On October 7, 1780, brother met brother, neighbor met neighbor, Patriot met Loyalist on a battlefield in rural South Carolina. The battle lasted an hour: the brevity belied the import. Thomas Jefferson proclaimed the Battle of King's Mountain turned "the tide of success which terminated the Revolutionary War, with the seal of our independence."

Fewer than one thousand American Heroes, through skill, luck, and the leadership of cunning strategists, defeated Patrick Ferguson, a brilliant star of the British military might. Robert Edmondson was one of those Heroes: he fought and died in that battle.

There were eight members of the Edmondson family who fought under Col. (later Brigadier General) William Campbell at the Battle of King's Mountain. (Note: the name was also spelled Edmiston.)

Brothers (sons of John and Margaret Edmondson Edmondson:)

Major (later Colonel) William Edmondson

Samuel Edmondson

Robert Edmondson, Senior, killed in action.

Ensign Andrew Edmondson, Private , killed in action.

Clansmen:

Captain William Edmondson, killed in action.

Lt. Robert Edmondson, Junior, wounded

Private John Edmondson

Private William Edmondson, killed in action.

Note: The Robert Edmondsons, Senior and Junior, were not father and son. They were first cousins: they shared grandparents, David and Isabella Thompson Edmondson. Robert, Senior was the son of John and Margaret Edmondson Edmondson: Robert, Junior was the son of William and Margaret Montgomery Edmondson.

Per Draper, "Heroes," Page 407:

"The two Robert Edmondsons — of whom the elder was

killed, and the younger wounded, at King's Mountain —

were of Irish descent, and near kinsmen. Both were in

the battle of the Long Island Flats of Holston, July twen-

tieth, 1776."

Colonel Campbell described it best:

Col. William Campbell to Col. Arthur Campbell

WILKES COUNTY, CAMP ON BRIER CREEK,

Oct. 20th, 1780.

Dear Sir:

Ferguson and his party are no more in circumstances to injure the citizens of America. We came up with him in Craven County, South Carolina,1 posted on a height, called King's Mountain, about twelve miles north of the Cherokee Ford of Broad river, about two o'clock in the evening of the 7th inst. [October 7], we having marched the whole night before.

Col. Shelby's regiment and mine began the attack, and sustained the whole fire of the enemy for about ten minutes, while the other troops were forming around the height upon which the enemy were posted. The firing then became general, and as heavy as you can conceive for the number of men. The advantageous situation of the enemy, being the top of a steep ridge, obliged us to expose ourselves exceedingly; and the dislodging of them was almost equal to driving men from strong breast-works; though in the end we gained the point of the ridge, where my regiment fought, and drove them along the summit of it nearly to the other end, where Col. Cleveland and his countrymen were. They were driven into a huddle, and the greatest confusion; the flag for a surrender was immediately hoisted, and as soon as our troops could be notified of it, the firing ceased, and the survivors surrendered themselves prisoners at discretion.

We fought an hour and five minutes, in which time two hundred and twenty-five of the enemy were killed, and one hundred and thirty wounded; the rest, making about seven hundred regulars and Tories, were taken prisoners. Ferguson was killed near the close of the action. The victory was complete to a wish; and I think it was won by about seven hundred men, who fought bravely. I have lost several of my brave friends, whose death I much lament. . . . My regiment has suffered more than any other in the action. Our loss in the field was, altogether, about thirty killed, and sixty wounded. I must proceed on with the prisoners until I can in some way dispose of them.

Source:

Lyman Copeland Draper, King's Mountain and Its Heroes: History of the Battle of King's Mountain, October 7th, 1780, and the Events Which Led to It (Cincinnati: P.G. Thomson, 1881), 526.

This Patriot, this Hero, deserved to be recognized and honored for his contribution to American history. May this memorial serve as an expression of the gratitude and respect we owe Robert Edmondson for making the ultimate sacrifice to help build a new country: our America.

From the Virginia, Biographical Encyclopedia:

"The British had 1,103 men under Ferguson, and the Americans 923, mostly Scotch-Irish Presbyterians. The ground of the battle is 600 yards long, 250 wide at base, 60 to 120 wide on top, and 60 feet above the country level. The English held the eminence. The Americans were in two columns, two men deep on the right of the mountain, under Campbell and Servier, and two on the left under Cleveland and Shelby. Cleveland made a ringing appeal, and the attack was begun with yells. The battle raged all around the mountain; Cleveland's horse was disabled, but he fought on foot until remounted. Several times the Americans were forced down the ascent, only to rally and gamely retrace their steps. Ferguson tried to break through but fell with eight wounds. The British finally surrendered, having lost 157 killed, 153 wounded and 706 prisoners, and over 1,200 arms. The Americans had 28 killed and 62 wounded. It was a complete victory and crushed the English cause in the South. It withdrew the Carolinas from Tory domination, and was the forerunner of Cowpens, Guilford, Eutaw, Yorktown and Independence."