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PPAARRTT II –– PPUURRPPOOSSEE OOFF DDOOCCUUMMEENNTT

PPAARRTT IIII –– HHIISSTTOORRIICCAALL SSIIGGNNIIFFIICCAANNCCEE

PPAARRTT IIIIII –– FFIIVVEE YYEEAARR SSTTRRAATTEEGGIICC PPLLAANN

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All images, pictures and maps were provided by the Lincoln County Historic Properties Commission and U.S.D.A.-N.R.C.S.. Additional data was provided by Craig Wyant, craig@cws-inc.net.

This document, together with the concepts and designs presented herein, as an instrument of service, is intended only forthe specific purpose and client for which it was prepared. Reuse of and improper reliance on this document without writtenauthorization and adoption by Urban Resource Group/Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. shall be without liability to UrbanResource Group/Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc.

Copyright Urban Resource Group/Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc., 2008.

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PPaarrtt II –– PPuurrppoossee ooff DDooccuummeenntt

On September 29, 2007, a strategic planning workshop was conducted to assessthe status of the Ramsour’s Mill Battleground preservation efforts to date and todetermine key program areas for the future of the site – Preservation ofbattlefield property, Stewardship and management of the battlefield property asa cultural and historical landscape resource, Education and interpretation of thehistorical events and the land upon which they took place, and the need forpositive and proactive Communication to create consensus and buildpartnerships with citizens of Lincoln County and other key stakeholders.

For each of these key areas a long range goal was determined along with five-year strategic objective(s) and specific action items to achieve these goals andobjectives. In addition, key partnerships and key external factors that couldpotential affect the achievement of these goals were identified.

This document is intended to be an easy to use guide for future decision making,preservation planning, and actions taken by the Lincoln County HistoricProperties Commission as it relates to the preservation efforts at Ramsour’s MillBattleground. It is also intended to be a measuring gauge for preservation effortsand their effectiveness over time.

WWOORRKKSSHHOOPP PPAARRTTIICCIIPPAANNTTSS

Lincoln County Historic Properties CommissionBill C. Beam, ChairmanJason L. Harpe, Vice-ChairmanBuddy FunderburkLarry CraigGiles MartinJennifer ByrdSelena Arney

Carolina Land and Lakes – RC&D, Inc. (USDA-NRCS)Dan McClure, Coordinator

Catawba Valley Chapter, Sons of the American RevolutionWendall Kirkham

Urban Resource Group (Facilitator)Patrick Hart, RLA

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PPaarrtt IIII –– HHiissttoorriiccaall SSiiggnniiffiiccaannccee

As the morning of June 20, 1780, dawned, shrouded in fog and mist, the PatriotWhig Militia force of Colonel Francis Locke, 400 strong, attacked theapproximately 1,300 Loyal Tory Militiamen under the combined command of Lt.Colonel John Moore and Major Nicolas Welch encamped near what is todayLincolnton, North Carolina. The camp was located on a hill along the east bankof Clark’s Creek and Ramsour’s Mill Pond on the property of Christian Reinhardt,a local citizen of Lincoln County.

The Patriot attack developed along the Old Sherrill’s Ford Road with a cavalryassault that was led by Major Joseph McDowell. This sudden surprise attackdrove the Tory pickets into their encampment on the crest of the hill. It was herethat the Tories rallied and counterattacked driving the cavalry back down the hillinto the oncoming Patriot Infantry (seen in the painting below).

As the Tories swept down the hill in pursuit of the retreating mounted forces ofMcDowell, the Patriot Infantry commanded by Colonel Locke formed a newbattleline along a glade between the Old Sherrill’s Ford Road and theTuskaseegee Road. This new line poured a heavy fire into the approachingTories halting their advance and forcing them to retreat once again to the safetyof the crest of the hill. Then a second assault by the Patriots surged uphill only tobe quickly dispersed by the musket fire from the newly established Torybattleline. Following up their repulse of the second Patriot attack, the Toriesonce more descended down the hill in hopes of driving the Patriot forces fromtheir position in the glade at the base of the hill. It was at this time that WhigCaptain Hardin descended down the hill from what is today Lincolnton anddeployed his company on the extreme right flank of the Tories –pouring a heavy

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enfilade fire into the ranks of the Tories (areashown in the photo on the left). This combinedwith the tactical efforts of the Whig CaptainSharpe and his company to extend the Patriotline North turning the Tory left flank, broke theTories hold on the hill position and the theyfled West across Clark’s Creek in retreat.

