In Tryon County, North Carolina - there were many loyal subjects of the king and likewise a gallant band of patriots who as early as August, 1775, adopted and signed the following bold declaration:
"The unprecedented, barbarous and bloody actions committed by British troops on our American brethren near Boston, on 19th April and 20th of May last, together with the hostile operations and treacherous designs now carrying on, by the tools of ministerial vengeance, for the subjugation of all British America, suggest to us the painful necessity of having recourse to arms in defense of our National freedom and constitutional rights, against all invasions; and at the same time do solemnly engage to take up arms and risk our lives and our fortunes in maintaining the freedom of our country whenever the wisdom and counsel of the Continental Congress or our
Provincial Convention shall declare it necessary; and this engagement we will continue in for the preservation of those rights and liberties which the principals of our Constitution and the laws
of God, nature and nations have made it our duty to defend. We therefore, the subscribers, freeholders and inhabitants of Tryon County, do here by faithfully unite ourselves under the most solemn ties of religion, honor and love to our county, firmly to resist force by force, and hold sacred till a reconciliation shall take place between Great Brittain and America on Constitutional
principals, which we most ardently desire and do firmly agree to hold all such persons as inimical to the liberties of America who shall refuse to sign this association."
(Signed) John Walker, Charles McLean, Andrew Neel, Thomas Beatty, James Coburn, Frederick Hambright, Andrew Hampton, Benjamin Hardin, George Paris, William Graham, Robt. Alexander, David Jenkins, Thomas Espey, Perrygreen Mackness, James McAfee, William Thompson, Jacob Forney, Davis Whiteside, John Beeman, John Morris, Joseph Harden, John Robison, James McIntyre, Valentine Mauney, George Black, Jas. Logan, Jas. Baird, Christian Carpenter, Abel Beatty, Joab Turner, Jonathan Price, Jas. Miller, John Dellinger, Peter Sides, William Whiteside, Geo. Dellinger, Samuel Carpenter, Jacob Mauney, Jun., John Wells, Jacob Costner, Robert Hulclip, James Buchanan, Moses Moore, Joseph Kuykendall, Adam Simms, Richard Waffer, Samuel Smith, Joseph Neel,
Samuel Loftin.
The earliest settlers in what is now Rutherford County probably started to come there around 1730. These settlers were becoming educated and could read their own bibles, which had been translated by authority of King James I of England, who was also King James the VI of Scotland. One other thing that set these settlers apart was the fact that they elected their own church elders.
If one studies the chronology of the events leading up to hostilities between the American Colonies and England, there was ever increasingly punitive laws and taxes -eventually leading to open fighting, then the Declaration of Independence. Early in the Revolutionary War it was not going well for the Americans, very few of the early battles were victories for the Americans.
In 1780, the war in the north was stalemated - - - General George Washington with less than 5000 troops in New Jersey against superior numbers under Lord Clinton in New York. The British decided to move the war south. They believed that they could recruit Tories to join the British Army and fight against the American rebels. The Americans were known as Whigs, a political name which denoted support for separation from England. The British moved by sea to the south and attacked Charleston, S.C. in March, and forced its surrender along with 5400 troops on May 11th. On May 29th, Colonel Banastre Tarleton slaughtered patriot forces at the Waxhaws, butchering many after they had surrendered. In June, Lord Clinton, supremely confident, returned to New York, leaving General Cornwallis in charge of the British and Tory forces in the south. As Cornwallis moved his forces west and north into the up country, patriot forces of local militia were able to defeat Tory forces at Ramseur's Mill, Fort Thickety, and Musgroves Mill.
A brief account of the battle at Fort Thickety .............The Tories became troublesome in the area, raiding at night and retreating to Fort Thickety during the day. Col. Hampton's company joined Colonel Clark of Georgia and others in taking the fort and paroling about 60 prisoners.......... Arriving at the Cherokee Ford, Hampton and Clark met Colonel McDowell, Colonel Shelby and Major Charles Robertson. Approximately 600 men joined together to surprise Thickety Fort, some twenty miles distant.
They took up the line of march at sunset, and surrounded the post at day-break the next morning. William Cocke, a volunteer, was sent in to make a peremptory demand for the surrender of the garrison; to which Moore replied that he would defend the place to the last extremity. The Patriots then drew in their lines to within musket shot of the enemy all around, with a full determination to make an assault.
