SCRAMBLED

DEFINITION

ahleck

A comb for separating the broken fibers from the unbroken fibers when making linen fibers from flax.

aspic pill egg

(two words)

The Virginia troops under William Campbell crossed the Blue Ridge here on September 29th. The Museum of North Carolina Minerals operated by the National Park Service's Blue Ridge Parkway is today in the gap.

atilmimian

Colonial soldier serving in the local militia organized by each colony. Some wore uniforms, many did not. Some were paid for service when fighting, many were not.

awatgau

River in Virginia and Tennessee. Overmountain families settled there in the 1760's

awquarkemdoes

(two words)

The home of Charles McDowell on the Catawba River in North Carolina where the Overmountain men joined up with the Wilkes-Surry army

befor dill shd

(two words)

The combined patriot army camped here October 1 and 2 drying out from wet weather. The morning of October 3rd, Charles McDowell relinquished command to avoid conflict. William Campbell took his place in what was expected to be temporarily, although he served the rest of the command. The commanders consulted with each other, really sharing command for the rest of the campaign.

ceek near

(two words)

On October 3rd and 4th, the army followed this stream through the South Mountains, crossing the creek time after time.

colifrek

18th century military term for a rifle or musket

comnicsa

The colonists learned from the native Americans to make shoes from soft elk or deer skin. Both men and women wore these in their everyday life, since cobblers were scarce on the frontier and shoes and boots very expensive. The style worn was high, coming up above the ankle and having a seam running down the front.

cont hover

(two words)

The Tennessee troops camped here deep in the mountains on the night of September 29th.

coprinvial

Colonial soldier in British army and trained as British soldier

covert ukey

(two words)

The Virginia troops camped here not far from the Tennessee troops on the night of September 29th.

crako eering

(two words)

Rising on the North Carolina side of Roan Mountain, the Overmountain men camped on its banks the night of September 27th and followed this stream down the mountain the 28th to the North Toe river.

crirnot

A felt hat turned up in three places and commonly worn by military and civilians, men and women

deereo forchk

(two words)

Named for the largest, most fierce tribe of native Americans in the South, this was a main crossing of the Broad river on the trail from Charlotte to the tribe's home in the mountains. Fearing an ambush while crossing the morning of October 7th, the army was glad to see the river behind them.

egfirn

Since the only waterproofing (beeswax for cloth or greases for leathers) wears off easily, colonial people got wet. To help their garments dry more quickly, colonial clothes had fringe at the seams and below the shoulder to wick water away.

eorf

Also called a draw knife, this tool was used to make shingles from logs.

fern gafeph

(two words)

The Tennessee troops under John Sevier and Isaac Shelby crossed the Blue Ridge here on September 29th.

fillcoknt

Before the invention of the modern bullet, a rifle was fired by striking a flint rock against a steel piece to make a spark to set off the powder charge. The striking mechanism was called a flintlock. Weapons using the mechanism were called flintlocks.

gablesib sopp

(two words)

A man's purse, this leather or cloth bag was carried over the shoulder to carry everything he could possibly need.

ghiw

colonist supporting independence in Revolution

goashdeh

A wooden cask or barrel holding liquids or tobacco. Tobacco casks were rolled from the farm to a port and loaded on ships for sale in England. Because of this, many places in the east have Rolling Roads as street names. Virginia had a road with a very steep, rough hill that was called Bust Head Road.

kesmut

A rifle with a smooth barrel. Most military weapons in the 1700's were muskets, because a musket was fast loading. A musket was not as accurate as a rifle. A musket was also called a smoothbore. Confusingly, in the Civil War (1861-1865), the rifles were called rifled muskets! Ferguson's army mostly used flintlock, muzzleloading muskets.

lalb

A round rifle bullet named for its physical appearance

latetinnoce

Colonial army raised by the Continental Congress in the name of all the colonies. George Washington was the commander-in-chief. Paid soldiers. Also, a paper dollar issued by the Continental Congress. Since there was little money in the treasury, the money was not worth its face value, giving rise to the express for worthless: "not worth a Continental."

