306 The Winning of the West 



their troops, they were incapable of long-continued 

 campaigns; and there were frequent and bitter quar- 

 rels between the several commanders, as well as 

 between the bodies of men they led. 



It seems certain that the mountaineers were, as a 

 rule, more formidable fighters than the lowland 

 militia, beside or against whom they battled; and 

 they formed the main strength of the attacking 

 party that left the camp at the Cherokee ford before 

 sunset on the I7th. Ferguson's army was encamped 

 southwest of them, at Fair Forest Shoals; they 

 marched round him, and went straight on, leaving 

 him in their rear. Sometimes they rode through 

 open forest, more often they followed the dim wood 

 roads; their horses pacing or cantering steadily 

 through the night. As the day dawned they reached 

 Musgrove's Ford, on the Enoree, having gone forty 

 miles. Here they hoped to find a detachment of tory 

 militia; but it had been joined by a body of provin- 

 cial regulars, the united force being probably some- 

 what more numerous than that of the Americans. 

 The latter were discovered by a patrol, and the 

 British after a short delay marched out to attack 

 them. The Americans in the meantime made good 

 use of their axes, felling trees for a breastwork, 

 and when assailed they beat back and finally com- 

 pletely routed their assailants. 11 



11 Shelby's account of this action, written in his old age, is 

 completely at fault; he not only exaggerates the British 

 force and loss, but he likewise greatly overestimates the 

 number of the Americans always a favorite trick of his. 

 Each of the militia colonels of course claimed the chief share 



