The enlisted troops assembled at the Sycamore Shoals, marched from that place on the 26th of September.  They were all mounted, and unencumbered with baggage expecting to support themselves partly by their trusty rifles from the game of the forest, as they progressed and partly by compelling the Tories to minister to their wants.  The assembled forces placed under marching orders, were as follows:  From Washington county, Va., under Col.  William Campbell, four hundred men.  From Sullivan county, N.C. (now in Tennessee) under Col.  Isaac Shelby, two hundred and forty men.  From Washington county, N.C. (now in Tennessee) under Col John Sevier, two hundred and forty men.  From Burke and Rutherford counties, N.C., under Col.  Charles McDowell, one hundred and sixty men.  On the second day’s march, two of their men deserted, and went ahead to the enemy.  It is probable their report of the Whig strength accelerated Ferguson’s retreating movements.  On the 30th of September, they crossed the mountains and were joined at the head of the Catawba river by Col.  Benjamin Cleaveland and Major Joseph Winston, with three hundred and fifty men from Wilkes and Surry counties.  Upon the junction of these forces, the officers held a council and as they were all of equal grade, it was agreed that a messenger be dispatched immediately to head-quarters, supposed to be between Charlotte and Salisbury to get General Sumner or Gen. Davidson to assume the chief command.  They were now in Col.  Charles McDowell’s military district, and being the senior officer, the chief command properly devolved upon him, unless his right, for the present, should be waived, and by agreement, turned over to another.  Col.  Shelby proposed, mainly through courtesy, that Col.  William Campbell, who had met them with the largest regiment from a sister State, should assume the chief command until the arrival of some superior officer.  This proposition was readily assented to, and Col.  Charles McDowell volunteered his services to proceed to headquarters, and requested his brother, Major Joseph McDowell, to take command of his regiment until his return.

On the 4th of October the riflemen—­the “mountain boys,”—­advanced to Gilberttown, unwilling that Ferguson should be at the trouble to “cross the mountains and hang their leaders,” as boastfully promulgated only a few days before.

Ferguson’s abrupt departure and retrograde movement from Gilberttown, like that of Cornwallis from Charlotte two weeks later, clearly betrayed his apprehensions of formidable opposition by the enraged “hornets” of the mountains.  Pursuit was immediately determined upon, and the Whig forces reached the celebrated Cowpens on the 6th of October, where they were joined by Col.  James D. Williams, of South Carolina, with nearly four hundred men, and about sixty men from Lincoln county, under Lieut.  Colonel Hambright. (Col.  William Graham, of the same regiment, on account of severe sickness in his family, was not in the battle fought on the next day.) It is also known a company was raised under Capt.  Shannon, from the same county, but failed to reach the battle-ground in time for the engagement.