his rifle when a loyalist, dashing at him with the bayonet, pinned his hand to his thigh; the rifle went off, the ball going through the loyalist’s body, and the two men fell together.  Hambright, though wounded, was able to sit in the saddle, and continued in the battle.  Cleavland had his horse shot under him, and then led his men on foot.  As the lines came close together, many of the whigs recognized in the tory ranks their former neighbors, friends, or relatives; and the men taunted and jeered one another with bitter hatred.  In more than one instance brother was slain by brother or cousin by cousin.  The lowland tories felt an especial dread of the mountaineers; looking with awe and hatred on their tall, gaunt, rawboned figures, their long, matted hair and wild faces.  One wounded tory, as he lay watching them, noticed their deadly accuracy of aim, and saw also that the loyalists, firing from the summit, continually overshot their foes.

The British regulars had lost half their number; the remainder had been scattered and exhausted in their successive charges.  The bayonet companies of the loyalist militia were in the same plight; and the North Carolina tories, the least disciplined, could no longer be held to their work.  Sevier’s men gained the summit at the same time with Campbell’s and part of Shelby’s.  The three colonels were heading their troops; and as Sevier saw Shelby, he swore, by God, the British had burned off part of his hair; for it was singed on one side of his head.

When the Holston and Watauga men gained the crest the loyalists broke and fled to the east end of the mountain, among the tents and baggage wagons, where they again formed.  But they were huddled together, while their foes surrounded them on every hand.  The fighting had lasted an hour; all hope was gone; and De Peyster hoisted a white flag.

In the confusion the firing continued in parts of the lines on both sides.  Some of the backwoodsmen did not know what a white flag meant; others disregarded it, savagely calling out, “Give them Buford’s play,” in allusion to Tarleton’s having refused quarter to Buford’s troops. [Footnote:  Deposition of John Long, in Enquirer, as quoted.] Others of the men as they came up began shooting before they learned what had happened; and some tories who had been out foraging returned at this moment, and also opened fire.  A number of the loyalists escaped in turmoil, putting badges in their hats like those worn by certain of the American militia, and thus passing in safety through the whig lines. [Footnote:  Chesney, p. 333.] It was at this time, after the white flag had been displayed, that Col.  Williams was shot, as he charged a few of the tories who were still firing.  The flag was hoisted again, and white handkerchiefs were also waved, from guns and ramrods.  Shelby, spurring up to part of their line, ordered the tories to lay down their arms, which they did. [Footnote:  Shelby MS.] Campbell, at the same moment,