This gallant "six hundred" made so formidable an appearance, that on a second message, accompanied, we may well suppose, with words of intimidation, Moore, perhaps fearing another Ramsour's Mill onslaught, relented, and proposed to surrender, on condition that the garrison be paroled not to serve again during the war, unless exchanged. This proposal was acceded to, as the Americans did not care to be encumbered with prisoners. Thus ninety-three Loyalists, with one British Sergeant-Major, stationed there to discipline them, surrendered themselves without firing a gun; and among the trophies of victory were two hundred and fiftystand of arms, all loaded with ball and buck-shot. The capture of Thickety Fort occurred on Sunday, the thirtieth of July.
On August 16th, Cornwallis routed and destroyed the continental army under General Gates at Camden, S.C. This appeared to leave the entire south open to him. Cornwallis sent Major Patrick Ferguson to invade North Carolina. Ferguson was to recruit and train additional Tory troops and to suppress the Backwater Men whom he thought of as barbarians. Recruitment had been successful throughout South Carolina.
Now all that remained was to secure the left flank along the mountainous frontier, rejoin Cornwallis for a march through North Carolina on to the Chesapeake, then finally to meet General Washington and end the revolution.
On September 7th, Ferguson and his forces came to Gilber Town in Rutherford County. It seemed that Cornwallis and Ferguson had thought of everything. Their military strategy and tactics had been almost flawless with the exception of the three battles with the Militia mentioned above, but they completely misjudged the Patriot Frontiersmen of Rutherford County, North and South Carolina, Virginia and what is now Tennessee.
Such men as Colonel Andrew Hampton, David Dickey and James Gray were there and knew when Major Ferguson came just to far. They had fought against Tories in numerous fights for years. They had also fought against the Cherokee Indians who fought on the side of the British as far back as 1755.
A small battle was fought on Cane Creek before these few patriot troops, greatly outnumbered, retreated over the mountains to Sycamore Shoals on the Watauga River near present day Elizabethton, Tennessee. Wives came to Gilbert Town to inquire about their captive husbands. On one occasion, in answer to what was going to happen to them, a Tory woman, wife of an active Tory fighter, said, "we are going to hang all the dammed rebels and scrape their wives tongues and let them go."
The War touched the lifes of the families of these frontiersman as well. Jonathan Hampton, Col Andrew Hampton's eldest son is portrayed in the following excerpt from "King's Mountain and Its Heros: History of the Battle of King's Mountain," pages 152-156................. It was reported to Colonel Ferguson, that Jonathan Hampton, a son of Colonel Andrew Hampton, residing in the vicinity of Gilbert Town, held the King's authority in great contempt; that he had the hardihood to accept a commission of Justice of the Peace from the Rebel Government of North Carolina, and had, only recently, ventured, by virtue of that instrument, to unite Thomas Fleming and a neighboring young lady in the holy bonds of wedlock. It was a high crime and misdemeanor in British and Tory eyes. So troops were dispatched, under Majors Plummer and Lee, to visit the Hampton settlement, four or five miles south-west of Gilbert Town, to apprehend young Hampton, and possibly entrap his father at the same time. The Colonel had left the day before and re-united with McDowell's forces. Riding up to young Hampton's cabin, they found him sitting at the door, fastening on his leggings, and getting himself in readiness to follow his father to the Whig camp in some secluded locality in the mountain coves of that region.
At this moment, James Miller, Andrew and David Dickey, three Whig friends, came within hailing distance, and hallooed: "Jonathan, are those men in the yard, friends or foes!" Hampton, without exercising ordinary prudence, replied: "Boys, whoever you are, they are d--d Red Coats and Tories--clear yourselves!" As they started to run, the Tories fired two or three volleys at them; but they fortunately escaped unhurt. Perhaps Hampton presumed somewhat upon his partially crippled condition that forbearance would be shown him, for he was reel-footed; yet he managed to perform many a good service for his country, and, as in this case, would lose sight of self, when he could hope to benefit his friends. Mrs. Hampton chided him for his imprudence, saying: "Why, Jonathan, you are the most unguarded man I ever saw."
The Tory party cursed him soundly for a damned Rebel, and Major Lee knocked him down, and tried to ride over him, but his horse jumped clear over his body without touching him. Lee had just before appropriated Hampton's horse as better than his own, and it may be that the animal recognized his master, and declined to be a party to his injury. While Major Plummer was courteous and considerate, Major Lee was rude and unfeeling in the extreme. Hampton, and his wife's brother, Jacob Hyder, were made prisoners; and those who had Hampton in charge, swore that they would hang him on the spot, and began to uncord his bed for a rope for the purpose, when Mrs. Hampton ran to Major Plummer with the alarm and he promptly interposed to prevent the threatened execution.
