Battle of Cloud's Creek

Front: On Nov. 17, 1781, a Revolutionary War battle took place ½ mi. E near a tributary of Cloud’s Creek known as Lick Creek. The night before, Capt. Sterling Turner’s force of around 20 Patriot militia encamped by the creek after a skirmish at Tarrar Springs (20 mi. E). At sunrise, Maj. William Cunningham and as many as 300 Loyalist soldiers approached the camp and demanded surrender. Reverse: Turner’s men took shelter at a nearby log cabin and attempted to parley with Cunningham. He refused quarter in retaliation for some of Turner’s men being involved in an earlier killing of a Loyalist. The hour-long battle ended when the Patriots had expended all ammunition. All but two or three of Turner’s men were killed in action or executed. One Loyalist was killed and three wounded.