Author: Jason Melius
Image Caption: Looking west across the Yadkin River at the Shallow Ford. Photo Credit: Jason Melius, 2023.
The British Army captured Charleston, SC in May 1780. Until that point, the Upper Yadkin River Valley had been relatively peaceful. Things changed drastically as news of the British victory reached western North Carolina. While General Lord Charles Cornwallis urged North Carolina Tories to remain quiet in their homes, many Loyalists around modern Lincolnton, NC decided to band together to flee to British lines.
On June 20, 1780, approximately seven hundred Loyalists, many unarmed, were defeated in the Battle of Ramseur’s Mill by four hundred Patriot militia. When news of the defeat reached the area near the Shallow Ford of the Yadkin two days later, local Loyalists became fearful. Nearly six hundred Tories under Colonel Samuel Bryan fled, hotly pursued by Patriot militia. By the time they reached safety in Cheraw, SC, their numbers had increased to one thousand five hundred. The British intended to turn them into a fighting force, however only about forty percent had firearms.
Between July and September 1780, Patriot militia began ravaging Loyalists remaining in the upper Yadkin Valley. Dozens were murdered and beaten. Even more had their property stolen and homes burned. Many Tory families were driven into hiding in the wilderness. Families who wished to remain neutral suffered similar treatment, and many were driven to the British cause.
In late September 1780, Patriot militia across western North Carolina and Virginia gathered to attack a British force led by Major Patrick Ferguson at King’s Mountain. In their absence, Yadkin Valley Tories under Colonel Gideon Wright rose up. Between October 3rd and 12th, Loyalists went to the homes of prominent Whigs to take back their stolen property. They twice attacked the Surry County Courthouse. Ironically, there were very few casualties. The Tories wanted to recover their stolen property, not murder their neighbors.
The “Tory Uprising” was brought to end on the morning of October 14, 1780, at the Battle of Shallow Ford. Colonel Wright’s force of approximately three hundred Loyalists were strung out for over a mile as they traveled northwest on horseback. As they began descending a hill west of the ford, they were ambushed by more than three hundred Patriot militia. The Tories were quickly thrown into confusion. Some dismounted and created a firing line to cover the escape of the others. Outnumbered, the defenders were quickly overwhelmed. A Black Tory named Ball Turner was noted as continuing to fire at the Patriots from cover until he was killed by several musket balls.
In the short engagement, only one Patriot, Captain Henry Francis, was killed, and four wounded. Fifteen to twenty Loyalists lay dead and as many as fourteen were wounded. Approximately forty were captured. Some Patriot accounts state that many of the captured Tories were clubbed to death until a local Patriot officer, Colonel Joseph Williams, put an end to the murders.
Five days after the battle, General William Smallwood of the Continental Army declared that any thefts by Patriots would result in hanging. He also extended a pardon to any Tories who surrendered themselves. Many Tories, including Colonel Wright’s brother Captain Hezekiah Wright, were murdered before they could turn themselves in.
Loyalist resistance in the region was crushed.