Revolutionary War Mass Grave

mekanizm

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
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Went to see the Thunderbirds perform at Shaw this past Sunday. On the way back saw something that looked interesting and had to stop to investigate. It was a mass grave of Americans. Seems the Battle of the Waxhaws AKA Buford Massacre was a Revolutionary War battle in which the Patriots (Americans against British control) had a fight with Banistre Tarleton who was part of Cornwallis's army and it got out of hand. Seems the Patriots were surrendering when Tarleton's horse got shot out from under him an landed on him pinning him to the ground. His army thought he was killed and they responded by killing everybody they could. After that battle very few prisoners were taken alive after that by either side in subsequent battles until the war was over.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Waxhaws

I also read back through the Battle of Cowpens. Worth a read because apparently it was the most brilliant strategy executed in the whole war by either side.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cowpens

I also had some work in Greenwood, SC a few years back and stopped in the town of Ninety Six. Back then it was a British Fort. I read the plaques and was stunned to realize that many, if not all, of the battles during the Revolutionary War involved Americans against Americans. For some reason either I had forgot or just didn't know.
 
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buckshooter

buckshooter

Old Mossy Horns
Had a friend that used to drive a semi for the company that delivered food to the Burger King there. He said him and his partner got to see that show from the BK parking lot.
 
nchawkeye

nchawkeye

Old Mossy Horns
That's where he got the name Bloody Ban...Many don't know that the Revolutionary War was actually our first Civil War...

Daniel Morgan put his militia rifleman in the front 2 ranks to slow down the British at Cowpens, then his hardened Continentals in the third rank so the British actually had to go through 3 lines of men...Nathaniel Greene did the same at Guilford Courthouse...Those two battles plus Kings Mountain basically ran Cornwallis out of North Carolina and into Virginia where he set up camp at Yorktown...Bad move as the French defeated the British fleet in Chesapeake Bay, Washington moved in from New York and the British surrendered while their band played "The World Turned Upside Down"...
 
CountryRN

CountryRN

Twelve Pointer
Very Interesting, thank you for sharing. Sadly, I do not know much about that period of time that meant so much to our country. I wish life would slow down a little to provide the opportunity to study more about our history.
 
GTO ONE

GTO ONE

Eight Pointer
Too bad Banastre Tarelton survived the war and made it back to Great Brittain. He deserves to be remembered like Patrick Ferguson who led the Torries at Kings Mountian. Ferguson chased the Overmountain Men as far as Gilbert Town in mid August 1780; from here he sent a message to the leaders of the Overmountain Men. "If you do not desist your opposition to the British Arms, I shall march this army over the mountains, hang your leaders, and lay waste to your country with fire and sword." Learning of this, the Overmountain Men set off back down the mountains to Find Patrick Ferguson. By October 1, Patrick Ferguson had been informed by Patriot deserters that the Overmountain Men were after him, and from the banks of the Broad River he sent out a call to the loyalist militia to join him or be "forever pissed upon by a set of mongrels." (The Overmountain Men) Well, when Pattie saw his command being decimated and trying to surrender only to hear the Patriots screams of "Give them Tareltons Quarter!" and "Give them Buford's play!" he and two of his officers tried to charge down the hill on ther horses to escape. All three were shot down. Pattie's foot was caught in the stirrup and he was dragged down the hill. The Patriots recognized him by the red check hunting coat he was wearing, and the proceded to piss on him as he died. After the battle was over, the Patriots allowed the prisoners to wrap Pattie's body in a raw beef hide and bury him in a shallow grave, where he lies to this day. As a descendant of one of those "Mongrels" every time I visit the Kings Mountian battlefield my son and I do our part to wash away the dust from the pile of rocks that mark Patrick Ferguson's grave.
 

Carolinaguy

Six Pointer
GTO ONE said:
Too bad Banastre Tarelton survived the war and made it back to Great Brittain. He deserves to be remembered like Patrick Ferguson who led the Torries at Kings Mountian. Ferguson chased the Overmountain Men as far as Gilbert Town in mid August 1780; from here he sent a message to the leaders of the Overmountain Men. "If you do not desist your opposition to the British Arms, I shall march this army over the mountains, hang your leaders, and lay waste to your country with fire and sword." Learning of this, the Overmountain Men set off back down the mountains to Find Patrick Ferguson. By October 1, Patrick Ferguson had been informed by Patriot deserters that the Overmountain Men were after him, and from the banks of the Broad River he sent out a call to the loyalist militia to join him or be "forever pissed upon by a set of mongrels." (The Overmountain Men) Well, when Pattie saw his command being decimated and trying to surrender only to hear the Patriots screams of "Give them Tareltons Quarter!" and "Give them Buford's play!" he and two of his officers tried to charge down the hill on ther horses to escape. All three were shot down. Pattie's foot was caught in the stirrup and he was dragged down the hill. The Patriots recognized him by the red check hunting coat he was wearing, and the proceded to piss on him as he died. After the battle was over, the Patriots allowed the prisoners to wrap Pattie's body in a raw beef hide and bury him in a shallow grave, where he lies to this day. As a descendant of one of those "Mongrels" every time I visit the Kings Mountian battlefield my son and I do our part to wash away the dust from the pile of rocks that mark Patrick Ferguson's grave.
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Seen that grave quite a few times when I was younger and peed on it myself. My Grandfather made sure I understood the history of Kings Mountain.
 
