Bedford Hill

A View from Bedford Hill <br />
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Photo by Randell Jones
Excerpts from "Before They Were Heroes at King's Mountain" by Randell Jones

Dublin Core

Title

Bedford Hill

Description

Bedford Hill was the campsite of the backcountry militiamen on the nights of October 1 and 2. A heavy and persistent rain forced the men to stop their march toward Gilbert Town. These volunteers did not have a military discipline and they soon became restless. Some nearly came to blows with the tedium of waiting out the storm.

On the night of October 2, the officers met in a war council. They knew that as they approached Gilbert Town with a chance of soon confronting British Major Patrick Ferguson, they would need a general commander. After much discussion, they chose Colonel William Campbell. He had brought the most men and had come the farthest. He was also the only colonel among them with experience with the Continental Line. More important, perhaps, he was the only colonel there not from North Carolina. By selecting him, Colonel Isaac Shelby knew they could avoid the petty jealousies that would likely erupt among the others.

Creator

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

Geolocation

Citation

Randell Jones, A Guide to the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, “Bedford Hill,” Overmountain Victory Trail, accessed March 14, 2025, https://overmountainvictorytour.com/items/show/4.