As Moore’s Loyalists reformed on the oppositebank of the creek near Ramsour’s Mill, ColonelLocke formed a new Patriot line along the crestof the hill. A flag of truce was sent by Mooreas a way to buy time for the withdrawal of hisforces from the Mill without further engagingthe Patriots. His ruse was successful and theone hour fight at Ramsour’s Mill was ended.Scattered over the hillside were over 70 dead

and close to 200 wounded Patriots and Loyalist. In the end the effects of thisneighbor vs. neighbor, kin vs. kin, and friend vs. friend conflict would havegreater long term effects on the participants that only time would heal.

Many of the militia who fought here would soon return home and try to forget thehorror experienced on this day, but the repercussions of the events here wouldbe felt across the region and the Nation as the war in the Southern Coloniesheated up and eventually climaxed at Yorktown. This victory was the first sincethe fall of Charleston and the loss of the American Continental Army at Buford’sMassacre. Its effects successfully stemmed the tide of Tory activity in the regionhindering the advance of Cornwallis into North Carolina and led to the eventualPatriot victory later that fall at King’s Mountain.

On the 1780 field of battle where these 1,700 men clashed in a desperate fightfor what they believed in, stands a county school campus that includes threeschools and athletic fields surrounded by residential neighborhoods. Scatteredamongst the campus buildings are reminders of the past. A mass grave thatholds the bodies of those that perished here sits quietly on the hill top where thebattle once raged. Numerous grave markers also dot the landscape in additionto several other monuments that have been erected by the survivors, familymembers, and the community. In addition, traces of the old road system can befound as well as the old stone bridge abutments at Clark’s Creek. The LincolnCounty Historic Properties Commission owns and preserves the area of thebattlefield that the Tories fled from the attack of Captain Hardin’s Company. Italso has in place a preservation agreement with the school system for thehistorical use of open areas on the school campus. There exists today and intothe future, opportunities to preserve additional land and continue to tell the storyof this battle and its place in American History to generations to come.

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Current Site Conditions

Mass Grave Site Tory Capt. Warlick’s Grave

Battlefield Monument Bridge abutment along Clark’s Creek

Mill Stone Monuments

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PPaarrtt IIIIII –– FFiivvee YYeeaarr SSttrraatteeggiicc PPllaann

The preservation efforts for the Lincoln County Historic Properties Commissionas it applies to the Ramsour’s Mill Battleground are broken out into fourcategories: Preservation, Stewardship, Education, and Communication. Theirrespective long-range goals, objectives, action items, key partnerships andexternal factors affecting the process are noted below.

Vision Statement

“Ramsour’s Mill Battleground must be a place where citizens understand,care for, and preserve their history and natural heritage; a place where life-long education is compelling; and a place that is a vital and valued part ofthe community.”

Preservation

Long-Range Goal:

o To promote the protection, enhancement and productive useof the Ramsour’s Mill Battleground.

Five-Year Strategic Objective(s):

o Acquire legal agreement with School property for use of historicaleasements.

o Acquire National Historic Register designation.o Create partnerships with Public and Private Property owners to

insure the ability to purchase property as it becomes available onthe market.

o Acquire National Register designation for Cornwallis Camp Site andCowan Ford Battleground site.

Action Items:

o Work with County School system to get consensus on the futuredevelopment of the Park and school campus.

o As school facilities are phase out or relocated to other sites in thecounty, work with the school board to purchase or transferownership to the LCHPC for permanent preservation of theproperty.