Blackwater

Blackwater

Twelve Pointer
In many of the skirmishes and battles in and around the upper Cape Fear region the participants were mostly of Scottish ancestry, the early arrivals being for the most part Patriots, and the later arrivals being Loyalists because they were forced to swear allegiance to the Crown of England after being defeated at the battle of Colloden and the defeat of the Scots by the English. Tory Hole in Elizabethtown and nearby Moore's Creek Bridge combatants were pretty much all Scots on both sides as were many smaller skirmishes in Robeson and Cumberland Counties. Following the Revolution many of the Loyalist Scots had their property taken and they were forced to relocate to the Maritime Provinces of Canada which was still English, so it was in many ways a civil war.
 
smith-n-stokes

smith-n-stokes

Old Mossy Horns
GTO ONE said:
Too bad Banastre Tarelton survived the war and made it back to Great Brittain. He deserves to be remembered like Patrick Ferguson who led the Torries at Kings Mountian. Ferguson chased the Overmountain Men as far as Gilbert Town in mid August 1780; from here he sent a message to the leaders of the Overmountain Men. "If you do not desist your opposition to the British Arms, I shall march this army over the mountains, hang your leaders, and lay waste to your country with fire and sword." Learning of this, the Overmountain Men set off back down the mountains to Find Patrick Ferguson. By October 1, Patrick Ferguson had been informed by Patriot deserters that the Overmountain Men were after him, and from the banks of the Broad River he sent out a call to the loyalist militia to join him or be "forever pissed upon by a set of mongrels." (The Overmountain Men) Well, when Pattie saw his command being decimated and trying to surrender only to hear the Patriots screams of "Give them Tareltons Quarter!" and "Give them Buford's play!" he and two of his officers tried to charge down the hill on ther horses to escape. All three were shot down. Pattie's foot was caught in the stirrup and he was dragged down the hill. The Patriots recognized him by the red check hunting coat he was wearing, and the proceded to piss on him as he died. After the battle was over, the Patriots allowed the prisoners to wrap Pattie's body in a raw beef hide and bury him in a shallow grave, where he lies to this day. As a descendant of one of those "Mongrels" every time I visit the Kings Mountian battlefield my son and I do our part to wash away the dust from the pile of rocks that mark Patrick Ferguson's grave.
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That's pretty cool.
 
BarSinister

BarSinister

Old Mossy Horns
Thanks for posting.

Mek is that down (way down) off off Rocky River rd? I've been there before (it's on the right heading south) and it prompted me to read up on ole Banastre Tarelton. I have known a few Tareltons in the area and wondered if they were related.

Been to the Kings Mountain site many times as well.
 

mekanizm

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
BarSinister said:
Thanks for posting.

Mek is that down (way down) off off Rocky River rd? I've been there before (it's on the right heading south) and it prompted me to read up on ole Banastre Tarelton. I have known a few Tareltons in the area and wondered if they were related.

Been to the Kings Mountain site many times as well.
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Exactly. About halfway between Lancaster and Pageland in the town of Buford. Next time I go near King's Mountain I am going to check it out. Never been there.
 

mekanizm

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
GTO ONE said:
Too bad Banastre Tarelton survived the war and made it back to Great Brittain. He deserves to be remembered like Patrick Ferguson who led the Torries at Kings Mountian. Ferguson chased the Overmountain Men as far as Gilbert Town in mid August 1780; from here he sent a message to the leaders of the Overmountain Men. "If you do not desist your opposition to the British Arms, I shall march this army over the mountains, hang your leaders, and lay waste to your country with fire and sword." Learning of this, the Overmountain Men set off back down the mountains to Find Patrick Ferguson. By October 1, Patrick Ferguson had been informed by Patriot deserters that the Overmountain Men were after him, and from the banks of the Broad River he sent out a call to the loyalist militia to join him or be "forever pissed upon by a set of mongrels." (The Overmountain Men) Well, when Pattie saw his command being decimated and trying to surrender only to hear the Patriots screams of "Give them Tareltons Quarter!" and "Give them Buford's play!" he and two of his officers tried to charge down the hill on ther horses to escape. All three were shot down. Pattie's foot was caught in the stirrup and he was dragged down the hill. The Patriots recognized him by the red check hunting coat he was wearing, and the proceded to piss on him as he died. After the battle was over, the Patriots allowed the prisoners to wrap Pattie's body in a raw beef hide and bury him in a shallow grave, where he lies to this day. As a descendant of one of those "Mongrels" every time I visit the Kings Mountian battlefield my son and I do our part to wash away the dust from the pile of rocks that mark Patrick Ferguson's grave.
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That is a most interesting story! I need to go see that place.
 
