On October 7, 1780, brother met brother, neighbor met neighbor, Patriot met Loyalist on a battlefield in rural South Carolina. The battle lasted an hour: the brevity belied the import. Thomas Jefferson proclaimed the Battle of King's Mountain turned "the tide of success which terminated the Revolutionary War, with the seal of our independence."
Fewer than one thousand American Heroes, through skill, luck, and the leadership of cunning strategists, defeated Patrick Ferguson, a brilliant star of the British military might. William Lewis Benge, his brother, Obediah, and his first cousin, Davied Benge, were three of the Heroes who fought in the Battle of King's Mountain. William Benge was killed in the battle.
Obediah Benge documented their participation in the Battle of King's Mountain when he submitted an Application for Revolutionary War Pension. Will Graves transcribed the application, R743. The salient excerpt from the application read:
"This transfer was made on account of this declarant's having an older brother in the company to which he was transferred. Here his Colonel was Benjamin Cleveland, we were then marched to Kings
Mountain, which this Declarant thinks is in South Carolina, and on their approach to Kings
Mountain they were joined by other troops under Colonel Shelby and Colonel Campbell, and in
October or November, he under Colonel Cleveland, went into the Battle of Kings Mountain. He
was in the front rank, marched up a Hollow towards the enemy and the Battle began, and when
this Declarant had his gun to his face for the 3rd or 4th fire, he received a wound in his right arm
which entered near the body on the inside and near the body, the ball ranged back under his
shoulder blade where it yet remains, and from which he is to a great extent has ever since been a
cripple, after the Battle was over and on the following day, his said brother being killed in the
same, this Declarant was taken to the house of a distant relative about four miles distant from the
Battleground where he remained about 3 months."
•David Benge, DAR Ancestor Number A009075 [first cousin]
•Obediah Martin Benge [brother]
•William Benge [Patriot]
•Lt. James Lewis (w) DAR Ancestor Number A069994 [uncle]
•Joel Lewis (w) DAR Ancestor Number A070000 [uncle]
•Major Micajah Lewis DAR Ancestor Number A070184 {uncle]
William Benge and Obediah Benge were the sons of John Benge and Elizabeth Lewis. Elizabeth Lewis was the daughter of William Terrell Lewis, DAR Ancestor Number A070183, and Sarah Martin hence, the connection to the members of the Lewis family listed. The Obediah Martin Benge on the Roster was William's brother and the David Benge, his first cousin. David Benge was the son of Thomas Benge and Susannah Lewis. Thomas and John were brothers and Elizabeth and Susannah Lewis were sisters.
After the death of Elizabeth Lewis Benge, John Benge married Elizabeth Wut Teh Watts, a Cherokee woman who had been married to Nathaniel Gist and bore Gist a son, George Sequoyah Gist. Sequoyah devised a Cherokee syllabary, making reading and writing in Cherokee possible. Wikipedia states, "This was the only time in recorded history that a member of a Pre-literate people independently created an effective writing system.[1][4] After seeing its worth, the people of the Cherokee Nation rapidly began to use his syllabary and officially adopted it in 1825. Their literacy rate quickly surpassed that of surrounding European-American settlers.[1]"
The union of John Benge and Elizabeth Wut Teh Watts produced children. Robert Benge was a son from this union, thus a half brother to William (same fathers, different mothers). The following is NOT my work NOR my research: it comes from a contributor to ancestry.com:
"If you don't watch out, Captain Benge will get you" Chronology of Robert Benge, aka Chief Bench Copyrighted by Don Chesnut, 1997 Robert Benge was born circa 1760 probably in the Cherokee village Toquo to John Benge and Wurteh, a Cherokee. Robert grew up to be the most notorious Cherokee in history. He was so feared in the central Appalachian areas of present-day Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee, that the settlers admonished their children by saying, "if you don't watch out, Captain Benge will get you."
