RonnieAdventures: RonnieAdventure #0668 - Battle of Ramsour's Mill, Ivan-Hamrick Log Cabin, North Carolina

Friday, April 25, 2025

RonnieAdventure #0668 - Battle of Ramsour's Mill, Ivan-Hamrick Log Cabin, North Carolina

The Battle of Ramsour's Mill in Lincolnton County, North Carolina, significantly change the course of the Revolutionary War in the southern states.

In the spring of 1780, under the command of Lord Cornwallis, the British recruited a large number of Loyalists in Georgia and South Carolina to attack the Patriots in North Carolina. On the evening of June 19, about 1,300 Loyalists camped on the east side of Clark's Creek in Lincolnton County. On the west side of the Creek was Ramsour's gristmill. To the northeast, about 400 Patriot forces gathered to plan a surprise attack on the Loyalist's camp at daybreak.

At dawn on June 20, there was a heavy blanket of fog covering Ramsour's Mill. The fog was so thick that morning, the Patriots were able to march right up to the Loyalist's camp before being discovered. Catching the Loyalists off guard, the Loyalists did not have time to organize into any type of fighting formation and fighting became hand-to-hand combat. In less than two hours, the battle was over. Since the Loyalists did not know that they significantly outnumbered the Patriots, they dispersed into the countryside and did not ever attempt to reorganize. The victory of this battle was significant because it lowered the morale of the Loyalists in the southern states and weakened their support of the British.

After the fog lifted, dead and wounded men were found scattered across the battlefield. While some of the dead were identified and returned to their homes for burial, the majority of the fighters were buried in a deep trench on the side of a hill. Since both the Loyalists and Patriots were not wearing uniforms, it was not possible to determine which side they were on, so all of the dead were buried together in a mass grave.

On special occasions, reenactments of the of the battle are held at the site and bleachers are available by Ramsour's Mill for spectator seating.

Picture by Kolohe

Located a short distance from the battlefield is a burial site that tradition holds is for Patriot Captains John Dobson and John Bowman, and other family members. It is unclear when the brick enclosure was erected; but in 1984, Boy Scout Troup 87 repaired the enclosure as an Eagle Scout service project.

Located in Cleveland County near Boiling Springs, is the Ivan-Hamrick Log House and cemetery. The two-room log house was built in 1795 and a rear addition was added sometime after the Civil War. There is also a small cemetery on the site.

The entire site is fenced and there are no placards at the site to give any additional information about the property.