispatched by Colonel Beekman to command the front line. In early July the Indians broke through on the upper line. In early July, the Indians broke through on the upper Catawba Valley, killing 37 settlers in a single day. The front men and their families were quickly huddled together under the leadership of Colonel McDowell at Davidson's Fort (now Old Fort). Soon they were virtually surrounded and their position made untenable. The inhabitants were transported briefly to Cathey Fort (near Marion) and thence to the relative safety of McDowell Fort Station at Quaker Meadows. While at Cathey's McDowell dispatched a company of men to disperse the Indians in the North Cove of the Catawba. There was a resulting brief skirmish, and the Indians were scattered. In this encounter, Captain Reuben White of McDowell's command was killed and Captain Thomas Whitson wounded. McDowell, in the meantime, had sent an express to his Brigade Commander, General Rutherford, telling of the attack.
General Rutherford, always a great campaigner, hastily assembled a large force that was to strike back at the Cherokee Nation, coordinated with similar counter-offenses in South Carolina and Virginia. Within a few weeks he had grouped together over 2,000 men, one of the largest gatherings of soldiers in North Carolina during the Revolution. An initial rendezvous was held at Quaker Meadows. The soldiers who assembled there were mainly from Rowan County. Later they were joined by troops from Surry County under Colonel Martin Armstrong, and from Guilford County under Colonel James Martin. The army advanced westward to Pleasant Gardens, making this spot the general marshalling area and campaign headquarters. So many units subsequently volunteered from Salisbury District that some were obliged to turn back.
Rutherford, Beekman, McDowell, Armstrong, Martin, Locke, and the entire 2,400 man brigade then embarked on the so-called "Rutherford's Cherokee Expedition of 1776." They marched up the Catawba, through Swannanoa gap, down the Swannanoa to the French Broad River, up the French Broad to Hominy Creek and then over the divide to the Tuckaseegee, and over another divide to the headwaters of the Little Tennessee. They destroyed crops, towns, confiscated property and livestock, killed a few braves, and captured two British agents by the name of Scott and Hicks (this gave some credence to a probable compact between the British and Cherokees). They returned by the same route to Rowan County and were disbanded. This destroyed, for a while anyway, the military effectiveness of the Cherokees. It should be mentioned that two "up and coming" McDowells participated in the expedition, Joseph of Pleasant Gardens and Joseph of Quaker Meadows.
County & State Reorganization, 1777-1778
After the Cherokee War of 1776, matters were relatively quiet on the western frontier for about 2 years. Of course, there were occasional skirmishes with the Indians and with small bands of Loyalists. This was in contrast to the furious struggles being waged in the North under General Washington. Back in Rowan County, plans were being made for the formation of a new county. Petitions for the formation of a new county in western Rowan had been circulated prior to the Revolution. Bills were introduced in the General Assembly, but were rejected. In the Spring of 1777, a bill was passed which crated a new county, Burke, named after Thomas Burke, then a delegate to the Continental Congress, later to become a war-time governor of North Carolina. With the creation of a new country, there was a complete turnover in military structure. Charles McDowell was commissioned Colonel commanding. Hugh Brevard was made Lieutenant colonel. Joseph White and Joseph McDowell were commissioned Majors. Colonel Beekman stepped down and later became surveyor of Burke County. After the Revolutionary War, he returned to his native New Jersey as surveyor-general of that state.
In the meantime, the newly formed state government was getting on its feet. The land offices were created and opened, at long last filling the need for a systematic method of land transaction. (The Granville land office had closed in 1763). Charles McDowell was appointed entry taker for Burke County. His neat and well kept entry book is still in existence, being housed in the Archives Department in Raleigh.
McDowell entered hundreds of tracts of land in 1778 and 1779. The spread of these entries over the 2 years in itself indicated relative calm. Many entries were made out to Loyalists, indicating also their quiescence. One naturally asks the question as to why Burke County was not furnishing troops to be sent to the Continental Line and then to the North where the action was. North Carolina at this time could hardly clothe and feed the men already in the field, let alone new recruits. Virtually no Continental Line soldiers came from Burke during the early phase of the war (1775 through mid 1778). The state was forced to return many of its continentals back to militia status, particularly supernumerary officers. Mention should be made of the obvious friendship at this time developing between the Brigade Commander of Salisbury District, General Griffith Rutherford and Colonel McDowell. Rutherford, a hard campaigning, staunch Scotch-Irish Presbyterian liked McDowell, who was also of the same faith. This friendliness probably accounted for McDowell's selection as Colonel Commandant of Burke County and later as entry taker. Rutherford, one must remember, was one of the senior members of the General Assembly and wielded great influence on that body. It was no secret that on the creation of Burke County, officers of Scotch-Irish descent generally replaced in importance those of German or Dutch extraction.
McDowell & the Continental Line
As mentioned earlier, North Carolina was ill-prepared to clothe and feed several regiments of full-time Continental Line soldiers. These soldiers generally were in either for a period of three years or for the duration. As time ensued, the state at a short term solution - the nine-month continental. A little more in equippage and training than a militiaman, he usually received a bounty and was given immunity from further service (usually 3 years). Virtually all of the Northern Continentals were needed to hold the British in check. As the theater of war moved south, more line troops were needed, hence the short term enlistments. Unfortunately the use of bounties brought about bad habits - officers would cross state lines and recruit. Usually local militia officers were "in" on the reward process. There was the practice of sending only Loyalists or Loyalist sympathizers to the line, perhaps under duress. There were also opportunists who would enlist, collect the bounties, and then desert. The process would be repeated.
Colonel McDowell was in the middle of all of this. Quotas were usually sent to each county and if not filled voluntarily, then drafting took place. Drafting was usually carried out in the ratio of about 1:15.
Beginning in 1778 and extending through 1779, McDowell acted as the chief recruiting officer for the North Carolina and South Carolina Continental Line in Burke County.
As a rule, the recruits were gathered up at the various muster grounds and then marched to Salisbury, where Continental Line Officers were waiting.
The practice of recruiting across state line was a bad one, for obvious reasons. There was little order in command the way it was in each of the various states. This usually added to the confusion, particularly as to immunity, from further service and in regards to later awards for service, such as bounties, land, pensions, etc. There was no question that units organized in this manner were less effective in the field.
Storm Clouds 1778-1779
The British withdrew from Philadelphia in mid 1778 and in the process fought the Battle of Monmouth on June 28, 1778, the last major battle of the Northern Campaigns. A few months earlier they had changed commanders-in-chief. The new command, realizing that a stalemate existed in the North, directed their attention to the Southern Colonies.
A ship borne army was assembled and sailed from New York, its destination being Georgia. Word of the proposed invasion quickly spread throughout the Southern states. In North Carolina, General Richard Caswell asked that 3,000 men be immediately drawn up and sent into South Carolina to oppose the British, then directing their attention towards Savannah. General Rutherford, in Salisbury District, responded quickly and by November 15, 1778 was marching toward Charleston with a brigade of about 800 men. Colonel McDowell had sent several companies of Burke soldiers along with Rutherford's force. General Rutherford joined General Benjamin Lincoln's Army and was stationed at Black Swamp, just above Purysburg. Some of Rutherford and McDowell's men joined in with the troops of General Ashe, later sharing in the disastrous defeat at Brier Creek (March 3, 1779). Most of the militiamen's tours had expired after Brier Creek. They, along with General Rutherford, returned home. To fill the gap, some additional militiamen and nine-month Continentals were brought down to South Carolina by Colonel McDowell from Salisbury District. These included militia companies of Burke County headed up by Captains Leroy Taylor, James Richardson and Daniel McKissock. They joined General Lincoln's Army and went with him to Charleston to counter the advance of General Prevost toward the city.
The Battle of Stono Ferry was a successful rear guard action by the British as they withdrew from the Charleston area toward Beaufort and Savannah. Colonel McDowell and his militiamen took part in the battle of June 20, 1779, returning afterwards to Burke County.
Back home the British invasion of Georgia and South Carolina had brought out many Loyalists supporters in Salisbury District. Bands of Tories began to make trouble in Burke, Lincoln and surrounding counties. The Burke County Loyalists were lead by colonel Veazy Husbands and the Lincoln County Loyalists by Colonel John Moore. Husbands was said to have commanded at least 800 men, Moore at least 1,000. The Indians were also beginning to be troublesome once again and additional forays were necessary to keep them subdued. Colonel McDowell indeed had his hands full - Indians making trouble, bands of Tories operating within his county, and at the same time, attempting to co-operate with higher authorities in recruiting for the Continental Line. Matters would become worse before they would become better.
Fall of Charleston 1780
In early 1780, General Clinton, the British Commander-in-Chief, began an active campaign to take Charleston, the main city and sea port of the southern states.
In response to the threat, militiamen from Salisbury District were sent to the outskirts of the city. Charles McDowell commanded the Salisbury men, in absence of General Rutherford (it appears now that a definite pattern has been set - that McDowell and Rutherford would alternate various functions of the Salisbury command). There is no question now that Charles McDowell was Rutherford's choice as second in command.
