Sarah Dillard's Ride: A Story of the Carolinas in 1780

"It must have increased rather than failed, colonel, for those two lads shamed many a man of us during the hour and five minutes which we spent grappling with the Britishers. Twice were we forced to fall back; but they remained in the front line, and each time when we rallied they were first to take the forward step. Not until Colonel Depuyster hoisted the white flag did I see them cease their efforts, and then, the excitement being gone, it was as if both of them collapsed, and little wonder, colonel, for if you will stop to think, these lads spent forty-eight hours riding and walking before going into as hot an engagement as we in the Carolinas have ever experienced."

The battle of King's Mountain came to an end as the trooper had said, in one hour and five minutes after it began, and when the American forces were drawn up in line it was found that of the nine hundred, only twenty were killed; but more than five times that number had been wounded.

Of the king's soldiers, four officers and fifteen privates were killed, and thirty-five privates seriously wounded. Eighteen officers and fifteen privates were taken prisoners. Of the Tories, five officers and two hundred and one men were killed; one officer and one hundred and twenty-seven men wounded, while forty-eight officers and six hundred men were taken prisoners.

According to the official report of that engagement, only twenty of Major Ferguson's force escaped, and among that number, one – Ephraim Sowers – could be accounted for as already a prisoner in the hands of the Americans.

The historian, Lossing, writes regarding this engagement:

"No battle during the war was more obstinately contested than this; for the Americans were greatly exasperated by the cruelty of the Tories, and to the latter it was a question of life or death. It was with difficulty that the Americans, remembering Tarleton's cruelty at Buford's defeat, could be restrained from slaughter, even after quarter was asked.

"On the morning after the battle a court-martial was held, and several of the Tory prisoners were found guilty of murder and other high crimes and hanged. Colonel Cleaveland had previously declared that if certain persons, who were the chief marauders, and who had forfeited their lives, should fall into his hands, he would hang them. Ten of these men were suspended upon a tulip tree, which is yet standing – a venerable giant of the forest. This was the closing scene of the battle on King's Mountain, an event which completely crushed the spirits of the Loyalists, and weakened, beyond recovery, the royal power in the Carolinas. Intelligence of the defeat of Ferguson destroyed all Cornwallis' hopes of Tory aid. He instantly left Charlotte, retrograded, and established his camp at Winnsborough, in Fairfield District, between the Wateree and Broad Rivers."

It was because of Sarah Dillard's ride that the battle of King's Mountain became possible, and consequently it was through her indirectly that the royal power in the Carolinas was "weakened beyond recovery."

In telling the story of her brave act, it has been necessary to introduce the two lads who bore so honorable a part in that brief campaign, and also the Tory spy, but it is not possible within the limits of this tale to follow the adventures of the two young Americans who, before the independence of the United States was gained, made for themselves most enviable records among most gallant men.

At some time in the future, when the reader shall be ready to go into the more important engagements with Evan and Nathan, a further account of their deeds will be set down, and then can be described all which Ephraim Sowers finally did to clear his name of the taint which had been put upon it by his own deeds.

It suffices now to say that the spy was held as prisoner by Colonel McDowells for two months or more, when, agreeably to his sworn promise that he would never do aught against the cause of freedom, he was released with the understanding that he should leave the Carolinas forever.

Within one week after the battle of King's Mountain Nathan and Evan were regularly enrolled among the soldiers under Colonel Charles McDowells' command, and when General Cornwallis surrendered were among the troops who had contributed to that officer's discomfiture.

It was on the day set for the formal surrender at Yorktown when the two lads were standing side by side in the ranks, that Evan whispered to his comrade:

"Who ever dreamed on that night when Ephraim Sowers lorded it over us at Captain Dillard's home that we should stand here waiting to see the proudest general among all the Britishers give up his sword to the 'rebel' commander?"

"Do you know that this victory was really begun when Sarah Dillard rode over the mountain trail to Greene's Spring, for from that moment all General Cornwallis' power in the South began to wane."