The Battle of Kings Mountain

On the 7 of October, 1780 the Battle of Kings Mountain took place in South Carolina. In what was part of a civil war in the South, British Loyalist forces under the command of Col. Patrick Ferguson were soundly defeated by Patriot Militia. Men from "over the mountain" from as far away as Virginia had gathered in the western part of the state and surrounded the Loyalists forcing them to make a stand on top of Kings Mountain.

   Despite their best efforts, including three bayonet charges, the Loyalists were overwhelmed by the Patriot forces who advanced tree by tree up the slopes of the mountain. Col. Ferguson, along with many other Loyalists, was killed in the fighting. The rest of his force was captured. Interestingly enough Col. Ferguson was the only British Regular on Kings Mountain that day.

   In the aftermath a number of the Loyalists were summarily executed and a number escaped while being escorted as prisoners. This victory by Patriot forces, along with another at the Battle of the Cowpens, were viewed as turning points in the War in the South. Gen. Cornwallis was forced to change his strategy and ultimately Cornwallis was forced to abandon the Carolinas and retire with his small army to Yorktown, Virginia.

    The Kings Mountain National Miltary Park preserves the actual grounds of the battlefield. Allow an hour to walk the paved walking path that navigates the ridge where the fighting took place. The National Park is open year round and is located off exit #2 on Rt. 85 in North Carolina. Follow the signs back into South Carolina and the Park. (Don't be confused by the South Carolina State park with the same name). The visitors center has a short film and static display area and an excellent selection of books on the American Revolution.

Bennington Battle Day

Bennington Battle Monument
15 Monument Cir
Bennington, Vt. 05201

Also this weekend (August 15-17) Bennington, Vermont celebrates its annual Battle Day Celebrations. This commemorates the Battle of Bennington which took place on August 16, 1777. The battle actually took place in the village of Walloomsac, New York which is several miles from here, but the military stores the British and Hessian soldiers were seeking were being held in Bennington. The only Revolutionary War battle to actually take place in what is now the State of Vermont took place in Hubbardton, Vermont.

The Battle of Bennington was part of a greater campaign by British Major General John Burgoyne to divide New England from the rest of the colonies by force of arms. Burgoyne's mixed force of British, Hessian (German), Canadian and Loyalists, along with some Native American allies, had proceeded down from Canada and were now making their way down the Hudson River valley. After some initial victories at Fort Ticonderoga and Crown Point the British forces were now facing shortages of food and munitions. A expeditionary force of some 650 soldiers led by Hessian Lt. Col. Friedrich Baum set off for Bennington to secure more supplies.

Col. Baum's men were soundly defeated in battle by Colonial militia under the command of Brigadier General John Stark of New Hampshire. A British relief force was also repulsed by Gen. Stark and his men, who were aided by Col. Seth Warner and his Green Mountain Boys. These two losses, along with the lack of supplies, helped doom Gen. Burgoyne's campaign which ended with the surrender of him and his men at Saratoga, New York.

The Town of Bennington is marking its Battle Day Celebrations with the Bennington Fire Departments 40th annual Parade on Saturday August 17. Battle reenactments are being sponsored by Vermonts Living History Association. Museums and other organizations in the area are also hosting special events.

Redcoats to Rebels

Old Sturbridge Village
One Old Sturbridge Village Road
Sturbridge, Mass.

This Saturday and Sunday (August 2 -3) Old Sturbridge Village is offering a weekend program called "Redcoats to Rebels". Revolutionary War reenactors from New England, New York and Pennsylvania, will be recreating camp life as well as offering a glimpse of the military drill and infantry tactics of that period. Musket and cannon firing demonstrations will be offered, as well some skirmishing between the Colonial forces and the Redcoats. (Always a crowd pleaser.)

Over forty different Rev War reenacting groups, representing actual historic French, American, British and Hessian military units, will be at OSV this weekend, making it much larger than last years Revolutionary War event. Just like last year, the 4th or the King's Own Light Company will be there, but with even more members. Additionally, there will be some 18th century music and song provided by the Roaring Lions. (They are primarily a Loyalist group, but you don't have to be loyal to King George to join in on the fun).

Longfellow House - Cambridge, Mass.

Longfellow House
105 Brattle St.
Cambridge, Mass. 02138

The Vassall-Craigie-Longfellow House was built in 1759 by John Vassall, a wealthy planter and a Loyalist. Like many of his neighbors on Brattle St. he left Cambridge for Boston in 1774 as the politics of the day forced him to choose sides. His home was then confiscated by Provincial/Revolutionary authorities.

General George Washington began using the Vassall house as his headquarters after arriving in Cambridge and assuming command of the Continental Army in 1775. He resided here from July, 1775 to April of 1776 and it was from here that he planned and led the siege of Boston. When the British Navy finally sailed out of Boston (along with approximately 1100 Loyalists) the war then moved on to New York and General Washington went south.

After the war Andrew Craigie, who was the Apothecary General of the Continental Army, purchased the Vassall home and lived here from 1791. Craigie was a wealthy real estate speculator and made a lot of improvements to the property. It was Craigie who added on the wings to the home and added an addition onto the back. Craigie lost his fortune and after that the house fell on bad times, eventually being broken up into rooms for rent.

In 1837 the home was purchased as a wedding gift and it's most famous literary occupant moved in - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Longfellow, originally of Portland, Maine, was a Professor of Modern Languages at Harvard College. Living in such an historic home certainly inspired Longfellow and it is reflected in his works. One of his most famous poems is "Paul Revere's Ride", which tells the tale of the events that occurred locally April 18-19 in 1775. Longfellow lived here until his death
in 1882.

The Longfellow House can be found just outside of Harvard Square and is owned and managed by the National Park Service. From June 4 to September house tours are offered @ 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. and on the hour from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The grounds are open to the public from dawn to dusk. (The property at one time extended as far as the Charles River).

British Army departs Boston

March 17, 2006, St. Patricks Day, (or Evacuation Day as it is officially known on the State calender) was the two hundred and thirtieth anniversary of the British Army's (and Navy) departure from Boston - never to return as an occupying force. Under the guns emplaced on Dorchester Heights the British forces, along with several hundred Loyalists, sailed out of Boston Harbor and headed for Nova Scotia. A stubborn King with a plurality of the Parliament had failed in their attempts to bring the citizens of Boston and the surrounding communities to heel. They had only succeeded in precipitating a bloody war that would drag on for eight years and end in their defeat.