Toquo was a Cherokee village on the Little Tennessee River in present-day southeastern Tennessee. Robert grew up as a Cherokee, but with his red hair, European look, and his good command of English, he could also pass as a pure Euro-American. He used this double identity to good effect in his raids against the settlers. He was known as Captain Benge, Chief Benge, Chief Bench, or just The Bench. If he had a Cherokee name, it is not known. Robert's father was John Benge, an Indian trader who lived among the Cherokee, and his mother was Wurteh who was part of an influential Cherokee family. [Robert's pedigree can be found in the genealogy database, "Our Ancestors."] John was previously married to Elizabeth Lewis, daughter of William Terrell Lewis and Sarah Martin, a prominent family originally from Virginia. Elizabeth's sister, Susannah Lewis married John's brother, Thomas Benge.
John and Elizabeth had several children at their home in western North Carolina. These were William Lewis, Sarah, and Obadiah Martin. Apparently, John was also living with Wurteh at his home with the Cherokee (probably Toquo) and had several children born there. These were Robert, Utana "the Tail," Lucy, and Tashliske. After Elizabeth and the Lewis family found out about John's Cherokee family, their marriage was dissolved and Elizabeth latter remarried John Fielder and had other children. Wurteh also had a child from a man whose last name was Gist or Guess and their child became known to history as Sequoyah. Robert and Sequoyah were half brothers.
The following is a chronology of events that may help us put together something about the life of Robert Benge. If you have any additional information, please let me know. Date unknown, circa 1777: John Benge, Wurteh, and their family moved with Dragging Canoe to the south near the southern border of Tennessee [from Evans, 1976]. Date unknown, after 1777: Robert Benge lived at Running Water Town in Tennessee next to the northwestern border of Georgia. Here he was befriended by the Shawnee Chiksika, an older brother of Tecumseh. A small group of Ohio Shawnee were there to assist Dragging Canoe in his efforts against the whites. Robert and several Cherokee joined the Shawnee in their attacks against white settlements especially in the upper Holston River area of northeastern Tennessee and southwestern Virginia. Robert was thought to be Shawnee by some because of his association with this band. His skills in these raids elevated his rank among certain of the Cherokee and Shawnee [from Evans, 1976].
June 29, 1785: The cabin of Archibald Scott and Fannie Dickenson Scott (of Castle's Woods) on Wallen Creek in present-day Lee County, Virginia was attacked by thirteen Indians coming from Wallen Ridge. At nighttime the Indians broke down the door and shot Archibald who died. The Indians then tomahawked and scalped all four of the children. They carried Mrs. Scott outside, packed their booty and then burned the house. At this time she heard the name Benge spoken several times by some of the Indians. A white man with the Indians told her that he was Hargus [what is his last name?] and had taken up with the Indians (he had committed a crime and joined the Indians to escape punishment). During the night they headed north, crossed Wallen Ridge, and headed up the Powell River valley. By daybreak they entered Big Stone Gap and went up a tributary to the north flowing from Black Mountain near the present-day Kentucky-Virginia line. On the northern side of Black Mountain in present-day Kentucky, the chief divided the booty equally and sent a party of nine to head for the Clinch River settlements in order to steal horses. The other four traveled northward.
On the eleventh day of the attack, the four Indians stopped at their rendevous to wait for the other nine. Three went hunting leaving Mrs. Scott with the oldest of the group. She escaped from the lone Indian and traveled through the rugged wilderness for many days traveling along the Big Sandy River, through the gorge at Pine Mountain and finally, on August 11, 1785 she broke through the wilderness at New Garden in the upper part of the Clinch River. [from Addington, 1966, p. 88-96; sources were: Virginia State Papers, vol. IV, p. 40; Freeman's journal, Philadelphia [Dec. 15, 1785]; and Journal of Francis Asbury] [It is unknown whether Robert Benge was a member of this Indian party.]
