When within about sixteen miles of Gilbert-town, where Ferguson was then supposed to lie, Colonel M’Dowell deputed to Gates with a request that he would appoint a general officer to command them; and, in the mean time, Colonel Campbell of Virginia was chosen for that purpose.  On reaching Gilbert-town, and finding that the British had commenced their retreat, it was determined to follow them with the utmost celerity.  At the Cowpens, this party was joined by Colonels Williams, Tracy, and Branan, of South Carolina, with about four hundred men, who also gave information respecting the distance and situation of their enemy.  About nine hundred choice men were selected, by whom the pursuit was continued through the night, and through a heavy rain; and, the next day, about three in the afternoon, they came within view of Ferguson, who, finding that he must be overtaken, had determined to await the attack on King’s mountain, and was encamped on its summit,—­a ridge five or six hundred yards long, and sixty or seventy wide.

[Sidenote:  October 7.]

The Americans, who had arranged themselves into three columns, the right commanded by Colonel Sevier and Major Winston, the centre by Colonels Campbell and Shelby, and the left by Colonels Cleveland and Williams, immediately rushed to the assault.  The attack was commenced by the centre, while the two wings gained the flanks of the British line; and, in about five minutes, the action became general.  Ferguson made several impetuous charges with the bayonet, which, against riflemen, were necessarily successful.  But, before any one of them could completely disperse the corps against which it was directed, the heavy and destructive fire of the others, who pressed him on all sides, called off his attention to other quarters, and the broken corps was rallied, and brought back to the attack.

[Sidenote:  Defeat of Ferguson.]

In the course of these successive repulses, the right and centre had become intermingled, and were both, by one furious charge of the bayonet, driven almost to the foot of the mountain.  With some difficulty they were rallied and again brought into the action; upon which the British, in turn, gave way, and were driven along the summit of the ridge, on Cleveland and Williams, who still maintained their ground on the left.  In this critical state of the action, Ferguson received a mortal wound, and instantly expired.  The courage of his party fell with him, and quarter was immediately demanded.[52] The action continued rather more than an hour.

[Footnote 52:  The details of this battle are chiefly taken from a paper signed by Colonels Campbell, Shelby, and Cleveland, and published in the Virginia Gazette of the 18th of November, 1780.]

In this sharp action one hundred and fifty of Ferguson’s party were killed on the spot, and about the same number were wounded.  Eight hundred and ten, of whom one hundred were British troops, were made prisoners, and fifteen hundred stand of excellent arms were taken.