McDowell made his headquarters in Camden, along with Brigadier General William Caswell, son of Governor Richard Caswell. McDowell's men were stationed in and around Charleston. Many of their terms expired in March of 1780. They returned home thus avoiding capture in the surrender of May 1780.
As the cordon closed around the city, mounted troops under McDowell's command were sent to Brigadier General Isaac Huger at Moncks Corner, in a n effort to effect an escape route from the city. Included in this group were a mounted company commanded by Captain Robert Patton of Burke County and some Rowan mounted troops of Francis Locke's command. The result was a disaster. On the morning after their arrival, the entire force was struck by the combined units of Tarleton, Webster, and Ferguson (April 14, 1780). The Americans were scattered, losing their horses and equipment. The remnants of Patton's command made their way toward Camden, joining the troops of Colonel William Washington. Later, they met and joined Colonel McDowell at Camden.
In the six weeks following the defeat at Monck's Corner, there was an effort on the part of Governor Rutledge of South Carolina, along with the remainder of militiamen and Continental Units in North and South Carolina, to effectively hem in the British at Charleston.
The response was very poor and it seems that McDowell was one of the leading militia officers in the area at the time. During the same period, General Rutherford was attempting to gather a large force to go into South Carolina to relieve them.
The plans to keep the British in check were torn assunder by the sudden northward advance of Banastre Tarleton and his dragoons.
The small opposition groups quickly split up and withdrew from the area. One contingent, under Colonel Abraham Buford of Virginia, fled in a northwardly direction.
Caswell and McDowell went directly east, toward Cross Creek (Fayetteville). This was a fortunate decision for McDowell and Caswell. Tarleton took off after Buford, catching up with him at the Waxhaws. The result was a bloody defeat for Buford - called "Tarleton's Hacking March," (May 29, 1780).
Arriving at Cross Creek, McDowell regrouped his men and then progressed westwardly toward Charlotte, eventually joining the brigade of General Rutherford in Mecklenburg County in mid June. Thus ended McDowell's Charleston sojourn.
Ramsour's Mill, June 1780
General Rutherford had assembled his brigade in Mecklenburg County with the intent of going into South Carolina to face the oncoming British threat. At about the time that Colonel McDowell joined him with the remnants of his Charleston command, news was received of a Loyalist gathering to his rear, at Ramsour's Mill in Lincoln County. The information of this gathering was obtained by the mounted reconnaissance of McDowell's young brother, Major Joseph McDowell. Rutherford later dispatched Colonel Francis Locke and the mounted Rowan troops to join the Burke mounted troops under McDowell. The footmen of Burke County under Lt. Col. Hugh Brevard, were also nearing the scene. The burke and Rowan men met at Tool's Ford, then later joined Brevard's men. They encountered the Loyalists at Ramsour's Mill and gave them a sound thrashing (June 20, 1780). Colonel McDowell remained with General Rutherford, arriving at the battle scene a few hours after its successful conclusion.
After Ramsour's Mill, some major decisions were made relative to McDowell's future role. Matters were beginning to gel now. The British Army, now under Lord Cornwallis, was advancing northward on a broad front from Charleston. An American army under Baron de Kalb had just entered North Carolina, heading south to replace the army that was lost at the surrender of Charleston. In South Carolina, Major Patrick Ferguson, heading a western wing of Cornwallis' army, had arrived at the armed fortress of Ninety-Six, South Carolina, in the western part of the state. He was to soon head northward, threatening the safety of the western reaches of North and South Carolina. In Rowan County, a large body of Tories under Colonel Samuel Bryan had begun to head south to join the British outposts in upper South Carolina.
To meet the threatening situations, Rutherford would divide his command. He would dispatch contingents from his brigade to go after Bryan. He would then lead the main part of his army southwestward in a plan to join De Kalb's command, later under General Horatio Gates, De Kalb's successor. To take care of matters in the western parts of North and South Carolina (there was no organized command in western South Carolina), he would detach Colonel Charles McDowell. McDowell would head south, leading militia units from Burke, Lincoln, Rutherford, and Washington counties.
McDowell's South Carolina Actions Against Ferguson
McDowell now enjoyed a quasi-independent command comprising not only soldiers from western Salisbury District, but also scattered remnants of South Carolina and Georgia militia.
McDowell, after getting his instructions from Rutherford, retired to Quaker Meadows to gather forces. In early July he began his advance toward South Carolina, picking up recruits as he progressed. In Rutherford County, he was joined by the men under Colonel Andrew Hampton. McDowell's group continued then to the southwest, with their first major encampment being at Edward Hampton's place, near Earle's Ford of the north Pacolet River, now located near the North Carolina-South Carolina line in Polk County. Word had quickly spread to isolated militia units in western South Carolina and Georgia to make their way to McDowell if at all possible, so as to unify his command. With this in mind, Col. Elijah Clarke of Georgia began advancing toward McDowell. He and his men had to weave their way through hostile country, filled with Tory militiamen and sympathizers. On the way a small group under Colonel John Jones, one of Clarke's men, surprised a Tory force at Cedar Springs near Spartanburg, and soundly whipped them. They quickly made their way northward to McDowell. At Prince's Fort, a Tory group headed by Major Dunlap and Colonel Ambrose Mills (of Rutherford County) made out after Jones. In their pursuit, they fell, really be accident, onto McDowell's encampment, taking McDowell's men by surprise. The result was that about 7 men were killed including Noah Hampton, son of Colonel Hampton. Colonel Hampton was rather harsh in his criticism of McDowell for not having posted proper guards. The criticism is a little unjust, as McDowell had sent out his brother on scouting patrol, using mounted troops. The Loyalists had simply gotten through without being detected. At any rate, McDowell's men recovered from their surprise and chased Dunlap and Mills back to Prince's Fort (July 15, 1780). McDowell's army now numbered about 300 men. Earlier he had sent expresses to the Watauga overmountain men, asking them to join. McDowell, in the meantime, moved south and eastward to Cherokee Ford of the main Broad River. On July 25, 1780, he was joined by Colonel Isaac Shelby, Major Charles Robertson, and about 200 additional men from Watauga. On July 30, McDowell dispatched Shelby, Major Joseph McDowell, Hampton and others to Anderson's Fort, also called Thicketty. There, without a shot being fired, they forced the surrender of about a hundred armed Loyalists under the command of Patrick Moore, brother of Colonel John Moore of Ramsour's Mill. McDowell's Brigade, as it can be called, continued to grow in size to about 800 men.
McDowell's subordinates now included Colonel Isaac Shelby and Major Charles Robertson of Watauga, Colonel Elijah Clark and Colonel Jonathan Jones of Georgia. Major Samuel Hammond and Major Samuel McJunkin of South Carolina later and, Colonel James Williams of South Carolina. Also present from North Carolina were Colonel William Graham of Lincoln County, Colonel Andrew Hampton of Rutherford County and Major Joseph McDowell of Burke County.
McDowell remained at Cherokee Ford for a little over a week. In early August, he dispatched a small force under Shelby and Clark to reconnoiter Ferguson's front, then near Spartanburg. It seems that the Americans managed an ambuscade at a little place called Thompson's Orchard, between Cedar Springs and the old Iron Works. Shelby's men made a good account of themselves and then retreated, carrying along a few prisoners. This action occurred on August 8, 1780.
McDowell then began to move his headquarters down along the line of the main Broad River to Smith's Ford. This allowed him to be nearer Ferguson's group and also in communicating distance with a main American Army under General Gates, now advancing in a parallel route toward the British at Camden.
At this time McDowell had received more reinforcements, being joined by South Carolinians under Colonel James Williams. While at Smith's Ford, Colonel McDowell learned of a British foce near the Enoree River at Musgroves Mill. There was also a rumor that a large money chest was in the area. Colonel McDowell, still maintaining the offensive, then sent Williams, Shelby, Joseph McDowell, David Vance, and a group of several hundred men to intercept the British force, which was composed of both Tory partisans and well-trained Provincials. Using again an entrapment type maneuver, the Whig soldiers pulled off a neat little victory, driving the British back about 2 miles, seriously wounding their commanding officer, and capturing a sizeable number of prisoners. The Battle of Musgroves Mill, as it is called, occurred on August 18, 1780.
On the same day as the victory at Musgroves Mill, news of the disaster at Camden reached both Colonel McDowell and the men at Musgroves. One of the greatest British victories of the entire Revolution had taken place near Cambden two days earlier, on August 16, 1780. Cornwallis had virtually wiped out the entire American Army under Gates. McDowell's friend and compatriot., General Rutherford, had been captured. Most of the supplies, horses, wagons, and arms had been lost. Gen. De Kalb was mortally wounded.
