Frederick Hambright

On May 22, 1780, Major Patrick Ferguson was assigned as "Inspector of the British Militia", and was promptly ordered to march to Tryon County, North Carolina, to raise troops and to protect the left flank of Lord Cornwallis's main body which occupied Charlotte, North Carolina, at the time.[6][7] By September 10, Ferguson had established a military camp at Gilbert Town, North Carolina and issued a challenge to the Patriot leaders to lay down their arms or he would, "Lay waste to their country with fire and sword."[8] After receiving this message, Patriot leaders Isaac Shelby and John Sevier quickly planned a preemptive campaign against Ferguson's army. They sent messages to military leaders William Campbell and Benjamin Cleveland to join them.[9] The rendezvous at Sycamore Shoals on September 25, brought to Campbell's army 200 Virginians and 160 North Carolinians.[10] Another 1,100 "Overmountain Men," volunteers from the Washington District, also arrived to fight for the Patriot cause. The army met with Cleveland's 350 men at Burke County, North Carolina,[11] and the now 1,400–strong force marched towards the South Mountains.[12]

The Hambright Homestead, 1920

When word of this force reached Ferguson, he sent a message to Cornwallis asking for reinforcements. This message did not reach Cornwallis in time, and on October 1 Ferguson retreated towards the Broad River, asking for local loyalist militia to join him. By October 6, the Patriots had passed Gilbert Town and had reached Cowpens, South Carolina. Local sympathizers informed the Patriots that Ferguson had 1500 men camped on Kings Mountain.[13]

As they were pressed for time before Ferguson would continue on to Charlotte, Patriot leaders picked 900 men—including Hambright's—to ride to Kings Mountain.[13] By the morning of the 7th, they had reached Kings Mountain, surrounded it, and attacked. The militia's commanding officer, Col. William Graham, was absent during the battle due to an illness in his family, leaving Hambright in command.[5] Hambright's group, along with six units, was positioned at the "ball" base beside the "heel" crest of the mountain, in position suited to attack the main Loyalist position. The objective was to catch the Loyalists by surprise. During the assault, Hambright was severely wounded from a musket ball shot to his thigh. Although bleeding badly, he continued fighting. Hambright's comrades were impressed with his bravery, and as fellow soldier, Samuel Moore, later put it:

"He knew he was wounded, but was not sick or faint from the loss of blood— [he] said he could still ride very well, and therefore deemed it his duty to fight on till the battle was over."[5]

After the battle, Hambright was taken to his nearby log cabin for treatment. He survived, but had to resign from service due to his injury, which caused a permanent limp in Hambright's walk.[14]