Guilford County NcArchives History - Books .....Concerning Members Of The Guilford County Militia In The American Revolution 1781
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Nancy Poquette npoq@hotmail.com January 28, 2009, 6:29 pm

Book Title: From The Life And Character Of Rev. David Caldwell, By The Rev. E. W. Caruthers, 1842, Greensboro, NC

pages 232-235:

	“Colonel John Paisley, father of the Reverend William D. Paisley, was a 
patriot as well as a Christian; and had all along taken an active part in the 
service of his country. He was present at the battle with the men under his 
command; and was directed to occupy an eminence to the south, for the purpose 
of observing the movements of the enemy and communicating intelligence.”

     “Captain John Forbis* who lived on the Alamance, was there with a company 
of volunteers, the Allisons, the Kerrs, the Paisleys, the Wileys and others, 
most of whom were his neighbors and belonged to the company of which he was 
captain; and a braver band of militia was not on the ground. They were placed 
in the front rank, stood firm, and fired the number of times prescribed in the 
general order. Forbis himself fired the first gun in that division and killed 
his man; for he took deliberate aim with his rifle at a British captain who was 
seen to fall. He was mortally wounded himself, and died a few days after. 
Several of his men were also wounded, of whom William Paisley, father of the 
Reverend Samuel Paisley, was one; but none of them mortally.”

    *“It is said that a certain colonel [O’Neal] who was believed to have no 
partiality for powder and lead, excused himself that morning on the ground that 
he must see to the commissary department, or something else than fighting; and 
put Forbis in his place. His men remonstrated with him at the time, but he 
cursed them and told them that Forbis was a brave man and would do well enough. 
Perhaps there was no more truth in this report than in another of a similar 
kind respecting a certain other officer of a higher grade, whose horse got a 
very bad character for always running away with his rider at the beginning of 
an engagement [General Butler]; but however this may have been, Forbis, in 
consequence of that appointment, or supposed appointment, has ever since had 
the title of colonel conferred upon him by his countrymen.”

    “A number of individuals in the Buffalo congregation volunteered that 
morning and put themselves under officers of known valor, mostly under Col. 
Campbell. Dr. B. says ‘Many Guilford volunteers were in the battle at the 
courthouse; and I have frequently heard of the bravery of two very young men on 
that day spoken of. The men were John Rankin and John Allison. A number of men 
were assembled in the morning at the house of Allison’s father, mostly females 
and old men. Allison’s house was about two miles to the left of Greene’s army; 
and when the big guns began to fire, these young men sprang to their rifles. 
The females, divining their intention, laid hold on them; and crying and 
shrieking begged them not to go; but they freed themselves from the hold of 
their friends and ran to join their companions. They fell in with Colonel 
Campbell’s mountaineers, and fought with them until they retreated, after which 
they were fired at by a company of British regulars, but escaped unhurt.”

     "Thomas Cummings…was also a volunteer on that day. It is said that 
fighting is hot work; but be that as it may, when the retreat commenced, the 
said Thomas, being wrapped in his blanket, became very warm; and as he passed 
the jail, he stuck it in a crack, not doubting but that he would return again 
in a few minutes. It is said he became quite wrathy when he found that the 
retreat would be continued and that he must lose his blanket.” This Thomas 
Cummings was a man of some eccentricity; but was regarded as a very sincere and 
devout christian; and he fought with composure and fearlessness, because he was 
engaged, as he believed, in a good cause.”

     “On my first visit to the battle ground, I was accompanied by Robert 
Rankin, whose bravery on that occasion is well attested, and who, although just 
recovering from smallpox, went from home that morning, and fell in with 
Campbell’s mountaineers. Having taken me to a tree which he had used as a 
bulwark, and from behind which he fired two or three times, even after most of 
the division had retreated, he observed that just before the retreat commenced, 
this same old Cummins passed him by at a dogtrot, sat down on a log a few steps 
beyond, and taking out a luncheon of bread, began to crunch it [in speaking of 
this afterwards, he said he ‘got very hungry, and he thought it would do him 
good to eat a bite.’] when a ball came whizzing by his head, and so close as to 
brush his hair. He instantly started to his feet, coolly observed that he might 
as well die fighting as eating, and set off at the same gait to occupy his post 
again.”