lifer

A firearm fired from the shoulder and equipped with a barrel having spiral grooves to cause the bullet to spin. The Overmountainmen carried flintlock, muzzleloading rifles.

lifertihrs

This was the most popular shirt for men and boys on the frontier, acting as a coat and shirt. Made of either linen or linsey-woolsey, the shirt was either wraparound like a coat or pullover like a sweater. The shirt was long, coming down between the thighs and the knees. Long-sleeved, the shirt had fringe on the seams to help water run off. The shirt was coated with bees wax to repel water. A large collar protected the shoulders and could be turned up under the hat to protect the neck and ears.

litll finh

(two words)

The South Carolina patriots camped here in North Carolina after the British victory in August at Camden, South Carolina, and joined the Overmountain men in October.

mehopsun

Cloth that was made at home or clothes made from the home-made cloth. Since manufactured cloth was expensive, many families made their own cloth. First they'd spin the fiber from cotton, flax (linen), or wool into thread. Then they'd weave the thread into cloth.

mentcharp

Paper made from animal skin

mount sinkgain

(two words)

A low mountain on the edge of the foothills in South Carolina, this area today has two state parks and a national park. The battle fought here October 7th, 1780, was the first important defeat for the British that summer. By the next spring, the British gave up the Carolinas and moved north to conquer Virginia. Just over a year later, the British surrendered at Yorktown, Virginia.

mr snail bonk

(two words)

The army camped here the night of October 3rd, using the high ground as a lookout toward where Ferguson was expected.

my gael unto low pain

(three words)

The Overmountain army crossed Roan Mountain through this gap on September 27th.

nho redowrp

(two words)

A waterproof container for black powder made from the horn of a cow or goat. Horn was the 18th century plastic, being malleable (shapeable) when heated in hot water.

nhoinjghopp

(two words)

A colonial food made with rice and peas or beans. Supposedly, the name came from a requirement that servants hop while carrying food from the kitchen to the dining room to prevent the servant from eating any of the food. Since all cooking was over an open fire that was kept burning day and night, fire was a great danger. To minimize damage from the inevitable fire, the kitchen was a separate building from the house.

nikday

Joseph Winston, Benjamin Cleveland, and William Lenoir settled along this river in North Carolina.

ninerdeut

Method of selling one's labor for one's passage from Europe to America. After working as a servant or laborer for the agreed period of time, the indentured servant was free. Many indentures were not voluntary, being imposed by a court in England for theft, vagrancy, or other petty (small) crimes. Possibly two-thirds of the colonial immigrants were voluntary or forced indentures.

notsloh

River in Virginia and today's Tennessee. William Campbell and Isaac Shelby lived along this river and its branches.

oheeack

(two words)

A colonial food made by mixing cornmeal and water and baking the batter. Reportedly, you could bake it over an open fire on a skillet or the blade of a hoe!

omeany

a farmer

onluckyich

The Toe has a new name when the river enters today's Tennessee. John Sevier settled along this river.

oyes-lowseyoiln

Cloth made from linen and wool. The linen was prepared from flax grown on the frontier. The wool came from sheep. The linen was strong and long-wearing. The wool was warm and soft.

poorec

A barrel maker. Since wood was plentiful, all sorts of things were shipped and stored in barrels.

redclap kbow

(two words)

Made from sulphur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate, this is still used in naval guns and large cannon. Until late into the 19th century, this was also used for rifles, pistols, and shotguns.

redrainwore

shoemaker

refirar

blacksmith

rerefir

blacksmith

ryto

Colonist supporting Crown (King) in Revolution

scramsoshyeola

(two words)

site of Fort Watauga on the Watauga River in today's Tennessee (then North Carolina) where John Sevier, Isaac Shelby, and William Campbell joined their militia with the remaining men under Charles McDowell September 25, 1780, to begin the march against Ferguson

seemich

Looking like a long petticoat, this was a woman's or girl's nightgown and dress. When she dressed up, she added a skirt and shirtwaist over top. It was handmade from linen or linsey-woolsey.

sevolers

Statements published by counties and colonies asking the colony or the Continental Congress to declare independence. Often forgotten now, the declarations and resolves passed prior to the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress expressed the local desire for independence from England. Two such documents from along the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail are Virginia's Fincastle Resolves and North Carolina's Mecklinberg Declaration.

shepact

Small pieces of linen cloth used with the ball in loading a rifle. This acted as a seal between the rifle barrel and the ball, causing the ball to spin to match the grooves (rifling) in the barrel and preventing the combustion gases from blowing by the ball.

