Pilot Mountain

Pilot Mountain

Pilot Mountain was a prominent landmark adjacent to the South Mountains. A broad gap to its southeast provided passage between the Catawba River basin and the Broad River basin. The backcountry militiamen marched toward this area on October 1 when persistent and heavy rain forced them to stop. They made a camp at Bedford Hill along Magazine Branch and over into the headwaters of Cane Creek. They remained in camp through October 2 waiting for the rain to pass. It was likely the remnants of a hurricane or tropical storm pattern. None of the men had a tent. Making camp meant simply standing beneath an evergreen tree or building a lean-to covered with evergreen boughs.

Randell Jones, A Guide to the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, 2011