1788: John Sevier led a group of whites to attack Cherokee towns. Robert saved many of the Cherokee of Ustalli (Ustally) Town by evacuating them before and during the attack. Ustalli was located in southwestern North Carolina on the Hiwassee River very close to present-day Tennessee. Five of the Cherokee rearguard were killed while trying to bide time for the evacuees, and the white militia captured one young boy. John Sevier and his men burned the town and attempted to run down the evacuees. Benge set up an ambush at the mouth of Valley River which delayed the attackers and allowed the Cherokee to reach safety. However, at this point, the little boy who had been captured was "brutally murdered" by Thomas Christian who was quoted assaying "Nits make lice."
Sevier and his men went to the Cherokee village of Coota-cloochee and started to burn down about a hundred acres of corn. However, the Cherokee John Watts, with four hundred Cherokee warriors arrived, forcing a retreat of Sevier's men [from Evans, 1976].
William Benge, the Hero, made the ultimate sacrifice so that others could go forward and build the greatest country in the world. His contribution to American history deserved to be recognized and recorded for posterity. May this memorial serve as an expression of the gratitude and respect we owe William Benge and his family members for braving the unknown to help pave the path to the freedom and liberty we share and experience in our America.
From the Virginia, Biographical Encyclopedia:
"The British had 1,103 men under Ferguson, and the Americans 923, mostly Scotch-Irish Presbyterians. The ground of the battle is 600 yards long, 250 wide at base, 60 to 120 wide on top, and 60 feet above the country level. The English held the eminence. The Americans were in two columns, two men deep on the right of the mountain, under Campbell and Servier, and two on the left under Cleveland and Shelby. Cleveland made a ringing appeal, and the attack was begun with yells. The battle raged all around the mountain; Cleveland's horse was disabled, but he fought on foot until remounted. Several times the Americans were forced down the ascent, only to rally and gamely retrace their steps. Ferguson tried to break through but fell with eight wounds. The British finally surrendered, having lost 157 killed, 153 wounded and 706 prisoners, and over 1,200 arms. The Americans had 28 killed and 62 wounded. It was a complete victory and crushed the English cause in the South. It withdrew the Carolinas from Tory domination, and was the forerunner of Cowpens, Guilford, Eutaw, Yorktown and Independence."
On October 7, 1780, brother met brother, neighbor met neighbor, Patriot met Loyalist on a battlefield in rural South Carolina. The battle lasted an hour: the brevity belied the import. Thomas Jefferson proclaimed the Battle of King's Mountain turned "the tide of success which terminated the Revolutionary War, with the seal of our independence."
Fewer than one thousand American Heroes, through skill, luck, and the leadership of cunning strategists, defeated Patrick Ferguson, a brilliant star of the British military might. William Lewis Benge, his brother, Obediah, and his first cousin, Davied Benge, were three of the Heroes who fought in the Battle of King's Mountain. William Benge was killed in the battle.
Obediah Benge documented their participation in the Battle of King's Mountain when he submitted an Application for Revolutionary War Pension. Will Graves transcribed the application, R743. The salient excerpt from the application read:
"This transfer was made on account of this declarant's having an older brother in the company to which he was transferred. Here his Colonel was Benjamin Cleveland, we were then marched to Kings
Mountain, which this Declarant thinks is in South Carolina, and on their approach to Kings
Mountain they were joined by other troops under Colonel Shelby and Colonel Campbell, and in
October or November, he under Colonel Cleveland, went into the Battle of Kings Mountain. He
was in the front rank, marched up a Hollow towards the enemy and the Battle began, and when
this Declarant had his gun to his face for the 3rd or 4th fire, he received a wound in his right arm
which entered near the body on the inside and near the body, the ball ranged back under his
shoulder blade where it yet remains, and from which he is to a great extent has ever since been a
cripple, after the Battle was over and on the following day, his said brother being killed in the
same, this Declarant was taken to the house of a distant relative about four miles distant from the
Battleground where he remained about 3 months."
