Patriots vs. Loyalists: Military tactics used in the Battle of Kings Mountain By National Park Service, adapted by Newsela staff on 01.02.20 Word Count 591 Level 710L

An engraving that shows the Battle of Kings Mountain on Oct. 7, 1780. Photo from: Wikipedia.

The Battle of Kings Mountain happened during the Revolutionary War. It was different than other battles of the American Revolution. First, you must consider the land of the battlefield.

The Battleground Ridge is a long hill. It rises above the other mountains in the Kings Mountain range. It is about as long as six football fields. The top, flat part of the ridge is called the crest. The crest doesn't have many trees, but the steep sides of the ridge had large trees and boulders. During the battle, Patriot fighters, who wanted to defeat the British, hid behind them.

Most American Revolution battles used European warfare. First, soldiers would shoot at their enemies using long guns called muskets. Then, they would get closer and fight with bayonets. Bayonets were sharp spikes attached to the end of the musket. The army that did not retreat often won the battle.

Large weapons called artillery were also important in European warfare. Cannons are one type of artillery. Horseback troops called cavalry were used, too.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. A Diffrent Type Of Fighting

However, the fighting in the Battle of Kings Mountain in 1780 differed from European warfare in a few ways. First, both armies were mostly made up of militias. These were military forces made of civilians. Both militias were made up of Americans. The battle was fought between the Patriots and the Loyalists. The Patriots wanted to separate from Britain, but the Loyalists wanted to stay.

Another difference in this battle was that there was no artillery or cavalry. Still, the most important difference involved the Patriot militia. They were using a gun called a long rifle. This gun could shoot well and fire at long distances. However, it was very slow to use. The long rifle was not good for European warfare. In European warfare, soldiers fought with their hands and bayonets.

On the other hand, the Loyalist militia was trained in European warfare. They were led by Major Patrick Ferguson. The Loyalist militia knew how to use muskets and bayonets. The Loyalists had about 1,100 troops in total. However, they only had about 900 troops the day of the battle.

Patriot Fighters Move In On Loyalists' Camp

The Patriot militia was led by Colonel William Campbell. It was made up of men from southwest Virginia, northeast Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. Just before the battle, the Patriots were camped near Kings Mountain. They learned the Loyalists were camped nearby on a small hill. The Patriots selected their best men and horses. They rode all night to the Loyalist camp.

The Patriots planned to leave their horses near the hill. Then, they would walk up the hill and try to take over the Loyalists' camp.

Patrick Ferguson had a different idea. He believed his militia could defeat the Patriots with bayonets. The Loyalists first shot their muskets at the Patriots. Then, the best Loyalists fighters went down the hill with their bayonets toward the Patriots.

A Huge Defeat For The British

In the end, the Patriots won the battle. It's possible the battle could have ended differently. For example, if the battle was fought on field instead of a hill. It is also possible the Loyalists could have won if they had all of their militiamen that day.

The Battle of Kings Mountain was a huge defeat for the British. A British officer once said the Battle of Kings Mountain was just the beginning. The British had many more losses during the war. In the end, they lost America completely.

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