Some of the disappointed Tories, who thirsted for his blood, declared in his presence, that Ferguson would put so notorious a Rebel to death the moment he laid eyes on him. Major Plummer informed Hampton if he could give security for his appearance the next day at Gilbert Town, he might remain over night at home. He tried several Loyalists whom he knew, but they declined; and finally Major Plummer himself offered to be his security. According to appointment, the next day Hampton presented himself to Ferguson, at Gilbert Town, who proceeded to examine his case. When asked his name, he frankly told him, adding, that, though in the power of his enemies, he would never deny the honored name of Hampton. Major Dunlap, then on crutches, entering the room, inquired of Colonel Ferguson the name of the Rebel on trial? "Hampton," replied Ferguson. This seemed to rouse Dunlap's ire, who repeated thoughtfully: "Hampton -- Hampton-- that's the name of a d--d fine-looking young Rebel I killed a while since, on the head of Pacolet," referring to the affair at Earle's Ford, when Noah Hampton, a brother of the prisoner, was murdered in cold blood. Dunlap added: "Yes; I now begin to recall something of this fellow; and though a cripple, he has done more harm to the Royal cause than ten fighting men; he is one of the d--dest Rebels in all the country, and ought to be strung up at once, without fear or favor."
Jonathan Hampton had, indeed, been an unwearied friend of the Whig cause. He was a good talker; he kept up the spirits of the people, and helped to rally the men when needed for military service. Even in his crippled condition, he would cheerfully lend a helping hand in standing guard; and when apprehended, was about abandoning his home to join his father and McDowell in their flight to Watauga. But Ferguson was more prudent and humane than Dunlap, and dismissed both Hampton and Hyder on their parole. Hampton observed when Ferguson wrote the paroles, he did so with his left hand; for, it will be remembered, his right arm had been badly shattered at Brandywine, the use of which he had never recovered. Hyder tore up his parole, shortly after leaving Ferguson's presence; but Hampton retained his as long as he lived, but never had occasion to use it, as Ferguson shortly after retired to King's Mountain.
Noah Hampton, son of Colonel Andrew - Pacolet River.................. Earle's Ford on North Pacolet river, where a junction was formed the next day with Colonel McDowell's forces. As McDowell had that day made a tedious march with his three hundred men, they too, were in a fatigued condition.
Within striking distance of McDowell's camping ground, some twenty miles in a nearly southern direction, was Prince's Fort, originally a place of neighborhood resort in time of danger from the Indians, in the early settlement of the country, some twenty years before. This fort, now occupied by a British and Tory force, under Colonel Innes, was located upon a commanding height of land, near the head of one of the branches of the North Fork of Tyger, seven miles north of west from the present village of Spartanburg. Innes, unapprised of McDowell's approach, detached Major Dunlap, with seventy dragoons, accompanied by Colonel Ambrose Mills, with a party of Loyalists, in pursuit of Jones, of whose audacious operations he had just received intelligence.
McDowell's camp was on rising ground on the eastern side of the North Pacolet, in the present county of Polk, North Carolina, near the South Carolina line, and about twenty miles south-west of Rutherfordton; and Dunlap reaching the vicinity on the opposite side of the stream during the night, and supposing that Jones' party only was encamped there, commenced crossing the river, which was narrow at that point, when an American sentinel fled to camp and gave the first notice of the enemy's presence.(*) Dunlap, with his Dragoons and Tories, dashed instantly, with drawn swords, among McDowell's men, while but few of them were yet roused out of sleep. The Georgians being nearest to the ford, were the first attacked, losing two killed and six wounded; among the latter was Colonel Jones, who received eight cuts on his head from the enemy's sabres. Freeman, with the remainder, fell back about a hundred yards, where he joined Major Singleton, who was forming his men behind a fence; while Colonels McDowell and Hampton soon formed the main body on Singleton's right. Being thus rallied, the Americans were ordered to advance, when Dunlap discovering his mistake as to their numbers, quickly retreated across the river, which was fordable in many places, and retired without much loss; its extent, however, was unknown, beyond a single wounded man who was left upon the ground.
