t. The friends of
order had to do their work with rough weapons, and they used them most
efficiently. Under the stress of so dire an emergency as that they
confronted they were quite right in attending only to the spirit of law
and justice, and refusing to be hampered by the letter. They would have
discredited their own energy and hard common-sense had they acted
otherwise, and, moreover, would have inevitably failed to accomplish
their purpose.

In the summer of '78, when Indian hostilities almost entirely ceased,
most of the militia were disbanded, and, in consequence, the parties of
tories and horse-thieves sprang into renewed strength, and threatened to
overawe the courts and government officers. Immediately the leaders
among the whigs, the friends of order and liberty, gathered together and
organized a vigilance committee. The committee raised two companies of
mounted riflemen, who were to patrol the country and put to death all
suspicious characters who resisted them or who refused to give security
to appear before the committee in December. The proceedings of the
committee were thus perfectly open; the members had no idea of acting
secretly or against order. It was merely that in a time of general
confusion they consolidated themselves into a body which was a most
effective, though irregular, supporter of the cause of law. The mounted
riflemen scoured the country and broke up the gangs of evil-doers,
hanging six or seven of the leaders, while a number of the less
prominent were brought before the committee, who fined some and
condemned others to be whipped or branded. All of doubtful loyalty were
compelled to take the test oath. [Footnote: Haywood, p. 58. As
Haywood's narrative is based largely on what the pioneers in their old
age told him, his dates, and especially his accounts of the numbers and
losses of the Indians in their battles, are often very inaccurate. In
this very chapter he gives, with gross inaccuracy of detail, an account
of one of Sevier's campaigns as taking place in 1779, whereas it really
occurred after his return from King's Mountain. There is therefore need
to be cautious in using him.]

Such drastic measures soon brought about peace; but it was broken again
and again by similar risings and disturbances. By degrees most of the
worst characters fled to the Cherokees, or joined the British as their
forces approached the up-country. Until the battle of Kings Mountain,
the pioneers had to wat