Since all clothes were made from hand-made cloth and thread, all clothing was patched and rougher looking than modern, machine-made clothing.

sing legg

(one word)

Since boots were expensive, leather or cloth was wrapped around a man's lower leg to protect him from brush and briers.

snorglehvick

(two words)

On the west side of Roan Mountain, this big rock sheltered the powder from the rain on the evening of September 26th as the Overmountain men left Sycamore Shoals.

snowpec

The Overmountain men, South Carolina troops, and local militia joined up here late on the 6th. Seizing cattle, they ate a hasty meal and pushed on toward Charlotte. Rain fell during the night, making the roads muddy and hard to follow. The Virginia troops were lost part of the night, just joining up as the army forded the flooded Broad River.

syr cras geek

(two words)

Rising in the Blue Ridge, the Overmountain men camped on this stream's banks the night of September 28th, following it upstream the next day.

tegrog

Named for a throat covering used with armor, this silver, gold, or brass medallion carried on a ribbon or leather throng around the neck signified rank in the armies in 1780.

the king's real cots

(two words)

Dried string beans that look brown and shriveled, usually hung on a string from the beams in the kitchen. Drying, smoking, pickling (packing in salt), and storing in a spring house or pit in the ground were the main ways to preserve foods in colonial days.

townlitberg

(two words)

Ferguson's headquarters late in the summer near today's Rutherfordton, North Carolina, the Overmountain men expected to battle here, only to find Ferguson gone when they arrived. They spent the night of October 4, 1780, here. This and King's Mountain are the only places where both armies camped.

trapsnort

Forced emigration from England as a sentence by a court for theft, vagrancy, or other petty (small) crime. If the prisoner could not afford to pay the passage, the prisoner's indenture was sold. After serving the indenture in the colonies, the prisoner was free, but usually could not return to England. After independence, England established Australia as a colony for transported prisoners.

tritopa

Colonist supporting independence in Revolution

verge renir

(two words)

The patriot army camped on the banks of this tributary of the Broad the night of October 5th. Early on the morning of the 6th, they learned Ferguson was headed east toward Charlotte Town. They agreed to meet with the South Carolinians that evening in South Carolina. The 910 men with the best horses went on first, with the remaining men following as quickly as they could.

vilenill

River and mountain in North Carolina. The Tennessee troops crossed Linville mountain on their way to Quaker Meadows, September 30.

wacabat

Named for the native Americans who lived along its banks, the Virginia troops followed this river to Quaker Meadows. By 1780, these people were small in number, having died from diseases brought over from Europe by the colonists. Charles McDowell lived along this river.

waktohma

A steel-headed belt ax developed from the Indian stone ax

wetrackab

Geographically, the rivers that flowed west into the Mississippi rather than east into the Atlantic were called this. The people living on those west-flowing rivers were, as a result, called this. Since this also meant ignorant, the term also was derogatory.

wheklaw list

(two words)

At Rocky Mount, the Cobb home in what is now Tennessee, the path from the kitchen to the dining room in the main house was called this, because the servants had to whistle while carrying food from the kitchen to the house. This requirement was to keep the servants from eating any of the food!

yatillso

Colonist supporting Crown (King) in Revolution

zuhzah

Third cheer in the colonial "three cheers," an earlier version of our modern hip, hip, hooray

zumdelleroaz

Before development of machine tools able to make tight-closing parts, the breech of a rifle, pistol cannon, or shotgun did not open. Instead of loading through the breech as today, the powder and shot were forced down the barrel from the muzzle. Any gun loaded through the muzzle was a muzzleloader.