Abstract:
Colonel William Graham, Cleveland County delegate to the Third and Fifth Provincial Congresses in 1775 and 1776, ran afoul of public opinion during his tenure as Commander of the South Fork militia during the Battle of King's Mountain in 1780. After leaving the area with permission to attend to his ailing wife, his successor in command, Major Chronicle, as well as eight of Graham's men, was killed in the battle. Additionally, Chronicle's replacement, Lt. Col. Frederick Hambright and eight enlisted men were seriously wounded. Graham emerged unscathed physically but was branded by some as a cowardly deserter, despite conflicting reports that he participated vigorously in the battle.