Tour Road - Guilford Courthouse National Military Park

Before arriving at Guilford Courthouse National Military Park in June 2017, I had intended to walk as many of the trails that crisscross the battlefield as I could. However, recent heavy rains had deposited mud on parts of the paved trails and left the unpaved trails muddier than I wanted to slog through. So I followed the advice of the ranger at the information desk in the visitor center and walked the 2 ¼ mile Tour Road that encircles the park instead. From the tour road, I made several short excursions to view monuments that had been erected. As I planned to be in the park after almost all the facilities are closed and locked at 5 PM, I moved my vehicle from the visitor center to the parking area on Old Battlefield Road north of New Garden Road. This is the only parking area in the park that is not locked at 5 PM.

Topographic map with GPS route

Beginning at the intersection of Old Battleground Road and New Garden Road, I followed the paved trail back towards the visitor center and Tour Stop number One (TS-1). Along the way, I passed Monument Row and its four monuments.

The view from TS-1 is to the southeast looking down New Garden Road toward the Hoskins Farmstead where General Lord Cornwallis formed his troops to advance across a wide line centered on New Garden Road which was called the Great Salisbury Wagon Road at the time of the battle.

Paved path from Old Battlefield Road parking lot toward visitor center

Looking southwest on Historic New Garden Road

No North, No South
Washington, a Southerner, led Northern troops
Greene, a Northerner, led Southern troops

Bugler James Gillies Monument

Mrs. Keren Happuch Turner Monument
Mrs. Turner rode horseback from Maryland
to nurse her wounded son back to health

Captain James Morehead Monument

Jethro Sumner Monument and Grave
located near Tour Stop 1

Captain James Tate Monument and Grave
near the American First Line just south of
New Garden Road near the entrance sign

The oldest and newest monuments in the park are found on the way to Tour Stop 2 (TS-2). The oldest monument, erected in 1887, is dedicated to Colonel Arthur Forbis of the Guilford County militia who was killed in the battle while part of the American First Line. The newest monument, Crown Forces Monument, is dedicated to the memory of all the British forces that fought in the battle. TS-2 hosts a display denoting the fragmented attack as elements of both sides drifted southeast and continued fighting about ½ mile southeast in what is now Country Park.

Captain Arthur Forbis Monument

Crown Forces Monument
In memory of the men who fought
and the units of the Crown Forces
 in which they served at the
Battle of Guilford Courthouse
March 15, 1781

Tour Stop 3 has a display about the American Second Line. This line was held for a sustained period by two Virginia militia brigades as they fought the advancing British in the thick woods. A trail leads north from here toward the Green Memorial and New Garden Road.

Typical terrain defended by the Second Line

Tour Stop 4 (TS-4) has a memorial to Major Joseph Winston, commander of the Surry County militia. In addition, a trail leads from the military park into Greensboro's Country Park. This route seemed to be very popular for bicyclists.

Major Joseph Winston Monument

Tour Stop 5 has a display denoting where David Schenck, the driving force behind creating the park, concluded the American Third Line of Continental Regulars faced the oncoming British. Utilizing additional historical information not available to Schenck, park historians now believe the Third Line was on the ridge line ¼ mile east of this location.

Schenck's Third Line location

Cavalry Monument

Between TS-5 and TS-6, the Tour Road follows the historic route of New Garden Road for a short distance.

Looking west along historic New Garden Road

Tour Road coincident with historic New Garden Road

Estimated American cannon location on the American Third Line

Tour Road veers off of New Garden Road

While the exact location of the Guilford Courthouse and the surrounding community has been lost, Tour Stop 6 marks its approximate location and the American Third Line. In addition, restrooms and a water fountain are located here.

General vicinity of Guilford Courthouse

Field south of New Garden Road

New Garden Road continues east out of the park

Tour Stop 7 is located near the northern boundary of the park between the Second and Third Lines. A short side trail leads to an open field on the northern side of New Garden Road. A display views the battle from the British perspective.

Path from TS-7 to the field

Open field at TS-7

American Third Line Monument

Lt. Colonel James Stewart of the Brigade of Guards
was killed in the fighting on the third line.
Until 2015, this was the only monument
on the battlefield honoring the British army.

New Garden Road

Captain Griffin Fauntleroy Monument

Tour Stop 8 is near the parking lot on Old Battleground Road. Numerous monuments are located near here and the American First Line.

David Schenck Monument
Driving force behind preservation of the battlefield

Brig. General Edward Stevens Monument

Signers Memorial and Grave
Commemorates the North Carolina signers
of the Declaration of Independence

Major General Nathanael Greene Monument

A closer view of the General Greene statue

Entry to the park is free. The visitor center and tour road are open from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM daily.

The park website is https://www.nps.gov/guco.

Visitor Center - Guilford Courthouse National Military Park

On March 15, 1781, only two months after the Patriot victory at the Battle of Cowpens, the Patriot and British armies met again at Guilford Courthouse in what is now Greensboro, North Carolina. In what would become the largest battle of the Southern Campaign of the Revolutionary War, Major General Nathanael Greene deployed his 4,500 Patriot troops in three lines against about 1,900 advancing British forces.