     “John Larkin who lived about three miles from the battleground, went up 
that morning and put himself under Captain Kirkwood, who has been called the 
American Diomede. When he went to the Captain and asked him if he might fall in 
with his company, he told him certainly. He soon asked again, if he might take 
a tree; and received the same answer; for as Kirkwood remarked afterwards, he 
put no confidence in him, and expected to see him run at the first fire, or as 
soon as the enemy appeared in sight, but was agreeably disappointed. The men 
were ordered not to fire until the enemy came within 60 steps; and Larkin 
waited very patiently until they had approached nearly within that distance. 
Then turning to the captain, asked him if he might fire; and on being answered 
in the affirmative, he pulled away with his rifle, and a red coat fell. As 
Kirkwood related afterwards, he fought with as much bravery as any of his men, 
until the retreat was ordered, when he returned home, and continued to reside 
in the same neighborhood for a number of years.”

From The Life and Character of Rev. David Caldwell, by the Rev. E. W. 
Caruthers, 1842, Greensboro, NC, page 236:

	“It is a matter of history that the North Carolina line was placed in 
front, just behind the fence, having fair sweep at the British as they advanced 
through the open field in front; and the Virginia militia were drawn up at a 
distance of three hundred yards behind them in the woods. In that front line, 
were a good number of volunteers, commanded by the gallant and patriotic Col. 
Forbis. They had rifles, and were good marksmen. They were posted immediately 
behind the fence; and took deliberate aim, with their guns pointing through the 
cracks and resting on the rails. Their first fire was known to have been a 
deadly one; and probably their second one also; for they stood firm until they 
had fired twice, according to orders; and then retreated. It has always been 
said, and I believe was said by Forbis himself, that he was shot by the 
Virginia militia, who did not wait until he got past them; but fired rashly and 
in some confusion, at least in that part of the line. It is also known that a 
great many of the British were buried in that field; and near the place where 
their front line was when the first fire was given. Of this there is no doubt; 
for it is well attested by people in the neighborhood who were on the ground 
next day after the battle, and saw them burying their dead.”

From page 237-238:
	“Although General Greene received what he deemed satisfactory 
intelligence that ‘the utmost attention which circumstances would admit of, had 
been shown towards his wounded, by the British commander;’ and although ‘his 
first act after alighting from his horse was to send surgeons with a flag into 
the enemy’s camp to attend the American wounded, forwarding along with them, 
provisions and every article of comfort which the slender resources of the army 
could furnish,’ there were still some cases of suffering and apparent neglect 
that were painful to any man of humane feelings.”

     “The brave and lamented Forbis was overlooked and left to suffer. He lay 
there on the cold ground, without anything to shelter him from the driving 
rain, and without receiving any refreshment, except one drink of water, until 
the next evening, near 30 hours. After the battle, the Tories were swarming 
over the ground, and appeared to be much elated. One of those who were 
called ‘good Tories’ came on Forbis soon after the engagement was over; and at 
his request, brought his hat full of water and sat it down beside him. The same 
evening another found him; it is said, by the name of Shoemaker, an 
acquaintance, who had hitherto professed to be neutral; but when Forbis begged 
him, for mercy’s sake, to get him a drink of water, he cursed him for a rebel, 
and stuck his bayonet into him. The Whigs, according to tradition, in a short 
time, got hold of him [Shoemaker] and attached him by the neck to a to the limb 
of a tree.”

     “Next evening, Forbis was found accidentally by an old lady from his 
neighborhood, who had come up in search of her brothers, of whom she had been 
able to get no intelligence. With difficulty she got him on her horse, and 
started home with him, leading the horse and holding him on; but his family 
having in the meantime got information, sent a carriage which met them on the 
road. He was visited at his own house by a surgeon of the army, in company with 
Dr. Caldwell; but they could do nothing for him, and he lived only a few days.”


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