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o Obtain legal easement documentation/survey plat for historicaleasements on school property.

o Obtain written buy in from County School System on NationalHistoric Register Designation.

o Apply for National Historic Registration designation.o Make determination if local and state historical register designation

is a desired designation for School and Lincoln County.o Determine grant funding opportunities to aid with land purchases.o Develop a master plan of the site showing its relationships to the

school and surrounding neighborhoods.o Create a Land Protection Plan that identifies critical properties as

determined by historical research and the oppotunity to purchase.o Identify and document Mill site and other historical structures

locations (i.e., Tannery, road layout, etc…).o Invite private property owners (Hines and Weavers) to become

stakeholders/partners in the process.o Work with school on relocation of cell tower.o Work with school on the relocation of playground site at the crest of

the hill.o Work with school on relocation of practice fields.o Complete documentation of mass grave site.o Complete additional protection measures (i.e. fencing, etc) for mass

grave site.o Refurbish all grave sites.o Coordinate location of Rails to Trails corridor to coincide with

historical feature (i.e. old road beds) if possible.

Key Partnerships and Stakeholders

o School Board,o Rails to Trails Conservancy,o City/County Parks and Recreation Dept.,o Hines Family,o Weaver Family,o Other private property owners as they are identified,o Carolina Land and Lakes - RC&D.

Key External Factors Affecting Long-Range Goal:

o Current school campus layout and future development.o Private property owners that have expressed opposition to selling

their property to the County.

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Stewardship

Long-Range Goal:

o To provide the opportunity for citizen participation in thedevelopment and maintenance practices thereby ensuring thepreservation of the natural historic landscape of theRamsour’s Mill Battleground for the future.

Five-Year Strategic Objective(s):

o Promote Citizen stewardship – “Volunteers in the Park.”Participation leads everyday citizens from interest, tounderstanding, to caring, to advocacy. This is the single mostimportant action to preserving the site for the future.

o Create a Management Plan that defines roles and responsibilitiesof County and School Staff.

o Establish an annual “Park Day.”o Restore native habitats on current LCHPC property to its original

historical appearance including historic roads and buildings.o As new land is preserved, restore it to its original historical state.

Action Items:

o County/school coordination for long term maintenance.o Clean up area around old mill site.o Create a “Friends of the Battlefield” volunteer group for volunteer

work days at the park.o Work with local Boy Scouts for Eagle Scout Project opportunities to

do improvements to the park.o Create a “Park Day” event for volunteers to come out yearly and

clean up the site and celebrate preservation. Coordinate this withNational Parks Day to allow participants to feel part of a largerevent across the country to preserve our cultural and historicalresources.

o Work with school to create and implement landscape characterdesign elements that reflect the historical nature of the site.Integrate these into both the school and the park site so that theywork together to create this “sense of place.”

o Conduct historical research to determine original landscapeappearance.

o Complete work to restore landscape to original appearance forproperty owned by the LCHPC.

o Work to recreate historical buildings and roads on property.

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Key Partnerships and Stakeholders

o Volunteers,o Boy Scouts,o City and County Staff,o School Board.

Key External Factors Affecting Long-Range Goal:

o County Maintenance Budgets.o Money for restoration work.

Education

Long-Range Goal:

o To inform and educate the visitors and local community of themilitary actions of the battle and its significance in theAmerican War for Independence and upon the localcommunity.

Five-Year Strategic Objective(s):

o Compile all historical data and artifacts available in one location forfuture use in the development of interpretative programs and theenhancement of the visitor experience.

o Develop an Interpretive Plan that describes how the story of thebattle, its combatants, and the community surrounding it should beinterpreted and identify the elements needed to accomplish thisobjective.

o Develop educational program partnerships with the North CarolinaCultural Resource Department and the National Park Service.

o Develop a coordinated program with the Cowan Ford Battlegroundand Cornwallis Camp site within Lincoln County.