(*) McCall, in his History. of Georgia, asserts that the sentinel fired his gun, but James Thompson, one of Joseph McDowell's party, states as in the text, which seems to be corroborated by the complaint of Col. Hampton, and the general surprise of the camp.
Besides the loss sustained by the Georgians, six of McDowell's men were killed, and twenty-four wounded. Among the killed were Noah Hampton, a son of Colonel Hampton, with a comrade named Andrew Dunn. Young Hampton, when roused from his slumbers, was asked his name; he simply replied "Hampton," one of a numerous family and connection of Whigs, too well known, and too active in opposition to British rule, to meet with the least forbearance at the hands of enraged Tories; they cursed him for a Rebel, and ran him through with a bayonet. Young Dunn also suffered the same cruel treatment. Colonel Hampton felt hard towards Colonel McDowell, his superior officer, as he wished to have placed videttes beyond the ford, which McDowell opposed, believing it entirely unnecessary. Had this been done, due notice would in all probability have been given, and most of the loss and suffering have been averted.(*)
(*) McCall's History. of Georgia, ii, 308-12; Saye's MSS.; MS. pension statements of General Thomas Kennedy, of Kentucky, Robert Henderson, and Robert McDowell; Moore's Diary of the Revolution, ii, 351, gives the date of the Pacolet fight as occurring "in the night of July fifteenth," and this on the authority of Govenor Rutledge, who was then at Charlotte. Judging from Allaire's Diary, it must have been the night before. The particulars of the killing of young Hampton and Dunn are derived from the MS. communications of Adam, Jonathan, and James J. Hampton, grandsons of Colonel Hampton.
The reason, presumably, why Colonel McDowell was over-confident of security was, that he had, the day before, detached his brother, Major Joseph McDowell, with a party to go on a scout, and ascertain, if possible, where the Tories lay; but taking a wrong direction, he had consequently made no discovery.Not returning, Colonel McDowell very naturally concluded that there was no portion of the enemy very near, and that he and his weary men could, with reasonable assurance of safety, take some needed repose.
As reported above, Colonel Andrew Hampton had lost his son Noah,... killed by a Tory raiding party just because his name was Hampton. Such incidents were not uncommon of the war in the south - not only neighbor against neighbor, but brother against brother. Both sides had good people that felt strongly for their beliefs...loyalty to the king or for this new concept of freedom and independence.
What kind of people were these fierce frontiersmen? They were a mixture of Celts, Britons, Normans, Romans, Anglo-Saxon, and Irish. Many were recently reformed and were very religious.
By the early 1700s, due to a variety of reasons - these people began to immigrate, west to the mountain valleys on the frontier, then south through the Valleys of the Cumberland, the Shenandoah, the Dan of Virginia, then into North Carolina along theYadkin.
Then they came west and south to the Catawba, the Green, the Broad, the French Broad, the Holston, the Watauga, and others. They farmed, raised corn (some of which they converted to whiskey before selling it), and raised cattle . They raised their own wool , linen, spun and wove their own clothes. The Colonial Governments welcomed them and gave them grants of land
on the provision that they would raise forts to be the first line of defense against the hostile Indians.
In the French and Indian War they learned about Indian fighting. They in turn became very efficient and fierce fighters. Soldering was of necessity a second occupation for most of the early settlers in NC. The state's citizens were at war more than half them time from 1755 through 1783. The Cherokee War (French and Indian War) lasted from 1755 to 1763. The War of Regulation, lasted from 1768 until 1771 and the Revolutionary War from 1776 to 1783. Most able-bodied men between 16 and 50 were militiamen.
These people had survived living in a hard environment, which made them hard - physically and emotionally. Through famine, plague , poor soil, crop failures, and constant fighting, they learned to fight back, to give blow for blow, and above all to endure. They had been tempered by their religion, but it too was often times a hard religion, steeped in the old testament.
Finally these men came to a gathering at Sycamore Shoals. Hampton, Dickey and Gray marched with their friends to Sycamore Shoals to a gathering that was to change history. They were joined by Colonel Campbell and his men from Western Virginia, by Issac Shelby and John Sevier, from that area and others. They determined to go and get Ferguson.
...........They first had to climb the mountains, mostly on foot. As they reached the top of Roan Mountain they found snow and lost two deserters who rushed ahead to warn Ferguson. Duly alarmed by what he called an inundation of barbarians, Ferguson left Gilbert Town to rejoin Cornwallis in Charlotte.