•David Benge, DAR Ancestor Number A009075 [first cousin]
•Obediah Martin Benge [brother]
•William Benge [Patriot]
•Lt. James Lewis (w) DAR Ancestor Number A069994 [uncle]
•Joel Lewis (w) DAR Ancestor Number A070000 [uncle]
•Major Micajah Lewis DAR Ancestor Number A070184 {uncle]
William Benge and Obediah Benge were the sons of John Benge and Elizabeth Lewis. Elizabeth Lewis was the daughter of William Terrell Lewis, DAR Ancestor Number A070183, and Sarah Martin hence, the connection to the members of the Lewis family listed. The Obediah Martin Benge on the Roster was William's brother and the David Benge, his first cousin. David Benge was the son of Thomas Benge and Susannah Lewis. Thomas and John were brothers and Elizabeth and Susannah Lewis were sisters.
After the death of Elizabeth Lewis Benge, John Benge married Elizabeth Wut Teh Watts, a Cherokee woman who had been married to Nathaniel Gist and bore Gist a son, George Sequoyah Gist. Sequoyah devised a Cherokee syllabary, making reading and writing in Cherokee possible. Wikipedia states, "This was the only time in recorded history that a member of a Pre-literate people independently created an effective writing system.[1][4] After seeing its worth, the people of the Cherokee Nation rapidly began to use his syllabary and officially adopted it in 1825. Their literacy rate quickly surpassed that of surrounding European-American settlers.[1]"
The union of John Benge and Elizabeth Wut Teh Watts produced children. Robert Benge was a son from this union, thus a half brother to William (same fathers, different mothers). The following is NOT my work NOR my research: it comes from a contributor to ancestry.com:
"If you don't watch out, Captain Benge will get you" Chronology of Robert Benge, aka Chief Bench Copyrighted by Don Chesnut, 1997 Robert Benge was born circa 1760 probably in the Cherokee village Toquo to John Benge and Wurteh, a Cherokee. Robert grew up to be the most notorious Cherokee in history. He was so feared in the central Appalachian areas of present-day Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee, that the settlers admonished their children by saying, "if you don't watch out, Captain Benge will get you."
Toquo was a Cherokee village on the Little Tennessee River in present-day southeastern Tennessee. Robert grew up as a Cherokee, but with his red hair, European look, and his good command of English, he could also pass as a pure Euro-American. He used this double identity to good effect in his raids against the settlers. He was known as Captain Benge, Chief Benge, Chief Bench, or just The Bench. If he had a Cherokee name, it is not known. Robert's father was John Benge, an Indian trader who lived among the Cherokee, and his mother was Wurteh who was part of an influential Cherokee family. [Robert's pedigree can be found in the genealogy database, "Our Ancestors."] John was previously married to Elizabeth Lewis, daughter of William Terrell Lewis and Sarah Martin, a prominent family originally from Virginia. Elizabeth's sister, Susannah Lewis married John's brother, Thomas Benge.
John and Elizabeth had several children at their home in western North Carolina. These were William Lewis, Sarah, and Obadiah Martin. Apparently, John was also living with Wurteh at his home with the Cherokee (probably Toquo) and had several children born there. These were Robert, Utana "the Tail," Lucy, and Tashliske. After Elizabeth and the Lewis family found out about John's Cherokee family, their marriage was dissolved and Elizabeth latter remarried John Fielder and had other children. Wurteh also had a child from a man whose last name was Gist or Guess and their child became known to history as Sequoyah. Robert and Sequoyah were half brothers.
The following is a chronology of events that may help us put together something about the life of Robert Benge. If you have any additional information, please let me know. Date unknown, circa 1777: John Benge, Wurteh, and their family moved with Dragging Canoe to the south near the southern border of Tennessee [from Evans, 1976]. Date unknown, after 1777: Robert Benge lived at Running Water Town in Tennessee next to the northwestern border of Georgia. Here he was befriended by the Shawnee Chiksika, an older brother of Tecumseh. A small group of Ohio Shawnee were there to assist Dragging Canoe in his efforts against the whites. Robert and several Cherokee joined the Shawnee in their attacks against white settlements especially in the upper Holston River area of northeastern Tennessee and southwestern Virginia. Robert was thought to be Shawnee by some because of his association with this band. His skills in these raids elevated his rank among certain of the Cherokee and Shawnee [from Evans, 1976].