McDowell's Retreat
Major Ferguson, hearing of the Camden victory and also of the situation at Musgroves, began a determined push to chase the Whig force out of western South Carolina. With this aim, he had very little trouble. The Americans had already decided to beat a hasty retreat into North Carolina. McDowell went directly from Smith's Ford into Rutherford County. Williams, Shelby, and others had decided to go a different route, and breaking up at the same time.
McDowell's retreat began on August 18, 1780 and ended a month later, on leaving the Catawba Valley and arriving at Sycamore Shoals of the Watauga River.
Colonel McDowell's retreat brings into focus a mild point of controversy - just when and where was the King's Mountain strategy proposed, if at all.
Most authorities, mainly Draper and all those who subsequently have quoted him, state that the idea of subjugating Ferguson and his army came at the time of McDowell's retreat. That mainly Isaac Shelby and his followers devised the campaign thusly: 1. That the various fighting groups were to return home and gather their forces. 2. That a network of communication was to be set up between the different groups. 3. That cattle and other supplies were to be sequestered and later used in the campaign. 4. That, at the opportune time, they would come out and crush Ferguson.
The main support for this plan comes from the so-called McDowell-Vance-Henry narrative, written some 20 years later on a mountain top on the Tennessee-North Carolina boundary, then in the process of being surveyed by those mentioned. Further review of this document, however, shows it to be the written answer to a skeptic, who thought that the Kings Mountain affair was blown out of proportion as to its real importance. Thus, the narrative was a boast in answer to one, and probably exaggerated to some extent.
Isaac Shelby himself was not particularly modest when it came down to telling of his own participation in the campaign; however, in his own narrative, he made no mention of such beforehand strategy. In fact, he specifically dates the inception of the campaign with the arrival of his kinsmen, Samuel Phillips, to Watauga, bringing with him Ferguson's insolent threat. In the authors opinion, there was no grand strategy at all prior to McDowell's arrival at Watauga.
One thing is certain, however. On hearing of the defeat at Camden and the subsequent advance of both Cornwallis and Ferguson, McDowell's "army" fell apart, with its officers and men going this way and that, for various reasons other than meeting the foe. McDowell alone was left to face Ferguson with the remnants of his Burke and Rutherford followers.
There was an interlude of 2 or 3 weeks. During this time Ferguson received his order creating an independent command. He advanced into Rutherford County, North Carolina and lay for awhile at Gilbert Town. Undoubtedly, McDowell and his men probably took the opportunity to visit their homes, wives and families and then began to regroup. Prior to Cambden, McDowell's force had some semblance of an organized unit. Now, it was reduced to what amounted to a guerilla band.
Ferguson, hearing of McDowell's gathering, sent a party northward toward Burke County with the intent of defeating McDowell. McDowell, getting wind of this maneuver, laid a trap at the head of Cane Creek, near the Rutherford-Burke line (in present McDowell county near the intersection of Highways 226 and 64).
Ferguson's advance party unwittingly selected the wrong approach road, and so "McDowell's trap" lost its effectiveness. There was a rather brisk skirmish, with McDowell's guerillas eventually being scattered (September 12, 1780). Killed at Cane Creek was Peter Brank, a neighbor of Charles McDowell. Major Joseph White was wounded along with John Carswell.
At about the same time as Cane Creek, there occurred another skirmish in lower Burke County, at Allen's Mountain. Details are somewhat lacking, but those that have described it picture it not unlike a scene from the wild west.
It seems that some of McDowell's men commanded a small knoll called "Allen's Mountain." A party from Ferguson's Corps assailed the group on the mountain, leaving their horses behind (because of the terrain). A group of soldiers from McDowell's command stole around to the rear of the action, took leave of the enemies' horses, and then departed, along with the remainder of the defenders. Ferguson's men were left to get home the best way they could.
Some have confused the skirmish at Allen's Mountain with the one at Cane Creek, but they appear to have been separate encounters.
McDowell, with about 150 men, at this time began a withdrawal from the Catawba Valley. Ferguson attempted once again to bag him, without success. on September 16, 1780 Colonel Charles McDowell left the Catawba valley and crossed the Blue Ridge, arriving at Sycamore Shoals of the Watauga River (Elizabethton, Tennessee) on September 18, 1780.
Kings Mountain
With McDowell's arrival at Sycamore Shoals, the Kings Mountain campaign had begun. Before his departure from the Catawba, McDowell had enticed several to take protection in order to save cattle, destined for later needs. This procedure brought about some obvious ill feelings, and was even the basic cause of the celebrated Carson-Vance duel, occurring nearly 50 years later.
The story of the Kings Mountain march is a well known one, reflected upon by many historians, the most prominent one being Lyman C. Draper. I shall not try to enlarge upon any of the events that subsequently transpired, except to mention that many misinterpret the military command of McDowell. McDowell was not the ranking officer because the actions "were in his county," but because he was second in command to the Brigadier of Salisbury District. He also held the commanding rank in the western half of Salisbury District, including Burke, Lincoln, Wilkes, Rutherford, and Washington Counties. Many try to minimize his authority by assigning him the position of an ordinary "county colonel."
At any rate, McDowell's plight aroused the sympathy of the overmountain people on one hand, and vividly brought home the seriousness of the situation on another. Under the leadership of Isaac Shelby, the campaign was begun. McDowell played a role in the formation of the battle plan.
McDowell left the main army at the beginning of the march on September 26, 1780 and made his way to Quaker Meadows, in order to prepare for the encampment (one must remember, the total number would be over a thousand men - needing food, forage, water, firewood, etc.).
[McDowell always seemed interested in logistics and supply. His saving of the cattle has been mentioned. In addition, he was responsible for sending out regular foraging parties. He saw to it that his affluent neighbors furnished wagons and materiel. In some ways this makes one think that McDowell may have had a better sense of military matters than most. To be perfectly honest, one really can't criticize McDowell too much from a military standpoint. His conduct on the frontier had been exemplary. His role with Rutherford in the campaign with Lincoln were to be commended. He attempted to help in the Charleston campaign, but possessed too little too late. It was his men who not only detected the Tory force at Ramsour's, but played a major role in its successful conclusion. Armchair general or not, his actions against Ferguson brought about several much needed victories. His men later fought bravely and valiantly at Kings Mountain and Cowpens. McDowell was a major field officer on three major campaigns of Rutherford-The Cherokee Campaign, The Cross Creek Campaign, and The Wilmington Expedition. Throughout the war he directed forays against hostile groups of Indians and Tories. McDowell was no frontline commander, but he was deliberate, methodical, and recognized the importance of supply and demand. Because of his deliberate methods, he was incompatible with the fast, aggressive mountaineer tactics, and thereby later relieved of his command.]
McDowell was also sending expresses to Whigs of the Yadkin and Catawba Valleys, telling them to come to Quaker Meadows, quickly and with arms. After making preparation plans, McDowell returned to his command, joining them on the Blue Ridge on Friday, September 29, 1780. the night of the 29th was spent in North Cove of the Catawba. On September 30, the army crossed Linville Mountain, traveled down Paddy Creek to the Catawba, and thence to Quaker Meadows. At Quaker Meadows, McDowell and his men were joined by militiamen from Wilkes and Surry Counties, many of them mounted. Their officers included Colonel Benjamin Cleveland, Major Benjamin Herndon, Major Joseph Winston, Major Micajah Lewis and others. On October 1st, they began their march southwestward along the line of the South Mountains, getting closer and closer to Ferguson's growing army, then encamped at Denard's Ford of the Broad River, in Rutherford County.
The critical date for Colonel McDowell was Monday, October 2, 1780. It was a dreary and rainy day and no time for marching. It was on this day that a council of war was held concerning the position of the army, its future direction, and most of all, its overall command. McDowell's slow and methodical ways, as stated above, were simply incompatible with the fast moving, aggressive mountain men. Undoubtedly the real leader of the group, vocally and otherwise, was Isaac Shelby. Shelby, however, was clearly subordinate to McDowell in rank, and to replace him would be almost impossible from a military standpoint. In fact, all the officers were subordinate to his command, save one - Colonel William Campbell of Virginia. Campbell was compatible to all those present. The council therefore asked McDowell if he would go and seek a general officer to command them, General William L. Davidson, if at all possible. In his absence, Colonel campbell would command. McDowell acquiesced, and what happened afterwards is history.
The mountain men caught up with the Ferguson's trail and, in a series of rapid marches, met up with him on the slopes of Kings Mountain on Sunday, October 7, 1780. Ferguson was killed and his entire force killed or captured (the majority of his "army" were Tories from the up country of South Carolina, Rutherford and Burke Counties, North Carolina). The mountain men showed skill and celerity in this action, but there is no question that Lady Luck was on their side. Had Tarleton's Dragoons received the least hint of warning, there would have been no Kings Mountain. McDowell's own men, under the leadership of his brother Joseph, fought bravely and resolutely at Kings Mountain.
Kings Mountain to Cowpens
Some accounts give McDowell's objective as being Hillsborough, others say the headquarters of general Davidson, then near Catawba River in Mecklenburg County (General Davidson was General Rutherford's successor as commanding officer of Salisbury District). It seems logical that the latter would be the one. At any rate, we have no documentary records of any dialogue between McDowell and Davidson on the eve of King's Mountain.
