October 7, 1780 After crossing the Broad River, the militia gathered intelligence from locals about Ferguson’s position. They found that he was definitely on Kings Mountain, seemingly unaware that his pursuers were so close. They reached the mountain, and set their trap by positioning the militia around the mountain and moving up toward Ferguson’s camp. The Patriots engaged the Tories in battle, and in just over an hour defeated them, killed their leader, and changed the momentum of the Revolution. The visitor center at Kings Mountain National Military Park has an interpretive film about the events at Kings Mountain, as well as interpretive exhibits and artifacts. There is a 1.5 mile battlefield loop trail, which features waysides as well as a mobile tour through OnCell. See the US memorial to the battle, as well as the grave of British Major Patrick Ferguson himself. Kings Mountain NMP is adjacent to Kings Mountain State Park, and they both offer many other activities such as hiking trails, camping, picnicking and special events. Kings Mountain is open daily, from 9am-5pm. |
Last updated: August 7, 2019