Colonel Charles McDowells, Evan's father, returned answer that he, with an hundred and sixty from the counties of Burke and Rutherford, would join the force, and Colonel Cleaveland answered for three hundred and fifty from the counties of Wilkes and Surry; but agreed to join force with the other Americans somewhere on the Catawba River.
Colonel James Williams urged that the force march to the Cowpens, on Broad River in South Carolina, where he would add four hundred trained soldiers to the command.
It was not until the morning of the 25th of September that Nathan and Evan completed their work of repeating Major Ferguson's message and summoning the mountain men to the rendezvous.
Then they were free, so far as the British officer could have any claim upon them, and believed themselves entitled to a place in the ranks by virtue of what they had done for the cause.
Many miles had been traversed, some on horseback, many in boats, and not a few afoot. They were received everywhere with the utmost hospitality, and perhaps never were two lads shown more respect than they, because of the fact that they were doing, and had done, the work of men, although only boys.
They were justly proud on the day of their arrival at Watuga, to be received by these sturdy patriots like equals, and to be besieged on every side with questions as to the general feeling among the people of the districts which they had visited.
Evan's father gave them a place in his troop, and when some of the men insisted that the boys should be allowed to play the part of officers because of the particular and difficult work they had performed, Colonel McDowells replied:
"If it is the purpose of the lads to serve their country, they can best do so with muskets in their hands, but if they simply desire to parade themselves before the people in fine feathers, the Carolinas is no place for them. They had better go where they can have better fare and more opportunity for admiration."
It troubled the boys but little that, after having been intrusted with important business, they were to have no more responsible part than that of private soldiers, for they knew full well that neither was fitted for a command, and it sufficed that the privilege was given them to serve the cause in howsoever humble capacity.
They were in the ranks on that 26th day of September when the little force went out from Watuga down the Catawba River, and by the 5th of October, when the patriots had arrived at the Cowpens where Colonel Williams kept his word by marching up with twenty men more than he had promised, it was said among the men as well as the officers that there were no more promising soldiers in the force than these two lads whose first experience in military matters had been gained as prisoners.