Action Items:

o Secure a permanent location for all historical data and artifactsrelated to the battle.

o Verify and secure all primary source historical material.o Continue additional secondary source research.o Verify the Wallace Reinhardt Map.o Overlay information from the Reinhardt map and the Eckhart Map

over an existing conditions map/aerial to understand the battle intoday’s landscape.

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o Develop Points of Interest within the site using historical mappingoverlays for possible interpretation opportunities.

o Develop written and graphical information for the visitor to haveaccess to in the form of pamphlets, books, signage, and web site.

o Develop a Battle guides program that trains and educates localvolunteers to provide tours and lectures for the local public andvisitors to the park.

o Develop school programs with the local school staff members foruse by not only local schools but state and national as well.

o Create a public presentation program that can be presented atpublic meetings, events, on the website and in a future visitorcenter.

o Work with the National Park Service staff at Kings Mountain,Cowpens and Guilford County Court House Sites to educate andpromote visitors experience at their parks as well as the Ramsour’sMill site.

o Work with NC State Cultural Resources Department to educate andpromote visitors experience at Colonial Period historical Parksacross the state as well as the Ramsour’s Mill site.

o Develop an interactive diorama to enhance visitor experience andunderstanding of the battle.

o Construct an Interpretive trail for visitors to experience thebattlefield.

Key Partnerships and Stakeholders

o National Park Service,o Sons of the American Revolution,o Duke Energy,o Carolina Land and Lakes - RC&D,o Lincoln County Historical Coordinator.

Key External Factors Affecting Long-Range Goal:

o Lack of historical documentation of the battle itself due to thecommunity nature of the combatants – divided families andneighbor vs. neighbor. Since this was primarily a militia battle veryfew official army records exist.

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Communication

Long-Range Goal:

o To encourage and facilitate partnerships and awareness ofpreservation efforts to advance the historic preservationgoals.

Five-Year Strategic Objective(s):

o Inform and educate stakeholders, the public, andlocal/state/national governmental representatives about the aboutthe site program and promote the preservation of it.

o Implement effective communication and outreach programs thatshowcase the role of the LCHPC and other preservationpartnerships in achieving a successful preservation program.

o Publicize the site across the state to stimulate tourism.o Develop Partnership with Duke Power and other property owners to

interpret the Cowan Ford battleground and Cornwallis camphistorical sites.

o Demonstrate that battlefield preservation as part of a community’sheritage and physical character contribute to local economic vitality.

Action Items:o Develop a Communication Plan for how to communicate

preservation efforts.o Communicate the preservation program to the public and get by in

from them on its importance.o Communicate program changes when they occur.o Yearly progress updates to the Public.o Create a liaison position with the School board.o Create a liaison position on the LCHPC for a school board

representative.o “Mend old fences” – past relationships with stakeholders that may

need repairing to create a stronger partnership moving forward.o Establish and publicize regular programs throughout the year

celebrating the history of the site and successes of the program.o Publicize, strengthen and enhance the current annual living history

event.o Create Fund Raising events that not only raise money but also

allows for “ownership in the preservation process” by those whocontribute.

o Create a first class website that documents the history of the battle,and goals and objectives of the program and ongoing preservationactivities.

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o Publicly note those officials who participate in the process(Personal “thank you”).

o Distribute information about the site (i.e. Brochures) to other historicsites, rest stops and visitor centers around the state and NationalParks.

o Develop relationships with school systems (elementary to universitylevel) around the state and adjacent states to encourage field tripsto site.

Key Partnerships and Stakeholders

o City Staff,o County Staff,o Elected officials (city and county and state and national),o County School Board,o Key property owners (The Hines and Weaver families),o The Public,o The National Park Service (King’s Mountain),o The State Cultural Resource Department (other Colonial Historic

sites),o The NC travel and Tourism Board,o Schools systems and universities,o Duke Energy.

Key External Factors Affecting Long-Range Goal:

o Conflicting relationships within the community.o The lack of awareness of the site around the state and nationally.