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Uncle Philip Williams, grandfather's older brother participated (at the
battle of King's Mountain) ... The British and their red-skin allies were
posted on a spur of the mountain, and the patriot troops had to advance up
the side of it during the attack. The fighting was severe, and for some time
the advance was slow ... From the position which Uncle Philip occupied he
had a very clear view of the field in front, the obstacles being few. The
firing was only desultory, each man being his own commander, as was then
common in Indian battles. Uncle Philip observed that there was a fallen
tree in front of them, the butt end of which was pointed directly toward
him, and it seemed to be hollow. Every little while he noticed a puff of
white smoke curl out of the end of this tree trunk, and each time a patriot
soldier was either killed or wounded. He conjectured that there was an
Indian concealed in it, and acting upon this thought he fired a charge
directly into the end of the log. He saw no more puffs of smoke come out of
there. Very soon after this the enemy gave way, the Colonists advanced at a
charge, and the day was won. After the battle was over Uncle Philip related
the circumstances to some of his comrades, whereat it was proposed to go to
the spot and ascertain the result of his shot. Upon reaching the hollow log
and instituting an investigation they found an Indian lying dead within ...
Judge A.B. Williams ... in 1850 ... then a very young man, was at the
residence of Judge James Scott, in Pike county, (Arkansas). The latter had
passed the middle age of life, and was very fond of reciting reminiscences
of the early days and of how his ancestors had suffered at the hands of the
Tories in South Carolina. His father had fought in the battle of King's
Mountain, and he related to Judge Williams the story of the soldier shooting
into the end of the log, killing the Indian, returning after the battle was
over and finding his dead body, which, he said, his father witnessed, and he
had often heard him tell the story, though he could not recall the name of
the soldier. Judge Williams, having often heard his grandfather recount the
same incident, knew that Uncle Philip must have been the man. Corroboration
of such incidents among the descendants of those good and brave men after
the lapse of many years should make us very tender in our criticisms of
their wondrous stories, about which we are sometimes half inclined to accuse
them of shooting with a long bow.
S.H. Williams
271 Franklin St., Chicago
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Washington Press, 1886, Samuel H. Williams, Memorabilia, No. XXXII. Excerpt.
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