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Hi, I’m one of Kings Mountain National Military Park’s Rangers! Are you interested in the history of the battle? I’m happy to answer your questions. Just click on the questions below.
The battle of Kings Mountain was part of the American Revolution or Revolutionary War.
The Revolutionary War was a huge deal in South Carolina, more battles were fought here than in almost any other state. Patriot victories in South Carolina at battles such as Kings Mountain and Cowpens, led to the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown. Some people have even said that the Revolution was won in South Carolina.
The battle of Kings Mountain was fought on October 7, 1780. A lot of people were surprised to learn that the American Revolution or Revolutionary War lasted for eight years, from 1775-1783.
Militiamen were civilians who were required by law to take up arms in times of emergency. All freeborn men ages 16 to 60 were required by law to serve in the militia and supply themselves with all of the arms and equipment that they needed. They were not trained professional soldiers. This meant that their experience, effectiveness, and willingness to fight varied considerably. Some militiamen were very effective, but most were not.
The Royal Provincials were American Loyalists from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. They believed so strongly in fighting for their king and parliament that they joined the British army to serve as regular professional soldiers. They were sent to South Carolina to help train the Loyalist militiamen and were the best troops under Major Patrick Ferguson’s command. Additionally, they were the only ones involved in the battle wearing a uniform.
The primary weapons used in the battle were the flintlock rifle and musket. These are both firearms. The difference between them is their barrels. A rifle has grooves in the barrel that give it greater range and accuracy. The musket has a smoothbore barrel that gives it a greater rate of fire. They also used bayonets, tomahawks, swords, and knives.
The battle was a decisive Patriot victory that turned the tide of the war in South Carolina. All of the Loyalists were either killed or captured.
With a few exceptions we have no idea where the people killed in the battle were buried. Most were buried in a rushed manner with nothing to mark their graves, which have not been located. The only marked grave in the park is that of Major Patrick Ferguson, which according to some traditions is also the grave of Virginia Sal one of his female servants. Some who died of their wounds at a later date were buried in various local cemeteries.
At the end of the battle, the Patriots had around 750 prisoners. Of those men, roughly 135 were turned over to the Continental army to be jailed in Virginia. Some died of wounds, exhaustion, or disease along the way. In several cases prisoners were executed, most famously at the Biggerstaff hanging tree where 9 men were hung. Many seem to have escaped. The prisoners were not well guarded, so some simply fell behind, while others walked away or made a break for it. In some cases, Patriot militiamen looked the other way while friends and family members made their escape.
The battle of Kings Mountain represents the turning of the tide of the war in South Carolina. Prior to the battle, Charleston was captured, three Continental armies had been destroyed, and the British were reestablishing control over the colony. It looked like the war in South Carolina was over. The Patriot victory upended this and breathed new life into the American cause.
As a ranger at Kings Mountain National Military Park, I get a lot of questions about the people who participated in the battle. I’m happy to answer any questions about them you might have.
That really depends on who you ask, but the best estimates that we have put it at roughly 1,000 men on each side. So, we’re talking about maybe 2,000 men in total.
It’s a bit weird when you think of it, but there was only one British soldier involved in the battle. However, the one soldier was the Loyalist commander, Major Patrick Ferguson.
Major Patrick Ferguson (June 4, 1744 – October 7, 1780) was born into a fairly well-connected Scottish family. Through his parents he was familiar with a number of prominent figures of the Scottish Enlightenment. However, it was his maternal uncle General James Murray who seems to have had greatest influence. After joining the British army, he served with distinction during the Seven Years War in Europe, where he sustained an injury and fell ill. In the early 1770’s he was stationed in the West Indies, where he helped to put down a revolt among the enslaved population. Falling ill once again he returned to Britain. It was after his recovery that he developed his famous “Ferguson” breechloading rifle. This weapon combined the high rate of fire of the musket with the range and accuracy of the rifle. Tests of the weapon were promising, but its production costs were very high.
