GREENEVILLE – Community members can learn more about a pivotal moment in the Revolutionary War and the part one of Tusculum University’s founders played during an upcoming presentation on campus.
Tim Massey
Tim Massey, Greene County’s historian, will present “The South: Where the Tide of the American Revolution Turned” Thursday, Sept. 3, at 7 p.m. in Chalmers Conference Center, located inside the Scott M. Niswonger Commons. Subject matter will include the Battle of Kings Mountain, the Overmountain Men and the sermon and prayer delivered by the Rev. Samuel Doak during the group’s muster.
This free presentation is one of the many events the university is holding during the fall semester as part of its America 250/Tusculum 232 celebration. The collection of events is in honor of the 250th birthday of the United States and the 232nd anniversary of the charter signing for the university. Tusculum will celebrate its anniversary on the day of Massey’s talk with activities for students, faculty and staff and the community.
“The story of the Battle of Kings Mountain and the sensational fighting performed by the Overmountain Men are sources of tremendous pride for this region,” said the Rev. E.J. Swatsell, chair of the America 250/Tusculum 232 Committee and Tusculum’s director of spiritual life and special projects. “This piece of history in our backyard is fascinating, and Tim will bring it to life with great insight for everyone who attends.”
Massey will speak as an authority on all elements of the Battle of Kings Mountain, the Overmountain Men and Doak’s speech. He serves as president of the Descendants of the Battle of Kings Mountain and East Tennessee vice president of the Sons of the Revolution.
For 30 years, he has participated in the Overmountain Victory Trail Association’s annual march to Kings Mountain, including as a storyteller. He spent nine years on the OVTA board of directors and has served as state president of the Sons of the Revolution.
The Battle of Kings Mountain in South Carolina was fought Oct. 7, 1780, and the outcome was the first major victory by colonists after the British invasion of Charleston, South Carolina five months earlier. Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence and third president of the United States, called this battle “the turn of the tide of success.”
Sycamore Shoals, in what today is Elizabethton, served as the place where the Overmountain Men mustered for the Battle of Kings Mountain. The Overmountain Men were residents of the Carolina Backcountry and the Appalachian Mountain range.
Harry “Light Horse” Lee, an American calvary commander, called them “a race of hardy men who were familiar with the use of the horse and the rifle, stout, active, patient under privation and brave,” according to the American Battlefield Trust.
Doak, who later co-founded Tusculum Academy, a predecessor name for what is now Tusculum University, led the Overmountain Men in a religious service on Sept. 26, 1780, at the Sycamore Shoals muster. He delivered a sermon and a prayer.
The sermon highlights familiar parts of the Revolutionary War story about the British taking away the colonies’ liberty, taxation without representation and the quartering of soldiers in American homes.
“Go forth then in the strength of your manhood to the aid of your brethren, the defense of your liberty and the protection of your homes,” the sermon concluded. “And may the God of justice be with you and give you victory.”
Doak then gave a prayer that ended, “O, God of battle, arise in Thy might. Avenge the slaughter of Thy people. Confound those who plot for our destruction. Crown this mighty effort with victory and smite those who exalt themselves against liberty and justice and truth. Help us as good soldiers to wield the SWORD OF THE LORD AND GIDEON.”
The full text of the sermon and prayer is available at https://bit.ly/3UnpEnf.
Massey, a columnist for The Greeneville Sun, has written extensively about John Hunt Morgan, Davy Crockett, President Andrew Johnson and other noteworthy individuals. He has received six Carmack Awards for Civil War journalism, the Sons of the American Revolution’s highest journalism honor and two Tennessee State Press Awards. In 2024, the Tennessee State Senate passed a joint resolution honoring Massey’s work in the community and in historical circles across Tennessee and the nation.
“We are delighted Tim is joining us and thank him for sharing his extensive knowledge about these Revolutionary War subjects,” Swatsell said. “As we conduct our America 250/Tusculum 232 celebration, we have lined up many quality events. Tim’s presentation is a prime example.”
An hour before Massey’s talk, Tusculum will have its charter on display in the living room on the main floor of the Niswonger Commons. There will be informal question-and-answer session with Dr. Peter Noll, professor of public history and museum studies at Tusculum, and a rolling video presentation of historical photos with content about the university.
Massey’s presentation is free, but Tusculum welcomes donations to offset the costs of America 250/Tusculum 232 events. Donations can be made at www.tusculum.edu/giving. More information about the university is available at www.tusculum.edu.