African American Patriots, Kings Mountain National Military Park, Blacksburg (SC)
The marker to African American Patriots is a simple square bronze plaque attached to a one ton bolder. Above the inscription appears the spinning wheel symbol of the Daughters of the American Revolution. This is the only marker installed at the Kings Mountain National Military Park since 1949.
IN HONOR OF / THE THREE KNOWN AFRICAN AMERICAN PATRIOTS / AND OTHERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE / BATTLE OF KINGS MOUNTAIN / ESAIAS BOWAM / JOHN BRODDY / ANDREW FERGUSON / MARKER PLACED BY / THE COL. FREDRICK HAMBRIGHT CHAPTER, NSDAR / OCTOBER 7, 2016
National Park Service, Kings Mountain National Military Park
October 7, 2016
35.140770 , -81.383500
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Cozart, Loretta Husky. “Marker to African Americans,” Kings Mountain Herald (Kings Mountain, NC), July 6, 2016, (accessed December 9, 2016) Link
Whisnant, Gabe. “236th Anniversary Weekend at Battlefield,” The Star (Shelby, NC), October 7, 2016, A3
“New Marker for African Americans Who Fought at the Battle of Kings Mountain,” Wilson County (NC) Public Library, (accessed December 9, 2016) Link
“Plaque Honoring African American Patriots at the Battle of KM Received by DAR,” Kings Mountain Herald (Kings Mountain, NC), December 30, 2015, (accessed December 9, 2016) Link
Yes
Bronze plaque on local stone acquired from the Martin Marietta Kings Mountain Quarry. Icon Stone Masonry prepared the stone for the plaque
Colonel Frederick Hambright Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution
$2,200
Held during a driving rain storm, members of the DAR, Sons of the American Revolution, Colonial Dames, Overmountain Victory Trail Association and descendants of the African American Patriots attended the dedication. Brigadier General James R. Gorham, the first African-American general in the NC National Guard, was the keynote speaker. The marker was unveiled by descendants of those listed on the plaque. The dedication was held on the 236th anniversary of the battle.
The men on the marker are Essius (Esaius) Bowman, John Broddy (Broady), and Andrew Ferguson. One was a free man, one earned his freedom fighting on behalf of his owner, and one was a servant to William Campbell and later freed for his service. The marker honors these men along with others who served but for whom no records exist. It has been estimated that 12 African-American men participated in the battle. Of these, five names were identified but pension records only existed for the three men listed.
The Kings Mountain National Military Park address is 2625 Park Rd, Blacksburg, SC 29702. The African American Patriots marker is located on the path just southwest of 1880 Centennial memorial and to the east side of Battleground Drive. There are a total of 11 other historical markers and monuments in the battleground park.
The memorial stands in the National Park forest.
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