In 1777, he sailed for America in command of his own unit armed with the “Ferguson” breechloading rifle. His men performed admirably during the battle of Brandywine, during which he refused to shoot a high-ranking American officer in the back. According to some accounts this officer was either Casimir Pulaski or George Washington. Badly wounded during the battle, he lost the use of his right arm. After his recovery, he was promoted to the rank of major in 1779 and by 1780 he participated in the British invasion of South Carolina. After assisting with the capture of Charleston, he was made Inspector of Militia for the colony of South Carolina. His job was to train the loyalist militia so that they could fight effectively. Pursuing the Patriot militias and partisans into North Carolina he became isolated and cut off. While attempting to fall back towards Charlotte, North Carolina, he and is army were surprised at Kings Mountain. Although he fought bravely, he was killed during the fighting.
The Patriots, also known as Whigs, were those fighting for the United States to be an independent country with its own laws and government. Loyalists, also known as Tories, were fighting to remain part of the British Empire under the rule of King George III and the laws established by the British Parliament.
People chose to be Loyalists for a lot of reasons. Only about 30% of the population supported the Patriot cause during the war. For some people, it was because they felt indebted to the king and parliament because of land or favors. Britain had done a lot to protect and develop its colonies before the war. Others hoped to be rewarded after the war. Some had longstanding feuds with neighbors who supported the Patriot cause or disagreed with the actions of the state or Continental government. Many chose to be Loyalists for religious reasons as George III was head of the Church of England and ruled through divine right. Most though would just have simply felt that they needed to serve and protect the legitimate government of their country which was the parliament and the king.
Most of the Patriots came from North Carolina and South Carolina, but there were also a large number from Virginia, and the Overmountain Region, which is modern Tennessee. There were also some from Georgia.
They were mostly local men from South Carolina and North Carolina. However, there were also men from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. They belonged to the Royal Provincials.
There were a lot of notable figures, but I think that the most important were Colonel William Campbell, Colonel Isaac Shelby, Colonel John Sevier, Colonel Benjamin Cleveland, Colonel James Williams, Colonel Edward Lacey, Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Hambright, Major Joseph McDowell, Major Joseph Winston, and Major William Chronicle.
Other than Major Patrick Ferguson, the most notable Loyalists were probably Captain Abraham DePeyster, Lieutenant Anthony Allaire, Lieutenant Alexander Chesney, and Doctor Uzal Johnson.
There are several lists, but the best was probably put together by Dr. Bobby Gilmer Moss in the early 1990’s. You can find more information about how to look of individual participants in the battle by using this link to the genealogy page on our website.
I love being a park ranger in special places like Kings Mountain National Military Park. Do you have any questions about recreation in the park that I can help with?
We have a paved battlefield loop trail as well as back country hiking trails. The battlefield loop trail begins and ends at the visitor center. On this trail you will walk in the footsteps of the battle participants. Along the battlefield trail are waysides to explain various aspects of the battle, as well as several monuments. If you want to get off the pavement, there are over 15 miles of back country hiking trails that go through Kings Mountain National Military Park and Kings Mountain State Park. These are traditional unpaved hiking trails that go through the forest.
Both the paved battlefield loop trail and the back country hiking trails are considered "moderate to strenuous".
The paved battlefield loop trail takes approximately 45-60 minutes to walk. The amount of time spent on the back country hiking trails is up to the individual. With over 15 miles of back country trails the hiker can decide how long they want to hike.
Absolutely!!! Dogs are welcome in the park as long as they are on a leash at all times. Dogs are not permitted in the buildings.
Although we do not have a picnic area, you are welcome to eat your food at one of the park benches in front of the visitor center building or at your vehicle. Also, the seating at the amphitheater is an acceptable place to eat (provided no formal event is taking place in the amphitheater area).
Currently, there is only one back country campsite in the park. To reach this campsite, campers must hike approximately 3-miles from the visitor center (each way). There are no services available at the campsite, all trash must be packed out. This single campsite can accommodate no more than 10 people. There is no charge for using the campsite, though it does require a reservation to be made on the day you intend to use it. Reservations are made on a first come, first served basis.
Yes, we do. Ask at the visitor center and a staff member will be happy to assist you.
Battle reenactments are prohibited in all national park sites. There are several reasons for this prohibition. Even with the best intentions, staging artificial battles on the actual battlefield can detract from the memorial aspect of the site. Respectfully preserving the memory of those whose lives were lost on the battlefield is critical. Also, there are potential safety risks associated with battle reenactments that can impact both reenactment participants and spectators. Potential damage to the battlefield caused during reenactments is also a concern.