While at Denard's Ford, Tryon County, on October 1, 1780 (the old crossing of the Broad river, half a mile below the present Twitty's Ford and some eight miles from Gilbert Town), Ferguson issued the following appeal--apparently almost a wail of despair -- addressed to the inhabitants of North Carolina, "The Back Water men have crossed the mountains; McDowell, Hampton, Shelby, and Cleveland are at their head, so that you know what you have to depend upon. If you choose to be degraded forever and ever by a set of mongrels, say so at once, and let your women turn their backs upon you, and look out for real men to protect them."
The patriots went from Roan through Yellow Mountain Gap, by Roaring Creek, through Brights settlement and Davenport Springs. On September 28 they were at Grassy Creek, then on through Gillispe Gap where they split into two columns, now suspecting that Ferguson had been warned. At Quaker Meadows, near Colonel Charles McDowell's house, they were given the hospitality of his home, and then were joined by additional men from Wilkes and Surry
Counties under Colonel Cleveland. On October 3 they camped at Cane Creek, and on the fourth on the Gilbert Town campsite abandoned by Ferguson. They were at a ford of Green River on the fifth, and there learned that Ferguson was headed for Charlotte and Cornwallis. The night of the sixth they were at Cowpens. On the seventh they learned from a young farm girl whose father was afraid or unwilling to give them information, that Ferguson was on Kings Mountain. She pointed toward Kings Mountain..'they are over yonder.' At three o'clock on the 7th. The battle was joined, Ferguson was killed, his whole army either killed or captured. The battle lasted only one hour.
1780, October 7. At King's Mountain, stretching across the border of North and South Carolina, partisan bands totaling about 900 woodsmen, headed by John Sevier, Isaac Shelby, Andrew Hampton and other Patriot leaders isolated the defiant Loyalist band led by Bull Dog Major Patrick Ferguson, an officer in Cornwallis' army, who "had boasted he would burn their villages and hang their leaders."
Atop the ridge of Kings Mountain, barren of leaves by that time of year, Ferguson camped with 1,100 men, Tories from New Jersey, New York, North and South Carolina, trained in British army tactics, not guerrilla-type warfare of these Patriots. En route to the ridge, scouts brought in a Tory prisoner with Ferguson's last message to Cornwallis.
After the Patriots checked their weapons, they moved toward the hill, with wet leaves from the night rain muffling their footsteps approaching the ridge top. Their signal, a war whoop picked up from Indians in the Cherokee War, started them up the hill, using trees and rocks for cover. After firing, the British rushed at the Patriots with bayonets and swords. The patriot leaders called their men back to reload and attack again, and after five attacks, of retreating and attacking again, Ferguson gradually paid a price. The Woodsmen had knives and tomahawks also. They fought with them when necessary.
A note about the "frontiersman rifle" - A new type of firearm was needed on the American frontier, one that was accurate and at the same time was economical to use. With these ideas in mind gunsmiths in Pennsylvania created a new weapon, the rifle gun.
The firing mechanism or "lock" utilized flint and steel to create a spark for ignition, hence the name "Flint lock rifle." The distinguishing characteristic of the American rifle was grooves, known as rifling, which were cut into the inside of the barrel. This rifling spiraled causing the ball to depart the barrel with a spin. This rotation made the flight of the ball unerring. Early rifles were accurate to 300 yards. Gun powder to feed the rifle was kept in a powder horn.
The long rifle was never fully appreciated as a military weapon because of two disadvantages. They were slow to load, it took about one minute to load and fire a rifle. Secondly there was no provision for a bayonet at the muzzle end of the rifle. Rifles were hand made by craftsmen and were very expensive. Often a frontiersman's rifle was his prized possession. Rifles were given pet names by their owners and would be kept for a life time and handed down to the next generation.
Ferguson twice cut down white flags raised by his men, yelling, "never would he yield to such damned banditti." The woodsmen's repeated attacks finally overcame the camp, as Ferguson, in his last desperate attempt at a charge to break through, was cut down by gunfire.
The Patriots had 28 killed and 64 wounded out of over 900 in battle. The Tories lost about 320 killed or wounded and 700 prisoners. The battle lasted for only 1 hour.
