the battle was the success with which, after every retreat, Campbell, Shelby, Sevier, and Cleavland rallied their followers on the instant; the great point was to prevent the men from becoming panic-stricken when forced to flee.  The pealing volleys of musketry at short intervals drowned the incessant clatter of the less noisy but more deadly backwoods rifles.  The wild whoops of the mountain men, the cheering of the loyalists, the shouts of the officers, and the cries of the wounded mingled with the reports of the firearms, and shrill above the din rose the calling of the silver whistle.  Wherever its notes were heard the wavering British line came on, and the Americans were forced back.  Ferguson dashed from point to point, to repel the attacks of his foes, which were made with ever-increasing fury.  Two horses were killed under him; [Footnote:  Ferguson’s “Memoir,” p. 32.] but he continued to lead the charging parties; slashing and hewing with his sword until it was broken off at the hilt.  At last, as he rode full speed against a part of Sevier’s men, who had almost gained the hill crest, he became a fair mark for the vengeful backwoods riflemen.  Several of them fired together and he fell suddenly from his horse, pierced by half a dozen bullets almost at the same instant.  The gallant British leader was dead, while his foot yet hung in the stirrup. [Footnote:  The “South Carolina Loyalist” says he was killed just as he had slain Col.  Williams “with his left hand.”  Ramsey, on the other side, represents Col.  Williams as being shot while dashing forward to kill Ferguson.  Williams certainly was not killed by Ferguson himself; and in all probability the latter was slain earlier in the action and in an entirely different part of the line.  The “Loyalist” is also in error as to Cleavland’s regiment being the first that was charged.  There is no ground whatever for the statement that Ferguson was trying to escape when shot; nor was there any attempt at a charge of horsemen, made in due form.  The battle was purely one of footmen and the attempt to show an effort at a cavalry charge at the end is a simple absurdity.]

The silver whistle was now silent, but the disheartened loyalists were rallied by De Peyster, who bravely continued the fight. [Footnote:  In his Hist.  Mag. article Gen. Watts De Peyster clears his namesake’s reputation from all charge of cowardice; but his account of how De Peyster counselled and planned all sorts of expedients that might have saved the loyalists is decidedly mythical.] It is said that he himself led one of the charges which were at this time made on Cleavland’s line; the “South Fork” men from the Catawba, under Hambright and Chronicle, being forced back, Chronicle being killed and Hambright wounded.  When the Americans fled they were scarcely a gun’s length ahead of their foes; and the instant the latter faced about, the former were rallied by their officers, and again went up the hill.  One of the backwoodsmen was in the act of cocking