Although we do not have battle reenactments, we do have living history events and historic weapons demonstrations. During these events & demonstrations, living historians interpret life during the 18th century as well as perform firings of historic weapons. On the anniversary of the battle, we also hold several large commemorative events involving reenactors.
We have a 25-minute film, a self-guided museum, and a bookstore where you can purchase books and souvenirs.
On the Kings Mountain National Military Park website and Facebook.
As a park ranger I’ve explored all around the park. Do you have any questions about nature at Kings Mountain National Military Park?
Over millions of years of weathering and erosion formed the gently rolling hills and wide river valleys that are characteristic of the Piedmont region. These same processes helped create Kings Mountain and the other isolated mountains and ridges that dot the landscape. Known as “monadnocks,” these durable rock formations are all that’s left after the erosion of the surrounding mountains and plateaus. Kings Mountain is a classic example of a schist monadnock. It is not a volcano, active or otherwise. In geologic terms, the Piedmont and Kings Mountain were formed through a combination of accretion, folding, faulting, uplift, and erosion.
The towering twin peaks of Crowders Mountain and Kings Pinnacle certainly look more deserving of the name Kings Mountain. Today Kings Mountain is part of the Kings Mountain Range, which runs for 50 miles from Gaffney South Carolina to the Catawba river near Gastonia North Carolina. However, back in 1780 the entire mountain range was simply known as Kings Mountain. They did not have names for the individual mountains. When they started naming the individual mountains, this one became Kings Mountain because the battle of Kings Mountain was fought here.
Today, Kings Mountain National Military Park is located within the piedmont region of South Carolina. The mountains of this region consist mainly of Precambrian metamorphic rocks, such as schists, gneiss, and slates created more than a billion years ago. Kings Mountain is geologically speaking “ancient.” The mountain is mostly underlain by erosion-resistant quartzite and quartz-pebble conglomerate. Bushy Ridge, however, is underlain by siliceous-metatuff, which is also quite erosion resistant. Most of the soils are compact yellow and red clays that absorb run off poorly but erode quickly when deforested.
In the 1780’s the park would have been covered with a mature old growth forest of mixed hardwoods and short leaf pines. However, this forest no longer exists as a result of years of logging and deforestation. The secondary forest or second growth that covers the park today consists of many, but likely not all, of the same species of trees that would have been here historically. The majority of the trees in the park today are around 80-90 years old though some are older. Secondary forests like the one at Kings Mountain National Military Park tend to have trees that are spaced closer together than old growth forests and contain less undergrowth. Usually, secondary forests have only one canopy layer, whereas old growth forests have several.
Trees from the time when a historic event occurred are known as “witness trees.” Unfortunately, there are no known witness trees left in the park. In the years after the battle this region, like most of the east coast was heavily logged for timber.
We did, but what you are seeing is the result of a prescribed burn and not a wildfire. A wildfire is an uncontrolled blaze. Usually, it is a fire that ignites in rural areas where there are a lot of trees and dry brush. These fires originate from unplanned ignition sources such as lightning. Most often, however, they are caused by human activity. Prescribed burns are fires that are intentionally set by humans for land management purposes. Interestingly, there is evidence to suggest that humans have been setting fires for these reasons for thousands of years. Prescribed burns can help to clear out underbrush and debris, returning nutrients to the soil, and opening the forest up to more sunlight. This helps to generate food and habitat for different animals. Prescribed burns are carefully planned by experts and are used to achieve land management objectives.
Visitors are not allowed to fish, kayak, or canoe in the park. However, some of these activities may be permitted at Kings Mountain State Park. Check their website for more information Kings Mountain State Park.
There are a lot of different species of wildlife that you can see in the park. As of 2025, Kings Mountain National Military Park is known to be home to 22 species of amphibians, 122 different species of birds, 22 species of fish, 30 mammal species, and 34 species of reptiles. That’s 230 different species that make their home in Kings Mountain National Military Park.
There are 122 different species of birds either present or probably present in the park. It can be challenging to see them because the park is heavily forested and there’s a lot of underbrush. For the best results, stick to the recreation trails and stay away from the battlefield trail. You’re also more likely to see them in the morning and late afternoon.
When visiting any national park site, the best way to safely enjoy nature is by staying on the designated trails. You should also make sure to give any wildlife you encounter plenty of space and try to avoid touching the plants as much as possible. It always a good idea to follow the seven principles of Leave No Trace.
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