Before giving his men an opportunity to eat breakfast, Lt. General Charles Cornwallis marched his British troops over 10 miles from his camp on the Deep River to Guilford Courthouse by way of the Salisbury Road. Arriving about noon, the weary and hungry troops formed lines and marched into battle. As the battle proceeded, flanking troops on both sides broke off to fight skirmishes in the woods somewhat removed from the main battle. At one point when the battle seemed to be a stalemate, the Patriot cavalry charged directly into the middle of the British lines. In an effort to thwart the Patriot charge, Cornwallis ordered his artillery to fire grapeshot directly into the charging cavalry with the full knowledge that he would kill many of his own men as well. The advance was halted and, shortly, the Patriots began an orderly retreat from the field.

In the 2 ½ hour battle, the Patriots suffered losses of just over 250 killed or wounded, while the British lost over over 500 or one-quarter of their southern army including twenty-nine of one hundred officers. Upon hearing of the battle, Member of Parliament Charles James Fox made the following remarks in the House of Commons:

We have often asserted that so much domestically and internationally depends upon subduing the rebel forces in the southern colonies. But now news of another disaster, Guilford Courthouse. Gentlemen, this war is bleeding us white. We may have won this piece of ground in North Carolina, but another such victory would ruin the British Army.

Based on efforts of David Schenck and the non-profit Guilford  Battle Ground Company beginning in the 1880s, the Guilford Courthouse National Military Park was established in 1917. Without Schenck's efforts, it is doubtful that the park would exist. However, his interpretation of the battle resulted in a much smaller area being preserved than would have been desirable. Monuments were placed at convenient locations instead of accurate ones. Although the exact location of the courthouse has been lost, more recent archaeological studies show that the battle extended well beyond the boundaries of the park.

The visitor center contains an information desk, bookstore and giftshop, museum with Revolutionary War artifacts, restrooms and two theaters. The smaller theater hosts a 10-minute narrated description of the battle with the movements of military units depicted on a map. This excellent presentation is made at 15 and 45 minutes after the hour.

The larger theater has seating for about 70 people although I was the entire audience. A 32-minute battle reenactment entitled Another Such Victory is shown on the hour. Although this 2001 film meets the exacting technical and historic standards of the park service, it includes some actors breaking the fourth wall to speak directly to the audience describing their reasons for fighting and some of the emotions they felt. There was nothing to indicate that these monologues were from diaries or letters of the participants until late in the film when General Lord Cornwallis is writing a letter and wondering if his actions are having any positive effect upon winning the people of the Carolinas to the British cause. The closing scenes described what happened after the battle to some of the individuals who stepped out of the action. If you like actors speaking directly to the audience, this is the documentary for you. I felt it broke up the flow of the story and was disappointed in its use.

The staff at the information desk was very helpful as they provided a weather forecast and directions to a parking lot that isn't locked at 5 PM so I could continue to tour the battle site on foot after hours. I visited the park in June 2017.

Approaching visitor center

Visitor Center entrance

Museum entrance

Uniforms and other artifacts

Various weapons

View of a portion of the battlefield from the museum

Small theater room

Large theater

Bookstore

Souvenirs

More books

Clothing for sale

Entry to the park is free. The visitor center and tour road are open from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM daily.

The park website is https://www.nps.gov/guco.

Battlefield Trail - Kings Mountain National Military Park

Continuing my February 2017 visit to Kings Mountain National Military Park, I walked the paved 1.5 mile Battlefield Trail loop. The trail has been paved with a product produced from recycled tires that has a flexible, porous surface. Note that the trail was not designed to be ADA compliant as it is too steep in many places for wheelchairs. Beginning behind the visitor center, the trail heads counter-clockwise around and through the battlefield. A cellphone audio tour has been provided to enrich the experience with addition information beyond that on the wayside signs. The only charge for the audio tour is any additional cost from your service provider for using your cellphone minutes.

After the Battle of Musgrove Mill on August 19, 1780, British Major Patrick Ferguson issued an ultimatum to the "officers on the Western waters." According to Colonel Isaac Shelby, who received the document, Ferguson warned that if they did not "desist from their opposition to the British army, and take protection under his standard, he would march his army over the mountains, hang their leaders, and lay their country waste with fire and sword." Shelby met with John Sevier and the two colonels, without any authority from Congress or anyone else, decided to go on the offensive instead of waiting for Ferguson to attack. They called for volunteers to assemble at Sycamore Shoals on September 25, 1780. Nearly a thousand men from western Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee responded. Their ranks grew along the way with men and officers from North Carolina, Georgia, and South Carolina joining the citizen army.

Major Ferguson was the only British soldier at the battle. All the other troops were born in America. The battle pitted about 800 Loyalist militia and 200 provincial regulars atop Kings Mountain against about 1,000 volunteer Patriot militiamen. An additional 800 Patriot militia with slower horses or on foot were left at Cowpens, South Carolina. Curiously, the majority of Patriot battle participants were from North Carolina and South Carolina leaving the Overmountain Men as a large minority. 

