Experience the American dream with today’s Patriot of the Past interview. I’m your host, John Gillespie.
It’s October 7, 1780. I’m with barefoot 16-year-old Patriot soldier Thomas Young at the Battle of Kings Mountain. Thomas is wooping and shouting and dashing with his fellow Patriots from tree to tree to dodge bullets.
JG: “Mr. Young … look out! Colonel Williams is shot!”
TY: “Oh no, Mr. Gillespie! I loved him as a father. He told us we must not give up this hill so the British don’t take over the rest of South Carolina and win the war!”
The Patriots did not give up Kings Mountain and gave hope to the Continental Army they could beat the British.
Read more about Thomas Young, the Battle of Kings Mountain, and the British southern strategy.
John and Jan Gillespie are the founders of the Rawhide Boys’ Ranch; they have fostered 351 teenagers and wrote the book Our 351 Sons; they have also assisted numerous churches in developing youth programs and expanding their total church ministries. After running for U.S. Senate, John founded 1776 American Dream, which exists to demonstrate the vision of our founding fathers and help our generation of youth passionately embrace those values.
