Saturday, January 5, 2008

The Kings Mountain Surrender, per Col. Sharp

Colonel John Sharp's Certificate.
I, John Sharp, of the County of Sullivan and State of Tennessee, do certify, that I was an Ensign in Capt. Pemberton's company, in the battle of King's Mountain, and that I was in the front line when the enemy surrendered; that Colonel Shelby was the first man I heard order the enemy to lay down their arms; after they began to cry for quarters he damned them, if they wanted quarters, why did they not lay down their arms. I also state, that I did not see Col. Campbell until some minutes afterwards, though I never heard him charged with cowardice on that account and do not pretend to say that he did not do his duty. All I can say is, that I did not see him at that time. Given under my hand this 21st day Feb., 1823.
JOHN SHARP.

(Source: The Magazine of American History with Notes and Queries, by John Austin Stevens, Benjamin Franklin DeCosta, Martha Joanna Lamb, Henry Phelps Johnston, Nathan Gilbert Pond, William Abbatt; Compiled by William Abbatt, Published 1880, A.S. Barnes)