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Historic Sites and Buildings

	KINGS MOUNTAIN NATIONAL MILITARY PARK South Carolina	Kings Mountain NMP
Location: 4 miles south of U.S. 216, on S.C. 216, between Charlotte, N.C., and Spartanburg, S.C.; address Box 31, Kings Mountain, N.C. 28086. Kings Mountain National Military Park Historical Handbook

Lord Cornwallis' triumphant northward thrust through Georgia and the Carolinas in 1778-80 left the scattered settlers of the Appalachian foot hills comparatively undisturbed. Preoccupied with pushing the frontier across the mountains and defending themselves against Indians, they took little interest in the war to the east. Cornwallis, however, detached Maj. Patrick Ferguson to operate in the Carolina Piedmont. Aroused by this threat, frontiersmen from both sides of the mountains rallied to meet the invader. On October 7, 1780, a force of about 900, under Cols. Isaac Shelby, John Sevier, Joseph McDowell, and William Campbell, surrounded Ferguson's 1,100 posted on Kings Mountain. In a 1-hour battle the frontier marksmen stormed up the slope and overwhelmed the British. Ferguson was slain and his entire command killed, wounded, or captured, with a loss to the Americans of 28 killed and 62 wounded. Kings Mountain compelled Cornwallis to withdraw from North Carolina and go on the defensive. Subsequent reverses caused him to abandon the southern campaign altogether.

The Kings Mountain ridge on which the battle occurred rises from the center of the 4,012-acre Kings Mountain National Military Park. A self-guiding trail leads from the visitor center and museum to the scenes of action on the mountain, marked by four large commemorative monuments.