NARRATIVE
OF THE
BATTLE OF COWAN’S FORD,
February 1st, 1781,
BY ROBERT HENRY,
AND
Narrative of the Battle of Kings Mountain,
By Captain David Vance.
Having seen the following most valuable and interestingnarrative quoted very often in “King’s Mountainand its Heroes,” written by Lyman C. Draper, L.L.D.,of Wisconsin, I wrote the Doctor with a view of obtainingthe original manuscript if possible, but was unable to procureit. He however very generously intrusted to me thefollowing copy which he had himself “carefully transcribed”from the original paper in his hands, in January1874, and which had been sent to him by Dr. J. F. E.Hardy, of Asheville, North Carolina. The original manuscripthad been placed in Dr. Hardy’s possession by Wm.L. Henry, of Buncombe County, a son of Robert Henry—WilliamL. Henry is still living.
In a note to “King’s Mountain and its Heroes,” page259, is the following brief sketch of Robert Henry, whowas wise enough to preserve this contribution to ourRevolutionary history—to-wit:
“Mr. Henry was born in a rail pen, in then Rowan,[1]now Iredell county, North Carolina, January 10th 1765.Full of patriotism though young, he shared in the trialsand perils of the Revolution, and in due time recoveredfrom the severe wounds he received at King’s Mountain.In 1795, he was one of the party who ran the boundaryline between North Carolina and Tennessee. He subsequentlystudied law, and practiced his profession manyyears in Buncombe County. He served in the House ofCommons in 1833 and 1834. He was a clear and forciblepublic speaker; and his memory deserves to be held ingrateful remembrance for preserving the narrative of theKing’s Mountain campaign and battle, so frequently citedin this work. He died in the new County of Clay, NorthCarolina, January 6th, 1863, within four days of attainingthe patriarchal age of ninety-eight years, and he was undoubtedlythe last of the heroes of King’s Mountain.”
Robert Henry lived in the vicinity of Tuckaseage Ford,on the Catawba river, which is about ten miles belowCowan’s Ford, when Cornwallis crossed at the latter ford.He lived on the West side of the river in Lincoln County.For many years he owned the White Sulphur Springsabout five miles South west of Asheville. It was a popularresort in the summer for the wealthy planters fromthe South and was the scene of much gayety and pleasure.Mr. Henry died in Clay County, the extreme Westernc