The War in the Northwest 325 



besieging Augusta. In the chase a number of Amer- 

 icans were captured, and thirteen were hanged. The 

 British and tories interpreted the already sufficiently 

 severe instructions of their commander-in-chief 

 with the utmost liberality, even the officers chroni- 

 cling the hanging with exultant pleasure, as pointing 

 out the true way by which to end the war. 36 



Cruger, in his answer to Ferguson, explained that 

 he did not have the number of militia regiments with 

 which he was credited ; and he did not seem to quite 

 take in the gravity of the situation, 37 expressing his 

 pleasure at hearing how strongly the loyalists of 

 North Carolina had rallied to Ferguson's support, 

 and speaking of the hope he had felt that the North 

 Carolina tories would by themselves have proved 

 "equal to the mountain lads." However, he prompt- 

 ly set about forwarding the reinforcements that were 

 demanded ; but before they could reach the scene of 

 action the fate of the campaign had been decided. 



Ferguson had not waited for outside help. He 

 threw himself into the work of rallying the people of 

 the plains, who were largely loyalists, 38 against the 

 over-mountain men, appealing not only to their roy- 

 alist sentiments, but to their strong local prejudices, 

 and to the dread many of them felt for the wild bor- 

 der fighters. On the ist of October he sent out a 



36 Draper, p. 201, quotes a printed letter from a British 

 officer to this effect. 



37 Probably Ferguson himself failed to do so at this time. 



38 Gates MSS. Letter of Davidson, September i4th, speaks 

 of the large number of tories in the counties where Ferguson 

 was operating. 



