When encamped in the gap at South Mountain, they supposed Ferguson to be at Gilbert-town, about eighteen miles distant, and for the impending conflict with him, it was needful they should have a commander. Who should it be? Their choice fell upon Col. Campbell, who had the largest regiment. Cleveland, McDowell and Shelby encouraged the men in brief and pithy words, and every one unwilling to go into battle was allowed to withdraw, but no one left. The march was resumed. They soon learned that the enemy had retreated. On top of the Yellow Mountain, the second night after leaving Watauga River, two men had deserted from Sevier’s regiment, and carried word to Ferguson that the mountaineers were advancing. He was alarmed, because, not only that he knew their mettle in fight, but that he had furloughed many Tory soldiers to visit their homes. Three days before, he had changed his camp a short distance (from Gilbert-town to Green River), in the hope of capturing Col. Clarke and his men, on their way from Georgia to Nolachucky. Quickly, upon learning that “the Back-water men,” as he called them, were on the way to assail him, he sent word (September 30) to Lord Cornwallis, sixty miles distant, whom the message did not reach for a week. To the British commander at Ninety-Six he also wrote for reinforcements, which could not be given. In beginning to retreat, he went, not towards Charlotte, Cornwallis’ headquarters, but southward, as if his destination were, as he said it was, Ninety-Six; and by this attempt to deceive, revealed his sense of danger. Military prudence required that he should call the Tories to his help. Accordingly, on the second day of the retreat, there went out from his camp a circular to “the inhabitants of North Carolina,” in which he described the on-coming descent of Whigs from the hills as “an inundation of barbarians.” “If you wish,” he said, “to be pinioned, robbed, and murdered ... by the dregs of mankind; ... if you wish or deserve to live and bear the name of men, grasp your arms in a moment and run to camp. 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.”