After the Kings Mountain men had marched back through Burke County on their way to the Moravian Towns, McDowell returned to Burke County. General Davidson also recognized the need for a commanding officer for the men of the western confines of the Salisbury District. At about this time Colonel Daniel Morgan had arrived in Carolina. He was immediately promoted to a Brigadier General and then assigned to essentially the same command that McDowell had enjoyed earlier. In addition, he was reinforced by regular army units of the Delaware and Maryland Line. Whether or not the assignment of Morgan had any input by McDowell is not known (both had a common ancestral home - Winchester, Virginia, but how much acquainted they were with each other is unknown.) Morgan eventually built up a compact force. The mounted Burke militiamen of McDowell's Regiment were an integral part, eventually sharing in the victory at Cowpens on January 17, 1781.
Colonel McDowell was reassigned to the command of the frontier and conducted an Indian raid in the winter of 1780-81. As mentioned before, elements of his regiment were at Cowpens, and later at Cowan's Ford (February 2, 1781). With the death of General Davidson at Cowan's Ford and the resignation of General Morgan a few days later, things were again somewhat in limbo in Salisbury District. By this time, Cornwallis was on his way to his Pyrrhic victory at Guilford Court House, and later marching to the sea. The threat to the Catawba and Yadkin Valleys had at last ended, from the east anyway. The Indian threat still persisted.
Wilmington Expedition
Back home in Burke, McDowell had his hands full. The Indian threat was somewhat of a problem, probably over-emphasized. Recruiting became his main endeavor. As Cornwallis departed from the Piedmont, Tories began to come over in droves. Since General Greene needed Continental Recruits (of the nine month variety), McDowell apparently pressed many Tories, Tory sympathizers, and Tory relatives into Line duty. They were mustered in at Salisbury and then delivered to General Greene in South Carolina. Many of the Burke recruits shared in the Battle of Ninety-Six, and Eutaw Springs, and other campaigns of Greene. In the summer of 1781, McDowell was overjoyed at the return of his old friend and compatriot, Griffith Rutherford. Rutherford, being exchanged and then wasting no time at all, began once again to organize an expedition. Its purpose - to march to Wilmington, and to free that city from British control. Rutherford and McDowell had no problem in gathering men now (how different from the situation a year earlier!) One pensioner stated that every able-bodied man in Burke County volunteered. The expedition began in the fall of 1781 and ended about Christmas. McDowell once again enjoyed a position of command, marching alongside Rutherford all the way. Their route was a direct one, carrying them through Rowan, Montgomery, Cumberland and Bladen Counties. (Cornwallis, it seems had other plans. He had left the city earlier, headed for Virginia and ultimately to Yorktown.) The British at Wilmington were left under the command of Major James Craig, and experienced officer. By October, Rutherford's forces were on the outskirts of Wilmington. It was here that they received the news of the surrender of Cornwallis. just above every Burke pensioner that participated tells of the rejoicing and Feux De Joi's (bonfires) that resulted. Major Craig, like Cornwallis, had other plans. Shortly before an apparent confrontation, he quietly evacuated the city and headed for Lord Rawdon's troops near Charleston, in South Carolina.
It was McDowell's men who first took control of the city after its evacuation. Captain Thomas Kennedy, of McDowell's command, stated that he was the first American officer to go in.
After a short sojourn in Wilmington, Rutherford and McDowell headed home to Salisbury. The trip back was not as easy. Colonel David Fanning, the noted Loyalist partisan, had gotten together his group of Tories. Their purpose was to harass the troops of Rutherford on the their return. Apparently Rutherford's brigade in their hurry to get home, had mainly broken up into small er elements. One of these, headed by the same Captain Kennedy, above mentioned, was captured and later paroled. Though Fanning failed to get at the main body, the converse was also true. The Whigs couldn't catch up with Fanning.
Final Actions of the Revolution - Indian Campaigns of 1782
In 1782 the handwriting was on the wall for the British - Cornwallis had surrendered, the Northern Army was in checkmate, the Southern Army being held at bay at Charleston by Nathaniel Greene.
Even so, affairs were not so stable in North Carolina. Fannign was still loose in central N.C.
In the west, the Cherokees again began to make trouble. Both sides were under treaty obligations with respect to territory and military activity - obviously violations were occurring. Just who were the violators is not definitely known - perhaps both sides.
Charles McDowell, in early 1782, authorized another short raid into Cherokee country, following the usual and customary route of Swannanoa Gap, French Broad Valley, Hominy Creek and over the divide to the Cherokee Towns. McDowell himself could not go. At about this time court martial charges were being brought against him.
This important juncture in the life of Charles McDowell began at about the time he returned from the Wilmington Expedition in late December 1781. Charges were brought against him by two of his subordinate officers, Captain William Neill and Captain James Davidson. The two addressed their complaints to the Brigade commander of Salisbury District, General Griffith Rutherford. Rutherford ordered a Court Martial inquiring into McDowell's conduct. William Sharpe was sent to the trial as judge advocate. The first trial was scheduled for January, but was not held. the trial then was re-convened in March.
Davidson, in command of a western Burke fort known as Fort Charles, was incensed because half of his command was ordered to accompany McDowell on the Wilmington Expedition of October, November and December 1781. The remaining half were discharged. This, Davidson asserted, violated state law which assigned a permanent quota of men to be stationed there. He, Neill, and others also intimated that McDowell intentionally garrisoned the frontier forts with known Tories. This was a much less strenuous duty than being assigned to the active Continental Line.
They were concerned about McDowell's handling of confiscated property, particularly selling arms and weapons following confiscation (at reduced prices). There were other charges of bribery and corruption. There was also the charge of the sanctioning of corrupt officers and the partial treatment of Tories. Some were ordered to go directly into active service, others were given furloughs or reprieves.
The charges brought by Neill and Davidson gave added strength to known opponents by McDowell in the eastern end of the county (present day Catawba, Alexander, and southern Caldwell counties). It was these opponents that pushed for McDowell's court martial. In a letter to McDowell, acting regimental commander Lt. Col. Daniel McKissock (from eastern Burke County) confided, ". . . your opponents in this end of the county seem determined, it therefore becomes you to be prepared . . . "
The trial was held at Burke Court House, commencing on March 4, 1782. Sharpe was judge advocate and McKissock the presiding officer. Members of the commission were field and company officers of the Burke Militia. The list was indeed stacked in favor of the eastern group. Of the 14 members of the board, 9 were from the eastern end. These included, besides McKissock, Major Robert Holmes, Captains George Smith, Henry Whitener, William Sumter, Henry Reed, Henry Thompson, John Russell and John Alexander. Captain Alexander Erwin, though from the middle part of the county, had married into a prominent eastern Burke family.
The trial document, 37 pages in length, brings out some interesting points. The trial generally demonstrated that there was indeed partial treatment of Loyalists, but these had to be weighed with the exigencies of the times.
The trial also showed that McDowell erred in judgement, but seemed not to be involved directly in bribery and scandal. One of his officers, (Mordecai Clarke), appeared to have been one of the main culprits, however. He was convicted by court martial. There was no question that McDowell sent Loyalists to the western frontier, but, again, to be considered in view of the trying times. Several interesting additional points were brought out. McDowell himself, while interrogating Davidson, intimated that the extreme western end of the country was in a state of insurrection against revolutionary authority. Davidson was obviously evasive in his answers. McDowell stated one time "Did you hear me tell Lytle (Captain Thomas Lytle of Crooked Creek) that I never found them so ready to go to war against the enemy?" Again, Davidson could not "remember."
An interesting charge brought forth was the one concerning the treatment of Tories and confiscated property. McDowell was charged with (and found guilty of) presiding over a group of military officers who had drawn up a list of resolves relating to treatment of Tories and handling of confiscated property. This was in contrary to existing laws already in effect. these officers were from Burke and Rutherford counties of North Carolina and from portions of South Carolina and Georgia. Tories not abiding by these resolves would be pressed into service and sent to General Sumter in South Carolina. Those not abiding by the resolves were asked to leave the county within 15 days.
All in all, McDowell was charged with fifteen counts, eight of which he was found guilty. Two charges were dropped, several verdicts were modified. He was found not guilty on five counts.
The final verdict -- McDowell was to be relieved of his command and replaced by Jospeph McDowell of Quaker Meadows.
Following decision of the court martial proceedings, the findings were reviewed by General Rutherford. He felt very strongly that Colonel McDowell was a brave and resolute officer and a good one. He also felt, however, that he had erred somewhat in judgement, but that he should not be removed from his command. General Rutherford then drafted a letter addressed to the members of the General Assembly asking that McDowell be restored to command. His presentation must have been an impressive one. Not only was Colonel McDowell restored to his command but a new district was created - Morgan District. Of several names that were placed in nomination to head the military district, the one selected was none other than Charles McDowell. In may 1782 he assumed his new command as Brigadier General of Morgan District.
