The contributions of the Revolutionary War soldiers of Western N.C. during the conflict of 1775-1782 were immense. The rolling hills of the Carolina Piedmont were as much a battleground as those of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Kings Mountain, Ramsour's Mill, Cowpens, the Indian Wars, and many other conflicts all helped to change the course of American history. Unfortunately, from a historical standpoint, very little written data is available concerning the contributions of the Western N.C. Militiamen. Many of the western counties, though their soldiers contributed greatly to the war effort, are historically "silent". This work is an effort to unravel and to present in a systematic way something about their lives and exploits. The initial two volume will be devoted to Burke County. Each soldier will be written up to his early life (as much as could be made available), his military experiences, his later life, including marriages, children, occupations, etc. Also included will be his land transactions and census locations. Where available, burial sites will be given as well as pension awards. Following completion of the Burke County editions, similar works will begin on the remaining Western North Carolina counties. Early research is now in progress for Wilkes, Surry, Rowan, Mecklenburg, Lincoln, and Rutherford counties.

Given in memory of Edward and Billie Madeley, 1999.