THE BATTLES OF RAMSOUR'S MILL AND CAMDEN COURT HOUSE. A. D. 1750. When the great disaster at Charleston became known to the North Carolina Tories, and they fully realized that British troops were close at hand, the spirit that had seemed crushed at Moore's Creek began to revive. They had suffered indignities from the Whigs on account of their support of the King, and they now determined on swift and bloody revenge. 2. John Moore, who was Lieutenant-Colonel in Hamilton's Regiment, returned to his former residence in Lincoln county and assembled, early in June, thirteen hundred Royalists at Ramsour's Mill. General Rutherford, hearing of this in his camp near the Waxhaws, thought it impolitic to leave that position because of a threatened movement of the British then in his front. He therefore sent orders to Colonel Francis Locke, of Rowan, to assemble his militia and at once attack the Tories. 3. No command was ever more promptly or bravely obeyed. Locke mustered four hundred of his neighbors and went through the darkness of the night in search of foes outnumbering him threefold. At early dawn on the 20th, with mounted men in front, he charged boldly upon the Tory camp that was pitched near Ramsour's Mill, in sight of the present village of Lincolnton. The Royalists fled at the first charge, but rallied on a hill and checked the horsemen in pursuit. The Whigs on foot came to the rescue and drove the Royalists routed from the field. 4. This brilliant victory was all-important at that fearful juncture. It was a bloody and heroic affair; and was a timely foretaste of the spirit of the brave men of the west. It was a struggle between neighbors and old friends, and carried bitterness and sorrow to many North Carolina firesides. 5. Major Davie, with his small command, commenced a series of daring adventures, which gave him great reputation for bravery and military skill. At Flat Rock, and also at Hanging Rock, in South Carolina, he inflicted such stunning blows, that Tarleton's Legion learned to be very cautious of a foe so daring and so wary. Colonel Isaac Shelby also distinguished himself at Musgrove's Mill. 6. Thus the militia of North Carolina assumed the defence of their homes and inflicted such frequent and telling blows upon the enemy that Lord Cornwallis halted at Camden to receive further reinforcements before venturing to enter a State whose undrilled citizen-soldiers had shown themselves so formidable. 7. Upon the fall of Charleston, General Horatio Gates had been put in command in the South, in place of General Lincoln. His success at Saratoga had given him great popularity, and some misguided men were advocating his advancement even to the place of General Washington. A short time exposed the folly of all such views. He was, at best, but a martinet, who had learned something of military routine in the camps, but was as devoid of real ability as he was vain and rash.