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The American Revolution touched on Philip Gentzler and his family. Initially, the outbreak of war between American colonies and the British government had very little impact on the back country of North Carolina. The Revolution, in fact, did not have universal support among the local Germans. Many of these immigrants had, upon their landing in America, given an oath of allegiance to the English King. They felt a sense of gratitude to the Crown, for allowing their immigration. The Germans had found thier local government officials, most of whom were English or Scotch-Irish, to be unconcerned with their needs and grievances. That these same officials were now the leaders of the Rebel faction, no doubt, caught many of these Dutchman wrong. By and large, most Germans just wanted to be left out of the war, as most felt it was not thier struggle. There were, however, may significant exceptions, and Germans served as Tories and as Whigs in the bitter fighting that took place near Philip Gentzler's farm.
In January 1779, the local government officials changed the name of their county from Tyron to Lincoln County, in honor of the patriot General Benjamin Lincoln. In May 1780, the British captured the large American garrison at Charleston, South Carolina. The Revolutionary War had now moved to the southern colonies. A large veteran British army under the capable leadership of General Lord Charles Cornwallis was landed in Charleston, and Cornwallis began a slow march northward. Spured by British recruiters, local Tories began to gather at the mill of Derrick Ramsour. Philip Gentzler's farm was only one mile south of Ramsour's Mill. By late June, some 1,100 Tories had been dispersed by the better organized Whig militias. Philip Gentzler was 39 at the time, and there is no evidence that he participated in the Battle of Ramsour's Mill. His friend and neighobr was Adam Reep, a noted Whig scout, who led the Whig forces to the Tory camp, suggested the plan of attack, and fought in the battle. If Philip was not on the battlefield, he cold certainly hear the struggle from his farm. The wounded problably sought his barn out as a place of refuge.
in October of 1780, an even larger battle was fought between Whig and Tory partisans twelve miles to the south of Philip's home. The Battle of King's Mountain was another significant American victory and deprived the approaching Cornwallis of local suppor for his tired army. Critical to the victory at King's Mountain was the courageous actions of the "South Fork Boy," a company of Lincoln County men. In January 1781, General Daniel Morgan annihilated the lift wing of Cornwallis's army under Colonel Banastre Tarleton at Cowpens, South Carolina. Morgan retreated northward with Cornwallis's 4,000 troops in pursuit. Wth the Americans having alread crossed the Catawba River, the British, stopped at Ramsour's Mill, the site of the earier battle. It was now winter, 25 January 1781, Cornwallis wrote in his journal, "I therefore assembled the army on the 25th at Ramsour's mill on the sout fork of the Catawba, and as the loss of my light troops could only be remedied by the activity of the whole corps, I employed a halt of two days in collection some flour, and destroying superfluous baggage, and all my wagons except those loaded for sick and wounded." The army camped on both sides of the South Fork with Tarleton camped to the south, on or near the Gentzler farm. Foraging parties were sent in all directions to collect grain, and Ramsour's Mill was kept running day and night to turn the grain into flour. The Hessian troops, under the command of the British, enjoyed fraternizing with the local Germans, to the point that some of these mercenaries deserted their employer. By destroying his baggage in a dramatic night time bonfire, Cornwallis was sending a clear signal to his army that only hard fighting and marching lay ahead. On the morning of the 28th, the British broke camp and marched east 12 miles across Lincoln County towards Beattie's Ford. The Americans contest the fords on the Catawba, and it was the first of February before the British crashed across the Catawba at Cowen's Ford, and finaly left lincoln County. Cornwallis would fight a bloody draw at Gulford Courthouse, North Carolina in March. His heavy losses forced him to retreat to the coast, and thereby, effectivel abandon the Carolinas. By October, his army was bottled up at Yorktown, Virginia. unable to escape by sea, Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington's French and American army. Peace was at hand.
In January 1779, the local government officials changed the name of their county from Tyron to Lincoln County, in honor of the patriot General Benjamin Lincoln. In May 1780, the British captured the large American garrison at Charleston, South Carolina. The Revolutionary War had now moved to the southern colonies. A large veteran British army under the capable leadership of General Lord Charles Cornwallis was landed in Charleston, and Cornwallis began a slow march northward. Spured by British recruiters, local Tories began to gather at the mill of Derrick Ramsour. Philip Gentzler's farm was only one mile south of Ramsour's Mill. By late June, some 1,100 Tories had been dispersed by the better organized Whig militias. Philip Gentzler was 39 at the time, and there is no evidence that he participated in the Battle of Ramsour's Mill. His friend and neighobr was Adam Reep, a noted Whig scout, who led the Whig forces to the Tory camp, suggested the plan of attack, and fought in the battle. If Philip was not on the battlefield, he cold certainly hear the struggle from his farm. The wounded problably sought his barn out as a place of refuge.
in October of 1780, an even larger battle was fought between Whig and Tory partisans twelve miles to the south of Philip's home. The Battle of King's Mountain was another significant American victory and deprived the approaching Cornwallis of local suppor for his tired army. Critical to the victory at King's Mountain was the courageous actions of the "South Fork Boy," a company of Lincoln County men. In January 1781, General Daniel Morgan annihilated the lift wing of Cornwallis's army under Colonel Banastre Tarleton at Cowpens, South Carolina. Morgan retreated northward with Cornwallis's 4,000 troops in pursuit. Wth the Americans having alread crossed the Catawba River, the British, stopped at Ramsour's Mill, the site of the earier battle. It was now winter, 25 January 1781, Cornwallis wrote in his journal, "I therefore assembled the army on the 25th at Ramsour's mill on the sout fork of the Catawba, and as the loss of my light troops could only be remedied by the activity of the whole corps, I employed a halt of two days in collection some flour, and destroying superfluous baggage, and all my wagons except those loaded for sick and wounded." The army camped on both sides of the South Fork with Tarleton camped to the south, on or near the Gentzler farm. Foraging parties were sent in all directions to collect grain, and Ramsour's Mill was kept running day and night to turn the grain into flour. The Hessian troops, under the command of the British, enjoyed fraternizing with the local Germans, to the point that some of these mercenaries deserted their employer. By destroying his baggage in a dramatic night time bonfire, Cornwallis was sending a clear signal to his army that only hard fighting and marching lay ahead. On the morning of the 28th, the British broke camp and marched east 12 miles across Lincoln County towards Beattie's Ford. The Americans contest the fords on the Catawba, and it was the first of February before the British crashed across the Catawba at Cowen's Ford, and finaly left lincoln County. Cornwallis would fight a bloody draw at Gulford Courthouse, North Carolina in March. His heavy losses forced him to retreat to the coast, and thereby, effectivel abandon the Carolinas. By October, his army was bottled up at Yorktown, Virginia. unable to escape by sea, Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington's French and American army. Peace was at hand.