Back home in Burke County, his younger brother Joseph had returned from the Cherokee raid, which began in March and lasted about three weeks. The Cherokees seemed to have been at long last subdued; however, another element of their tribe, the Chickamaugas, were causing problems in and around the Over Hills Towns (in present day southeastern Tennessee).
In July, Governor Alexander Martin of North Carolina came to Burke county to consult with General McDowell. He established his camp at Silver Creek. The purpose of the meeting was to formulate plans for a final concerted action against the Indians. An ulterior motive might have been, of course, land acquisition.
McDowell was to be the overall commander of the composite army. He was to raise 500 mounted men from Burke, Wilkes, Lincoln and Rutherford Counties. 500 additional men were to be raised by Colonel John Sevier in Washington and Sullivan Counties. The express orders given to General McDowell by governor Martin -- kill the males, spare the females and children, be prudent in the degree of destruction, build a fort and garrison it with men from Morgan District.
The army was to embody on August 20, 1782 and move out as quickly as possible. The tour was to last for three months and General McDowell was to co-ordinate his advance with that of General Andrew Pickens of South Carolina.
The fall Indian raid constituted one of the last military actions of the American Revolution, if not the last one. Boatner gives the skirmish at Wheeling (Sept. 11-13, 1782) as the last action. The Chickamauga campaign began in late August and ended in October 1782. Apparently the raid was still in progress on September 20th - in an executive order, Governor martin, then in Salisbury, instructed the commissions consisting of General McDowell, Colonel Shelby and Colonel Waighstill Avery to "send out runners to invite all the nations to a treaty and a western boundary." The Indians were also to cede all their lands in the French Broad basin "in satisfaction from injuries done by their Nearer Towns."
McDowell's return from the Cherokee raid in the autumn of 1782 ended his Revolutionary career; however, he was to continue his military career for another decade before resigning the position of commanding officer of Morgan District to his younger brother, Joseph McDowell.
Summary of Later Life
Near the close of the Revolution, McDowell married Grace Greenlee Bowman, widow of Captain John Bowman, who was killed at Ramsour's Mill. Grace Bowman was the grand-daughter of the patriarch of the middle Shenandoah Valley, Ephraim McDowell. She was of some collateral relationship to her husband. By her union with John Bowman, there was one child, Mary, born March 22, 1779.
By her marriage to Charles McDowell there were the following children:
1. Charles (Captain Charles) born December 27, 1785 - died 1859. Married Annie McDowell, daughter of Joseph McDowell of Pleasant Gardens.
2. Athan, born October 27, 1790, married Annie Gordon. Athan McDowell was sheriff of Burke County and later a major general of militia.
3. James, born September 28, 1792.
4. Sarah, born December 16, 1787, married Colonel William Paxton of Rutherford County, NC.
5. Margaret born December 31, 1783, married Colonel William Dickson of Caldwell County.
Following the close of the American Revolution, McDowell remained Commanding General of Morgan District for another decade. During this period, there were some Indian problems that had to be reckoned with, mainly in the extreme western portions of the state. Militia staffing was also creating some difficulty, as many qualified men were heading west and into new territory. A post war lack of interest and loss of an esprit-de-corps was evident (this was present throughout the new country, not just in Morgan District.
McDowell, having vacated his land entry officer position, continued to serve in the North Carolina General Assembly (Senate). Most of his committee assignments were relative to Indian and military affairs. McDowell served in the Senate during 1777 and 1778 and from 1782 through 1789. he was elected in 1779, but had to vacate his seat because of conflict of interest as entry-taker.
Politically speaking, McDowell, along with his cousin Joseph McDowell of Pleasant Gardens voiced a strong federalist line. This was directly opposite from the leanings of Joseph of Quaker Meadows (of Ash Hill, now) -- a strong antifederalist in every way.
[How much friction, if any, may have developed between Charles and his younger brother Joseph is unknown. There were major differences beginning with the Kings Mountain affair and with the court martial of 1782. Their later political differences were profound. After the death of his brother Joseph in 1801, his grave remained unmarked and remains so to this day. The fact that no one cared to erect a stone in memory constitutes some degree of circumstantial evidence that there might have been some underlying discord. This is strictly opinion, and so far I have read nothing of factual nature to support this directly. At the time of his untimely death in 1801, younger brother Joseph had already made definite plans to emigrate to the state of Kentucky.]
McDowell also served in a variety of local capacities. He was on the Board of Directors of the newly formed Morganton Academy. He was also active in various court functions of the Morgan District and of the Burke Superior Court.
As the 18th century drew to a close, McDowell was becoming more and more a "gentleman farmer." He no longer was active in the military and no longer served in the assembly. He remained at Quaker Meadows serving his local functions and raising a family. His closeness with the ideas and thoughts of Joseph of Pleasant Gardens (who died in 1795) became solidified later when the two families were united by the marriage of his son, Charles, to the daughter of Joseph of Pleasant Gardens, Annie.
Charles McDowell died quietly at his home at Quaker Meadows on march 31, 1815. He and his wife are buried in the old Quaker Meadows Cemetery atop of "Graveyard Hill," overlooking the modern city of Morganton. On his stone is inscribed the following "General Charles McDowell. A Whig officer in the Revolutionary War who died as he lived -- a Patriot. 3-31-1815, age about 70 years."
McDowell, Joseph (Quaker Meadows)
Summary of Early Life
Joseph McDowell, son of Joseph McDowell the elder and Margaret O'Neill McDowell, was born in Winchester, Frederick Co., Virginia on August 8, 1756. Very little is known of his early life and education. He probably received some degree of formal education, being reasonably well versed in logic and in the classics. This we know by the language with which he expressed himself and his ideas, in the General Assembly of North Carolina. the Constitutional Assemblies, the "Narrative" concerning the Battle of Kings Mountain, his letters, and in the speeches on the floor of the U.S. Congress.
One source has stated that he received his education at the well known Liberty Hall Academy in the valley of Virginia (later Washington College). Another reflected on his "backwoods" type of learning and inability to spell correctly.
During his teenage years the dominant members of his family were his father, and older brothers Hugh and Charles. Joseph was raised on the Quaker Meadows estate of his father, the family having moved there ca. 1765, shortly after the end of the French & Indian War.
Joseph was only eighteen years old at the commencement of hostilities, but by age twenty five he would be one of North Carolina's most outstanding military leaders during the War of Independence.
Summary of Military Service
Joseph McDowell's military career began with the so-called Cross Creek Expedition of March 1776. [see above]
By the summer of 1776, matters were changing rapidly. His older brother, Charles, had been elevated from Captain to Lt. Col. of militia, being 2nd in command to Col. Christopher Beekman of the 2nd Rowan regiment. At the same time, Joseph had become a company grade officer and took part in Rutherford's Cherokee Expedition of August and September 1776. [see above]
In early 1777 Joseph became a major.
The younger McDowell, an experienced horseman, was given command a battalion of mounted troops, or light horse. These men, under McDowell's leadership, were to distinguish themselves in battle throughout the remainder of the war. They would be conspicuous at Ramsour's Mill, Kings Mountain, Cowpens and in the many Indian raids.
Both Charles and Joseph McDowell remained at home until after the disastrous defeat of the Americans at Brier Creek (March 3, 1779). [see Charleston campaign above]
In 1780 Joseph McDowell, under Brevard's command, continued his activities of patrol and reconnaissance. His mounted battalion was made up of about 150 men, all with rifles.
Ramsour's Mill
Joseph McDowell and his mounted battalion were busy in keeping with this function. The Lower Creek section of Burke County and Clark's Creek section of Lincoln County were hot beds of Loyalist sentiment and activity.
The leaders of the Loyalists were Col. John Moore of Lincoln County and Col. Husbands, previously mentioned, of Burke County. From Burke County came Captain John Murray, a pugnacious member of a noted Loyalist family, and Captain Thomas Whitson, an Indian fighter and former legislator. The initial Loyalist gathering was at Col. Moore's father's home on Indian Creek in Lincoln County, now Gaston County. This was on June 10, 1780. McDowell, hearing of the gathering, approached with a few of his mounted partisans, but were driven back into Burke County by the Loyalists.
Col. Moore then decided that there was to be another, and larger, embodiment at Ramsour's on June 13, 1780. It was this decision, to immediately convene, (rather than wait for Cornwallis invasion of North Carolina) that spelled ultimate doom for Moore's followers. This action would also arouse the wrath of Cornwallis, for being premature in their actions. Undoubtedly Joseph McDowell's vigilant reconnaissance played a major role in Moore's fatal decision -- a decision which was to make Ramsour's a virtual turning point in the Southern theatre of war.
McDowell, in the meantime, gathered up as many of his troops as he could and headed toward Lincoln County. By this time Moore had officially raised the standard, so to speak. The Loyalists of the forks of the Catawba began to come in droves, some armed, many without arms. A few days later came the Lower Creek Tories, led by Murray and Whitson. Altogether, there would be over a thousand men gathering on Clark's Creek.