Many of the patriot woodsmen eventually disbursed and returned to their homes, their vengeance having been largely satisfied. They did not realize at the time the influence this battle had in the fight for independence. It was the last major confrontation between Patriot Militia and Tories. Imagine the impact on Cornwallis when he learned Ferguson and his entire legion had been lost in one hour.
Kings Mountain was a unique battle. A force of nearly 900 Patriot irregulars had emerged on call (seen quoted also as 1200), organized into units with competent leaders, agreed on action and proceeded like a highly mobile corps. Most were armed with long frontier rifles. Shelby's advice as a leader was, "When we encounter the enemy, don't wait for the word of command. Let each of you be your own officer, and do the very best you can."
Rumors of a Patriot uprising of 3,000 men caused Cornwallis, still with a fever, to abandon Charlotte and head for South Carolina, marching 15 miserable days through rain, quagmired roads, losing wagons, some to harassing Patriots. Kings Mountain had altered the whole war in the south. British Gen. Clinton said that Kings Mountain, "so encouraged the spirit of rebellion in the Carolinas that it could never afterward be humbled."
In January 1781, the British, under the hated Tarleton, were defeated by General Daniel Morgan at Cowpens, just a short way from Kings Mountain and many of these same men fought in that battle. Cornwallis abandoned the south and started north. One year later, in October 1781, he surrendered at Yorktown.
Records in the National Archives show an index of the volunteer soldiers from North Carolina in the American Revolution. Andrew Hampton shows as a Captain and Lt. Colonel of Tryon County, North Carolina as well as one Michael Hampton and Adam Hampton an Ensign. Adam having been commissioned in the Tryon Militia in 1775. The activity of Col. Andrew Hampton, other than at the Battle of Kings Mountain, is cited on page 89 of Griffin's book on Tryon County, "His early educational advantages are unknown, although he seems to have been a man of above average literacy for his time. His rise in the military profession was rapid and astonishing. In 1775 he was made captain, early in 1776 Lt. Colonel, he served against the Scotch-Tories, and early in 1779 he pursued Colonel John Moore's Tories when they fled south. Early in 1780 he went to the relief of Charleston; subsequent he served at Earle's Fort, Thickety Fort, Cane Creek and commanded the Rutherford Troops at the Battle of Kings Mountain."
My next service was a Volunteer for the Seige of Ninety under Capt. Hampton but he turned his coarse down Broad River in, pursuit of the British and Tories. We came in Sight of them at Shiers Ferry about or before we reached that place we joined this main Armey under General Sumpter. We fired a few Rifles across the River. I think I saw several fall. We shortly after had the Battle at Black Storks where our General was wounded from that place we Returned to the Mountains soon after our return we was ordered out again. We was to meet at Capt. Hamptons but before the company had Collected the Indians Broke into the Settlement and Killed two of my little Daughters and a negro girl about 10 years of age and Scalped them. Histroy of Old Tryon and Rutherford Counties, NC 1730-1936", p. 117 says "George Ledbetter was a member of the convention ( to radify the Consitiution of the U.S.) of 1788-89 was a man of unusual ability, well
educated for his day and one of the county's leading men. He was an officer (captain) in the Revolution and commanded a company under Andrew Hampton at the Battle of King's Mountain, NC
Our direct ancestors helped turned the tide of the war which made the victory and independence a reality.
Colonel Andrew Hampton
.....One of the heroes of the Revolutionary War of the Battle of Kings Mountain on 7 October 1780 from the Rutherford Co., NC militia. Pierce's Register [p.27]
.....Pierce's Register - APPENDIX , page 481 Reference Pages: 182. Capt. in 1776; Col. in 1779
ALPHABETICAL LIST OF OFFICERS OF THE CONTINENTAL ARMY BY HEITMAN page 37 --- 271. Hampton, Andrew, Capt. N. C. Militia in 1776, Col. N. C. Militia at King's Mtn. Oct. 1780; (Died Oct. 8, 1805.) Roster of Soldiers from North Carolina in the American Revolution.
"Hampton and his Officers - - - Andrew Hampton, migrated first to Virginia, and settled prior to 1751, on Dutchman's Creek on the Catawba, removing before the Revolution to what is now Rutherford County, North Carolina. In 1770, he was made Captain, in 1776, Lieutenant-Colonel, and Colonel, in 1779. While yet a Captain, early in 1776, he served against the Scotch Tories; and early in 1779, pursued Colonel John Moore's Tory party when they fled south." Source: King's Mountain and Its Heros: History of the Battle of King's Mountain