After riding through the rain all day, the Patriots left their horses about a mile beyond the southwest end of Kings Mountain and split into two columns in order to surround the Loyalists. The battle began about 3 PM and lasted 65 minutes. Since militia weren't issued uniforms, it would have been nearly impossible to determine friend from foe without the addition of greenery to the hatbands of the Loyalists and a slip of paper stuck in the hats of the Patriots. I have not heard an explanation of how the Overmountain Men found enough paper for the task and kept it dry enough not to disintegrate through the multi-day ride from Sycamore Shoals.

Several days prior to the battle, but after the Carolina militias had joined the Overmountain Men, Colonel Isaac Shelby spoke to the assembled men. 

"When we encounter the enemy, don't wait for the word of command. Let each of you be your own officer, and do the very best you can, taking every care you can of yourselves, and availing yourselves of every advantage that chance may throw in your way. If in the woods, shelter yourselves and give them Indian play; advance from tree to tree."

While the Loyalists had bayonets on their muskets and were trained in their use, the Patriots had much more accurate rifles without bayonets. With the Loyalists musket lines silhouetted against the sky, the Patriots caught them in a deadly crossfire. While temporarily driven back by three successive bayonet charges, the Patriots continued to return and climb the mountain. Major Ferguson attempted to lead a final bayonet charge from horseback, but was shot multiple times and fell mortally wounded. The Loyalists surrendered shortly after. The battle resulted in the deaths of 157 Loyalists with another 163 so severely wounded they were left on the battlefield. The remaining 698 Loyalists were taken prisoner. In contrast, Patriot losses included 28 killed and 62 wounded.

Beginning of trail behind the visitor center

The flagstone quickly transitions to pavement

Group area beside the trail

Colonel Joseph Winston's Surrey County, North Carolina militia charged from the southeast and east

Major William Chronicle's North Carolina militia charged the steeper terrain of the east and northeast

Colonial Road

The original stone marker on the left was placed in 1815 and is one of the oldest memorials of the Revolutionary War

Sacred to the memory of
Major William Chronicle, Captain John Mattocks
William Rabb and John Boyd
Who were killed at this place on the 7th of
October, 1780, fighting in defense of America

Colonel Ferguson, an officer of His Britannic
Majesty, was defeated and killed at
this place on the 7th of October 1780

Major Chronicle was killed commanding his troops to turn "Face to the hill!"

The trail follows the initial line of Colonel Benjamin Cleveland's North Carolina
militia up the ravine. The militia charged the hill on the left.

Imagine the hill without underbrush and fewer, larger trees

The trail crosses Long Branch on the northwest side of the mountain

After days of rain, Long Branch would have been a swampy, muddy mess for the South Carolina militia to cross

Colonel Isaac Shelby's Tennessee militia began the battle along the upper reaches of the creek

Duck behind a tree to reload

A park bench faces away from the mountain

Imagine Loyalists with fixed bayonets silhouetted against the sky

Colonel Isaac Shelby's Tennessee militia began the battle in the swale to the right near the head of the creek

Not much in the way of cover for either side

Side trail to the Hoover Monument

On this site President Hoover addressed an audience of 75,000 at the celebration
of the sesquicentennial of the Battle of Kings Mountains, Oct. 7, 1930

Another bench near the western end of the mountain in the area assigned to Colonel John Sevier's Tennessee militia

Loyalist militia were stationed across this saddle in the mountain

This high point on the southwestern end of the mountain was charged by
Colonel William Campbell's Virginia militia from the left
and Colonel John Sevier's Tennessee militia from the right

The Tennessee and Virginia militias drove the Loyalists northeast along the ridgeline

Tree seemingly growing out of the rock

Approaching the Centennial Monument

Closer view of the Centennial Monument

View north from the ridge

The 28 foot high Centennial Monument was dedicated on October 7, 1880

Continuing northeast along the ridge

The ridgetop trail approaches the U.S. Monument

The 83 foot high obelisk was dedicated on October 7, 1909

One of the panels on the U.S Monument

Marker notes the location where Major Ferguson was shot off of his horse
(Paperwork denoting his promotion to Colonel was en route at the time of his death)

From atop the ridge, note the black-surfaced trail near the initial Patriot lines of Major Chronicle

Burial cairn for Major Patrick Ferguson

Ferguson memorial marker was added 150 years after the battle

View toward Colonel Charles McDowell's North Carolina militia

End of the trail at its beginning

With Fire and Sword is an excellent book that provides background information and places the battle in its historical context. Written by Wilma Dykeman for the National Park Service in 1978, it is available to read or download for free at https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/kimo/battle.pdf. A free illustrated digital copy of the book can also be found at https://archive.org/details/battleofkingsmou00dyke.

Entry to Kings Mountain National Military Park is free.

The Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail website is https://www.nps.gov/ovvi.
The Kings Mountain National Military Park website is https://www.nps.gov/kimo.