On or about June 14, 1780, Joseph McDowell, ever vigilant, once more advanced toward the Loyalist conclave. When confronted with the huge gathering at Ramsour's he, sensing the seriousness of the situation, sent couriers to General Rutherford, apprising him of the facts. Because of his astute action (that so typifies McDowell throughout the war), Graham, in his account of the Ramsour's campaign, stated that McDowell, " . . . was one of the most ubiquitous officers of the North Carolina militia during the Revolution."
Moore once again tried to capture McDowell and his small force, but again was unsuccessful. McDowell and his small force, but again was unsuccessful. McDowell, in the meantime, was being reinforced by more of his Burke County militiamen including Lt. Col. Hugh Brevard. It seems that McDowell and his mounted men - about 25 of them - headed south to meet up with General Rutherford. Brevard with his footmen headed from Burke County eastward to Mountain Creek. Mountain Creek was then in Burke County, but now in Catawba.
General Rutherford, on being informed by McDowell of the Loyalists gathering at Ramsour's was faced with a real dilemma. To his south was the British unit under Lord Rawdon, now advancing on Charlotte. To his rear was the large Loyalist gathering. Rutherford, regarding the Ramsour's force as a lesser of two evils, continued to advance farther against Rawdon, but not committing the tactical error of dividing his army in the face of the enemy. By June 17, 1780, Rutherford had ascertained that Rawdon had stopped his advance and was encamped at Hanging Rock. The British had decided to halt their northward movement and maintain a series of garrisons extending to Cheraw to Ninety-Six, South Carolina. With receipt of this information Rutherford could now give some assistance to McDowell and Brevard.
From his brigade, he detached a small mounted detachment headed up by his ranking militia officer, Col. Francis Locke of Rowan (Col. Charles McDowell, in the meantime, was just now joining Rutherford after having returned from Charleston via Cross Creek.)
Officers selected to accompany Col. Locke included Major David Wilson of Mecklenburg, Captain Patrick Knox, Captain William Smith. The main force was to cross the Catawba at Tool's Ford, joining McDowell's men and then advancing along the west bank of the Catawba River. Another group was to head up the east bank of the river toward the western end of Rowan County, now Iredell. There they were to recruit local militia units. These, in turn, could cross the Catawba and join the main advance.
Gathering re-inforcements as they went along they progressed northwardly on the west bank river road. At McEwen's Ferry they were joined by men from western Rowan including Captains Galbraith Falls, James Houston, Hugh Torrence, George Reid, John Reid, and David Caldwell. McDowell's men had been re-inforced with Captain Daniel McKissock and John Bowman.
As they advanced northwardly, they were passing the Tory encampment to their west. Soon they were to occupy a position 16 miles to the northeast of Ramsour's, under the cover of Anderson Mountain. This was the rendezvous area known as the "Glades." Here they were joined by more Burke County partisans from the west and from Rowan to the east. These included footmen headed by Col. Brevard, Captain John Hardin, Captain John Dobson and by Captains Thomas Brandon, Joseph and William Sharpe and John Sloan of Rowan. The total Whig contingent at the Glades numbered about 400 men. About 100 were mounted under the leadership of Major McDowell. A council of war was held concerning strategy. Three plans were discussed. First, they could retreat across the Catawba and wait for further reinforcements. They could back-track and re-join General Rutherford and last, and the one chosen, was to attack the Tories directly using surprise as a weapon and taking advantage of their loose organization. Colonel James Johnston of Lincoln County was dispatched to deliver the stratagem to General Rutherford. General Rutherford had his own ideas and had forwarded them to Locke. It involved combining the forces prior to any attack. These directions failed to reach Locke prior to the engagement.
Early on the morning of the 20th the Whigs came out from their cover, crossed Anderson Mountain and headed straight toward Ramsour's via the "State Road," the Buffalo Shoals Road, and the Sherrill's Ford Road.
The Ramsour's Mill campaign had begun with McDowell's discovery of the Tory gathering on Indian Creek on June 10, 1780. It ended with the sharp decisive and bloody action of ten days later on June 20, 1780.
The Tory camp lay just east of the mill on a ridge and straddling both the Sherrill's Ford Road and the Tuckesegee Road, near their juncture at the mill. There was a small stream and a glade or bog, between the two roads. The Whigs approached from the northeast on the Sherrills' Ford Road. Upon approaching the Tory camp they split. McDowell leading the mounted men on a direct frontal assault. Colonel Locke led the remainder directly across to the Tuskesegee Road, turned to the right, and advanced toward the right wing of the Tories. Captain John Hardin and his Burke men were dispatched farther to the west and toward the Tory rear.
McDowell's initial charge was momentarily effective, catching the Tories by surprise; however, they recovered quickly and began to drive McDowell's men into their infantry back up. During this action Captain Falls and Bowman were mortally wounded. Captain Daniel McKissock was seriously wounded and disabled for life.
The next phase was a stand up encounter, eyeball to eyeball between the Whigs and Tories - a furious struggle. It was Captain John Hardin and his Burke men that turned the tide of the battle. A quick decisive thrust to the Tories side and rear threw the Tories into confusion. Their retreat across Clark's Creek ended the battle.
For McDowell and his men this would be their first major conflict in which they played a conspicuous role. To follow would be Kings' Mountain, Cowpens, and the 1782 Indian campaigns.
Following the battle Joseph McDowell, along with Brevard, Colonel Charles McDowell, and their men returned to Burke Court House. By now new instructions had been given to the militiamen of western Salisbury District. Their objective - to oppose the advance of Ferguson in the western wing of the British Army. Ferguson was then in western South Carolina and progressing toward the north. Another aim of their group was to prevent Ferguson from joining Cornwallis' main army; in other words to disrupt his line of communication.
South Carolina Actions
After the affair at Earle's Ford, the McDowells then began to march almost due east toward the main Broad River, and then south. Though no written documents are available to confirm it, it seemed that the reasons were becoming rapidly apparent. McDowell, by following the line of the Broad River, would interpose himself between the American Army to the east and the northward advancing Ferguson to the west. McDowell thereafter would be in easy communication distance with Rutherford and Gates. His advance along the Broad River would threaten communications between Ferguson and Cornwallis and would possibly prevent their juncture.
While advancing eastwardly, near the Cowpens, they came in contact with a Tory outpost - Fort Anderson (or Thicketty Fort) manned by 100 men. Their commander was Patrick Moore, brother of Col. John Moore of Lincoln County. Major McDowell along with John Sevier and others surrounded the fort and brought about its capture without a shot being fired. The British were highly distressed at such an easy surrender as evidenced by the entries in the diary of the British officer, Lt. Anthony Allaire.
Following the capture of Fort Anderson, the two McDowells and their subordinates then progressed eastwardly to Cherokee Ford of the Broad River. Forays were sent out against Ferguson resulting in small skirmishes at Cedar Springs and the Iron Works. It is not definite as to whether or not Joseph McDowell participated in these.
McDowell moved his headquarters farther south along the Broad River to Smith's Ford. At this time his command numbered nearly 1000 men. As mentioned earlier, his main object was to prevent Ferguson from joining up with Cornwallis. Unfortunately, a sudden turn of events caused a radical change in plans. Ferguson was recalled to the east by his immediate commanding officer, Col. Trumbull, at Rocky Mount. This was brought on by American raids led by General Thomas Sumter and Major William R. Davis. In obedience to these orders Ferguson took the major part of his troops and marched directly eastwardly to Winnsboro. Thus, McDowell's quarry had "flew the coop." This explains the next move on McDowell's part, namely - the raid on Musgrove's Mill. The purpose of this was to harass Ferguson's rear base of supplies and possible cause him to turn around and return to his former base. The raid was led by Col. James Williams. He was accompanied by other officers including Major Joseph McDowell and Captain David Vance. They did not surprise the garrison at Musgrove's Mill as originally planned, however, they did effect a very neat entrapment type skirmish which resulted in defeat for the British forces. This occurred on August 18, 1780. The victory at Musgrove's Mill by Williams, McDowell and others did indeed accomplish its purpose. Ferguson immediately turned around and returned to the western part of South Carolina. During the interim, however, the disaster at Camden had occurred and the retreat of McDowell was now inevitable. Upon hearing of the news of the American defeat at Camden, coupled by the later defeat of General Sumter at Fishing Creek, the little army under McDowell simply disintegrated. Major Joseph McDowell accompanied his brother into North Carolina where they conducted several actions against Ferguson's van guard. These included the small skirmishes at Cane Creek and Allen's Mountain, both occurring in early September 1780. With Ferguson close by, the McDowell's then traversed the western portion of Burke County and crossed the Blue Ridge into the Watauga Settlements. It was here that the Kings Mountain campaign was instituted and later carried into effect. The campaign is well documented by the many pieces of literature relating to it. Joseph McDowell accompanied his brother over the mountains, downward to Quaker Meadows, where he, along with his brothers, were the official hots for the embodiment which followed. The council of war which tool place on a rainy day following their departure from Quaker Meadows is well written about. There is some confusion as to whether Joseph McDowell of Quaker Meadows or Joseph McDowell of Pleasant Gardens assumed command of the Burke troops. The most logical one to command troops would be Major McDowell of Quaker Meadows, since he was a field officer rather than a company grade officer. Joseph McDowell of Pleasant Gardens did not become a field officer until later in the war. Nevertheless, they both were at Kings Mountain and occupied positions of command. They fought on the southeastern slope of Kings Mountain directly facing Ferguson's charge. Following the battle, Joseph McDowell accompanied the fatigued American troops back to Quaker Meadows. En route, the famous trial at Biggerstaff's occurred in which Joesph McDowell was one of the magistrates or members of the court marital that sat in judgment of the Tories. one reference seemed to think that Joseph McDowell had brought up the name of several Burke County men who were later hanged, but that he had felt the punishment was somewhat too harsh for the crimes that were committed. (There was no question that this trial did no credit to American arms, since the men hanged were merely carrying out the orders in fighting for the cause that they felt was just. Had they been spies or had they committed some heinous crime, they perhaps should have been hanged; however, most of them were doing no more than their Whig counterparts.)