June 29, 1785: The cabin of Archibald Scott and Fannie Dickenson Scott (of Castle's Woods) on Wallen Creek in present-day Lee County, Virginia was attacked by thirteen Indians coming from Wallen Ridge. At nighttime the Indians broke down the door and shot Archibald who died. The Indians then tomahawked and scalped all four of the children. They carried Mrs. Scott outside, packed their booty and then burned the house. At this time she heard the name Benge spoken several times by some of the Indians. A white man with the Indians told her that he was Hargus [what is his last name?] and had taken up with the Indians (he had committed a crime and joined the Indians to escape punishment). During the night they headed north, crossed Wallen Ridge, and headed up the Powell River valley. By daybreak they entered Big Stone Gap and went up a tributary to the north flowing from Black Mountain near the present-day Kentucky-Virginia line. On the northern side of Black Mountain in present-day Kentucky, the chief divided the booty equally and sent a party of nine to head for the Clinch River settlements in order to steal horses. The other four traveled northward.
On the eleventh day of the attack, the four Indians stopped at their rendevous to wait for the other nine. Three went hunting leaving Mrs. Scott with the oldest of the group. She escaped from the lone Indian and traveled through the rugged wilderness for many days traveling along the Big Sandy River, through the gorge at Pine Mountain and finally, on August 11, 1785 she broke through the wilderness at New Garden in the upper part of the Clinch River. [from Addington, 1966, p. 88-96; sources were: Virginia State Papers, vol. IV, p. 40; Freeman's journal, Philadelphia [Dec. 15, 1785]; and Journal of Francis Asbury] [It is unknown whether Robert Benge was a member of this Indian party.]
1788: John Sevier led a group of whites to attack Cherokee towns. Robert saved many of the Cherokee of Ustalli (Ustally) Town by evacuating them before and during the attack. Ustalli was located in southwestern North Carolina on the Hiwassee River very close to present-day Tennessee. Five of the Cherokee rearguard were killed while trying to bide time for the evacuees, and the white militia captured one young boy. John Sevier and his men burned the town and attempted to run down the evacuees. Benge set up an ambush at the mouth of Valley River which delayed the attackers and allowed the Cherokee to reach safety. However, at this point, the little boy who had been captured was "brutally murdered" by Thomas Christian who was quoted assaying "Nits make lice."
Sevier and his men went to the Cherokee village of Coota-cloochee and started to burn down about a hundred acres of corn. However, the Cherokee John Watts, with four hundred Cherokee warriors arrived, forcing a retreat of Sevier's men [from Evans, 1976].
William Benge, the Hero, made the ultimate sacrifice so that others could go forward and build the greatest country in the world. His contribution to American history deserved to be recognized and recorded for posterity. May this memorial serve as an expression of the gratitude and respect we owe William Benge and his family members for braving the unknown to help pave the path to the freedom and liberty we share and experience in our America.
From the Virginia, Biographical Encyclopedia:
"The British had 1,103 men under Ferguson, and the Americans 923, mostly Scotch-Irish Presbyterians. The ground of the battle is 600 yards long, 250 wide at base, 60 to 120 wide on top, and 60 feet above the country level. The English held the eminence. The Americans were in two columns, two men deep on the right of the mountain, under Campbell and Servier, and two on the left under Cleveland and Shelby. Cleveland made a ringing appeal, and the attack was begun with yells. The battle raged all around the mountain; Cleveland's horse was disabled, but he fought on foot until remounted. Several times the Americans were forced down the ascent, only to rally and gamely retrace their steps. Ferguson tried to break through but fell with eight wounds. The British finally surrendered, having lost 157 killed, 153 wounded and 706 prisoners, and over 1,200 arms. The Americans had 28 killed and 62 wounded. It was a complete victory and crushed the English cause in the South. It withdrew the Carolinas from Tory domination, and was the forerunner of Cowpens, Guilford, Eutaw, Yorktown and Independence."
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