GTO ONE

GTO ONE

Eight Pointer
One of the things that interests me the most about Kings Mountian is the fact I had direct ancestors fighting on both sides. My mothers 5th great grandfather was William Marion Greene. He was a Captain in the Whig Militia, and was captured by the British after their loss at Ramseur's Mill. He changed sides and fought with the British, fighting under Ferguson at Kings Mountain. After the battle, he was again captured, this time by the Patriots. He an eleven others were tried for desertion; his particular charge being that he had violated the officers oath to support the governments of North Carolina and the Unitesd States by accepting a British commission and fighting against the Patriots. They were all found guilty and were to be hanged at sunrise. In the middle of the night, he and another who had been sentenced to the same fate escaped. He made a bee line to the Continental Army, where he enlisted and served under Nathaniel Greene for the rest of the war. He later became a state legislator.
 
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mekanizm

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
GTO ONE said:
One of the things that interests me the most about Kings Mountian is the fact I had direct ancestors fighting on both sides. My mothers 5th great grandfather was William Marion Greene. He was a Captain in the Whig Militia, and was captured by the British after their loss at Ramseur's Mill. He changed sides and fought with the British, fighting under Ferguson at Kings Mountain. After the battle, he was again captured, this time by the Patriots. He an eleven others were tried for desertion; his particular charge being that he had violated the officers oath to support the governments of North Carolina and the Unitesd States by accepting a British commission and fighting against the Patriots. They were all found guilty and were to be hanged at sunrise. In the middle of the night, he and another who had been sentenced to the same fate escaped. He made a bee line to the Continental Army, where he enlisted and served under Nathaniel Greene for the rest of the war. He later became a state legislator.
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Wow. I couldn't imagine the conflict of interest going on there. Peoples livelihoods were all tied up in this.

I'm from Tennessee. The next county over from home is Greene county and Greeneville Tn., named after Nathaniel Greene. He was maybe the second most important military figure after Washington.
 
Soilman

Soilman

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Revolutionary War era stories are very interesting to me. I remember going to Kings Mountain when I was in grade school in Charlotte, when we studied that part of history. They say the British took positions on the hill tops, and when they went to fire on the patriots, the balls would roll out of their musket barrels.

We have several "heroic" figures we know of on my mom's side. Those familiar with the Tory Hole in Elizabethtown should recognize the name Sallie Salter, who is one of my ancestors, and worked as spy, gaining access to the British headquarters by posing as a young maid selling eggs. While there, she gathered information that aided the Patriots in winning the battle.

Another ancestor was Duncan King and his wife Lydia Fosque, who he rescued on the high seas from pirates when she was a young child. He handed her over to a family in the community that my mom and grandparents are from, and returned some years later after she was grown, fell in love, married and settled down on a land grant from the King of England. When the Revolutionary War broke out, Duncan declared his neutrality, but townsfolk were suspicious and decided to lynch him. However, Lydia happened to be in town that day, heard about it, hopped on a horse and beat the men to her home. She warned Duncan, who fled to the nearby swamps to hid. When the men pounded on the door, Lydia opened it and invited them to dinner, which they accepted. Duncan was never lynched and my grandparents land, owned now by one of my cousins, is part of the original land grant. There is a monument in the cemetery of my grandparents church in honor of Duncan and Lydia King, which is in sight of my grandparents home.
 
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cloningerba

cloningerba

Old Mossy Horns
Man these are some great historical stories! I love reading them. Keep em coming!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Mr.Gadget

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
mekanizm said:
Wow. I couldn't imagine the conflict of interest going on there. Peoples livelihoods were all tied up in this.

I'm from Tennessee. The next county over from home is Greene county and Greeneville Tn., named after Nathaniel Greene. He was maybe the second most important military figure after Washington.
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Lived in Greeneville for about 10 years mid late 70's to about 86.
Lot of history in the area.
There is still a cannon ball from the war in a church wall there if I remember.
 
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