McDowell and his men remained at Burke Court House for several weeks fearing the advance of Tarleton to their area. Cornwallis, by this time, had decided to move back to South Carolina and into winter quarters. By December, the American army had changed its commander. General Gates was relieved by General Nathaniel Gates. The militia troops of Salisbury District were commanded by General William Lee Davidson (General Rutherford had been captured at Camden). General Daniel Morgan was now in North Carolina superceding Charles McDowell's old command and with the same purpose of opposing the British Troops in western South Carolina. His force was to be a combination of regular troops from the Maryland and Delaware line along with militia troops of western Salisbury District, South Carolina, and Georgia. The composite make-up of Morgan's force was similar to that of McDowell, except that it was now augmented by the line troops. Major Joseph McDowell, with his 150-200 mounted riflemen advanced southwardly into western South Carolina, joining General Morgan's forces at Grindal Shoals of the Pacolet River shortly after Christmas in late December 1780. The mounted troops under McDowell were in 3 companies commanded by Captains Mordecai Clarke, George Walker and Alexander Erwin. They were later joined by scattered militia troops under Colonel Thomas Brandon, Colonel John Thomas, Jr., General Andrew Pickens, and Majors McCall, Jackson, and Cunningham. The mounted cavalrymen of Colonel William Washington were also present. On or about the first of January 1781, Cornwallis had ordered Tarleton to move toward Ninety-Six with special orders that he push Morgan "to the utmost." By January 15th he had reached Easterwood Ford on the Pacolet River. On hearing of Tarleton's advance, Morgan retreated a short distance to an area called Cowpens. Here, on January 17, 1781, was fought one of the best executed and most epic battles of the entire Revolutionary War. (It is a distinct honor to Burke County and to North Carolina that the front line of riflemen picked to meet the on-rushing British dragoons were those under the command of Major McDowell, assisted by Georgians under Major Cunningham). The riflemen were to fire a few select rounds at the British and were to retreat rapidly and then were to hold their ground, turning at the same time and firing another volley.
Back-up militia and line troops would be present. The mounted troops would converge inwardly from each side.
Tarleton unwittingly fell into the trap. The result was a complete American victory with Tarleton's forces being nearly wiped out. Tarleton himself managed to escape with a few of his dragoons.
Morgan, with McDowell accompanying him, knew fully well now that Cornwallis would be hard on his rear (Cornwallis had been recently reinforced by General Leslie). Morgan retreated to General Green's camp on the Catawba River. The British troops followed and on February 2, 1781, there was a skirmish at Cowan's Ford on the Catawba River. Joseph McDowell was present along with Captain Alexander Erwin and his company of mounted riflemen. During this skirmish, General Davidson, head of the Salisbury militia, was killed instantly. The American militiamen retreated precipitously to Torrence's Tavern, where there was a brisk skirmish. They were unable to fight effectively because of wet powder. As a result, the British scattered most of the militiamen after having killed and captured a few. General Greene was discouraged at the militia performance on the Catawba River. He continued his long retreat northward to the Dan River, a military classic. There is no evidence that any of the Burke County militiamen accompanied General Greene on his retreat. General Morgan, in the mean time, had resigned his command because of poor health and had returned to Virginia. The Battle of Guilford Court House was soon to follow and with this the Pyrrhic victory of Cornwallis. He was subsequently to leave western North Carolna once and for all.
Following the affair on the Catawba River, Joseph McDowell returned to Burke COunty and there regrouped his command with intentions of going into South Carolina to serve once again under General Nathaniel Greene. McDowell and his mounted troops took part in the unsuccessful siege of Ninety-Six, South Carolina. This siege lasted 28 days and was characterized by several assaults, all of which were repelled. Eventually the Americans evacuated the area after they had received news of British reinforcements (June 28, 1781).
Following their participation in the siege of Ninety-Six, McDowell and his mounted battalion returned home to Burke County in time to take part in the summer preparation of the campaign to retake Wilmington. By this time General Griffith Rutherford had been exchanged and was back in action. Virtually all able-bodied men from Burke County took part in this campaign. It began in September, 1781 and ended shortly after Christmas of the same year. Joseph McDowell and his command accompanied General Rutherford, his brother Charles and other elements of the Salisbury Militia to Wilmington. By the time they arrived Cornwallis had left, on his way to Virginia. On their return through central North Carolina, many of the Burke County troops were harassed by the Tory partisans under Colonel David Fanning.
Back in Burke County, after passage of the winter, the Indian problems were still mounting in the western parts of the county and in the Tennessee settlements. In March 1782 Major Joseph McDowell led a punitive raid against the Cherokees. This raid lasted approximately one month.
He participated in the 1782 raid on the Chickamaugas led by his brother General Charles McDowell. On his return home into Burke County, he was to continue his outstanding service as a legislator and as a congressman.
Summary of Later Life
McDowell's main contributions, other than military, were in the state legislature and in the US Congress. In the post war years, he did indeed rise in rank militarily to Brigadier General of Morgan District, replacing his brother Charles in that capacity. However, the glory of the Revolution had passed and the Indian menace had moved to the West. Therefore most of the military matters in Morgan District were of little consequence.
McDowell's personality seemed to fit him perfectly in the position of a regional political leader. Physically, he was a handsome man. Personality wise, he was well liked by his western constituency. He was extremely revered by his old Revolutionary compatriots. McDowell was an outspoken man and frequently voiced his opinions on the floor of the legislature and in Congress. At times he was too outspoken . . . bringing on heated exchanges between himself and his fellow representatives.
McDowell looked upon himself as a champion of the common man, the frontiersman, the non-slave holding man, the westward moving man, the Revolutionary. At the same time he despised the affluent, the centralists, the Federalists, the landed gentry of the East, the land barons, and the "silk stockings." He was a strong proponent of local government as opposed to central or Federal government. He had a strong dislike for the regular army or continentals. He firmly believed that local militia could solve all military matters, when not in a national conflict. Because of these beliefs, he was against the use of continental troops in solving local problems such as the Whiskey Rebellion and Indian uprisings.
McDowell thus, early in the game, became an Anti-Federalist, (later called Republicans, or Jeffersonian Democrats).
He, along with a half-dozen others in the state, literally became charter members of the opposition party. Because they were in the extreme (but vocal) minority, they were often criticized by their contemporaries and by historians alike. What their critics failed to see, however, was that this was the birth of the two-party system, so essential for our national solidarity. Had the Federalist, or one-party system, held sway, autocracy might have resulted.
The anti-federalist sentiments were also championed by Jefferson. Soon, the Jeffersonian Democrat party was founded. In North Carolina the historian Gilpatrick stated that, "Matthew Locke, Joseph McDowell, Timothy Bloodworth, and James Gillespie, all of whom appear as anti-administration congressmen during the decade of the 1790s, thus being charter members, as it were, of the Jeffersonian Party in North Carolina."
Joseph McDowell Political Career
McDowell started his legislative career very early. He served in the lower house in the legislative sessions of 1780 through 1792. During this time he served on the Ways & Means Committee, the Committee of Propositions & Grievances, Unliquidated Claims Committee, Committee of Public Bills and committees related to slavery, superior courts, army accounts and excise laws. He also served as a presidential elector in the election of 1792.
He was appointed along with Charles and Joseph McDowell of Pleasant Gardens to the Constitutional Conventions of 1788 and 1789. On December 3, 1793 he took his seat in the US House of Representatives. Two days later he heard the first president of the United States, George Washington, address Congress. He served until 1795. McDowell was reelected to Congress in 1797 and served to the end of his term in 1799 when he returned to Burke County.
During his congressional career he served on a committee to establish post offices and post roads and on a committee of militia organization.
Death of Joseph McDowell of Pleasant Gardens
McDowell returned home to Burke County just in time to act as an executor in the estate of his close cousin, Joseph McDowell, Jr., of Pleasant Gardens. Heitman lists his death as occurring on Feb. 27, 1795. His will was probated on April 28, 1795 in Morganton District Court. Earlier, in January, he was serving in the North Carolina Senate. A survey of the proceedings of the session reveal that his name suddenly disappeared from the voting tallies and did not again appear for the remainder of the session. Perhaps this might have indicated the onset of his terminal illness.
During the race for the 4th Congress, McDowell was not elected. He continued to actively campaign in the name of the Jeffersonian Democracy.
Joseph McDowell's Last Public Contributions
McDowell's last act of public service was the official survey of the proposed North Carolina-Tennessee boundary in the summer of 1799. McDowell, now acting as military head of Morgan District, headed up the survey team, composed of himself, David Vance, Robert Henry and Mussentine Matthews.
During the easy hours of the survey, McDowell and Vance related their experiences during the Kings Mountain Campaign with David Vance taking notes; there was created a so-called McDowell-Vance-Henry narrative of the Kings Mountain affair. Much of the narrative belongs to McDowell. This memoir is a source of much of the information concerning Kings Mountain, particularly the events leading up to that epic battle. McDowell was forced to cut short his participation in the survey, because of illness.
After McDowell returned home there were, according to some, plans being made for his removal to Kentucky. There is no question that Kentucky was where the action was, both economically and politically. Many of the McDowells of Virginia, and his wife's kinsmen, the Moffetts, were moving to central Kentucky. Some of McDowell's old revolutionary subordinates were already there, and doing well (Thomas Kennedy, Robert Brank, Samuel Woods).
In the summer of 1801, at the age of 45, McDowell suffered a cerebral stroke and died. The following is the account given in the Raleigh Register of August 18.
"Died, on the 11th day of July, 1801, of an appolectic stroke General Joseph McDowell, of Burke County . . . Partizan (sic) officer during our Revolutionary War . . . member of the State Legislature . . . member of Congress . . . on the 12th his remains were deposited at the family place of burial by Masonic Brethren . . . on the 27th his funeral was celebrated by a procession of the military and the Masonic Brethren . . ."The will of McDowell was probated in District Court at Morganton in its July, 1801 session. named as executors of the estate were his wife Margaret McDowell, William Erwin and Henry Highland.
Marriage and Family
Joseph McDowell married ca. 1776 Margaret Moffett, daughter of Colonel George Moffett of Virginia and Sarah McDowell Moffett. Their children were as follows:
1. Sarah McDowell b. Feb. 5, 1784, d. Aug. 19, 1827. Married 1) John Matthews of Augusta Co., VA and Woodford Co., KY. Married 2) (--?--) Price.
2. Elizabeth McDowell b. Feb. 6, 1785, d. Aug. 25, 1821. Married 1) Caleb Wallace McDowell. Married 2) (--?--) Porter
3. Margaret McDowell b. Oct. 26, 1787, d. March 21, 1808. Married Allen Trimble who became Governor of Ohio.
4. Hannah McDowell b. Dec. 24, 1789, d. Aug. 29, 1850.
5. Hugh Hervey McDowell b. Jan. 20, 1794 / June 23, 1792, d. 1864 / 1859. Moved to Missouri and became a prominent citizen of that state.
6. Celia McDowell b. Feb. 20, 1795, d. April 12, 1859. Married George Chrisman, Jessamine County, KY 1814.
7. Clarissa Mira McDowell b. June 10, 1798, d. 1863. Married (--?--) Chrisman, Jessamine County, KY.
8. Joseph Jefferson McDowell b. Nov. 13, 1800, d. Jan. 17, 1877. Married Sarah Allen McCue. Later became a general of militia and US Representative in Congress from Ohio (1843-47). Buried at Hillsboro, Ohio.
Following the death of Joseph McDowell in 1801, Margaret McDowell moved briefly with her family to Augusta County, Virginia and then to Woodford County, Kentucky. She lived in Woodford County until her death in 1816. Her will was dated March 2, 1816 and probated in July 1816. her will listed children as follows:
1. Hervey
2. Joseph Jefferson
3. Clarissa
4. Elizabeth (McDowell) Porter
Margaret (O'Neal) McDowell
Summary of Early Life
Born in Ireland, sometime before 1723. Emigrated to America,firstt o Pennsylvania then to Winchester, Virginia. She married Joseph McDowell, who, while living in Winchester, was a captain in the French and Indian War. He served with General Braddock on his ill fated expedition (July, 1755). The McDowells, following the close of the French and Indian war, moved to Quaker Meadow, ca. 1765. With them were their sons Hugh, Charles, Joseph, John and two, possibly three daughters.
Margaret O'Neal McDowell, as given by several historical accounts, was from a prominent Irish Catholic family.
Summary of Military Service
Just about all that is know about Margaret O'Neal McDowell stems from the research of the noted Revolutionary War historian, Lyman C. Draper. Draper drawing on reminiscences handed down to a granddaughter of Major Joseph McDowell, tells of the patriotic behavior of Margaret McDowell during the dark days of 1780. As mistress of the Quaker Meadows Estate, she furnished supplies and quartering throughout the war.
Her home served as a fortified area known as McDowell's Fort Station. Draper describes the insults to which she was exposed as Ferguson's Rangers and Loyalist militia passed through the area in September 1780. They threatened to kill both Charles and Joseph, then leading the organized resistance against the British.
After the American victory at Kings Mountain on October 7, 1780, the same Loyalists returned again to Quaker Meadows, this time as prisoners. Her attitude is summed up in a narrative given by Draper as follows ". . . Mrs. McDowell readily recognized them, and it required not a little kind persuasion on the part of Major McDowell to induce his mother to give those 'thieving vagabond Tories,' as she termed them, shelter, food and nourishment. But the appeals of her filial son, of whom she was justly proud, coupled with a silent plea of human beings and their needy, destitute condition, prevailed; and in her Christian charity, she returned good for evil."
Summary of Later Life
Most accounts give the death of Margaret McDowell as sometime "after 1780" referring to the above account during the Kings Mountain Campaign. This is due to the fact that her death date is not definitely known. It is presumed that she is buried in the Quaker Meadow Cemetery overlooking Morganton, NC; however there is no stone present to mark her grave. According to Dr. Jean Ervin of Morganton, it is illogical that she is buried anywhere else but in the Quaker Meadow Cemetery. This is the most likely conclusion; however, one must also consider that Hugh McDowell's foster son, Henry Highland, lived on an adjacent estate and took care of some of the McDowell heirs. It is possible that she may have gone west with her foster grandson after the American Revolution. This is conjecture, however, with no factual information to support. Highland lived in Coffee County, Tennessee.
Margaret McDowell is not listed on the 1790 Burke County census. There are seemingly a disproportionate number of females both in the family of Charles McDowell and Joseph McDowell. Perhaps she represents one of these numbers.
Because of her patriotic actions during the American Revolution, Margaret O'Neal McDowell is listed as a patriotic by the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
3 comments:
Good day,
In your notebook you write:
"Ferguson, hearing of McDowell's gathering, sent a party northward toward Burke County with the intent of defeating McDowell. McDowell, getting wind of this maneuver, laid a trap at the head of Cane Creek, near the Rutherford-Burke line (in present McDowell county near the intersection of Highways 226 and 64).
Ferguson's advance party unwittingly selected the wrong approach road, and so "McDowell's trap" lost its effectiveness. There was a rather brisk skirmish, with McDowell's guerillas eventually being scattered (September 12, 1780). Killed at Cane Creek was Peter Brank, a neighbor of Charles McDowell.
I am a descendant of Peter Brank, and almost all online genealogy writings say (incorrectly) that he died at King;s Mountain. I think you have the time of his death accurate, occurring three to four weeks before King's Mountain.
So... can you point me to other material that details Peter's death at Cane Creek?
The information re: Peter Brank was found in White, Emmett. Revolutionary War Soldiers of Western North Carolina: Burke County, Volume I, Southern Historical Press, 1984. You might want to look for that book and see if there is additional information re: Brank.
I found the following accounts of the Skirmish at Cane Creek:
http://www.revolutionarywar101.com/battles/800912-cane-creek/
http://www.carolana.com/NC/Revolution/revolution_cane_creek.html
http://bythewaywebf.webfactional.com/omvt/items/show/5
https://mountainx.com/blogwire/revolutionary-wars-battle-of-cane-creek-subject-of-presentation/
https://pastinthepresent.wordpress.com/2016/12/22/foothills-conservancy-acquires-part-of-cane-creek-battlefield/
https://foothillsconservancy.org/
NC Patriots in Their Own Words
Roster of Soldiers from North Carolina in the American Revolution
Documenting the American South
Have you checked for a widow's pension?
I would start with Emmett White's book and see what sources he cited. Also, "Volume I" indicates that there is a Volume II . . .
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