1.
American Revolutionary War
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From about 1765 the American Revolution had led to increasing philosophical and political differences between Great Britain and its American colonies. The war represented a culmination of these differences in armed conflict between Patriots and the authority which they increasingly resisted. This resistance became particularly widespread in the New England Colonies, especially in the Province of Massachusetts Bay. On December 16,1773, Massachusetts members of the Patriot group Sons of Liberty destroyed a shipment of tea in Boston Harbor in an event that became known as the Boston Tea Party. Named the Coercive Acts by Parliament, these became known as the Intolerable Acts in America. The Massachusetts colonists responded with the Suffolk Resolves, establishing a government that removed control of the province from the Crown outside of Boston. Twelve colonies formed a Continental Congress to coordinate their resistance, and established committees, British attempts to seize the munitions of Massachusetts colonists in April 1775 led to the first open combat between Crown forces and Massachusetts militia, the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Militia forces proceeded to besiege the British forces in Boston, forcing them to evacuate the city in March 1776, the Continental Congress appointed George Washington to take command of the militia. Concurrent to the Boston campaign, an American attempt to invade Quebec, on July 2,1776, the Continental Congress formally voted for independence, issuing its Declaration on July 4. Sir William Howe began a British counterattack, focussing on recapturing New York City, Howe outmaneuvered and defeated Washington, leaving American confidence at a low ebb. Washington captured a Hessian force at Trenton and drove the British out of New Jersey, in 1777 the British sent a new army under John Burgoyne to move south from Canada and to isolate the New England colonies. However, instead of assisting Burgoyne, Howe took his army on a campaign against the revolutionary capital of Philadelphia. Burgoyne outran his supplies, was surrounded and surrendered at Saratoga in October 1777, the British defeat in the Saratoga Campaign had drastic consequences. Giving up on the North, the British decided to salvage their former colonies in the South, British forces under Lieutenant-General Charles Cornwallis seized Georgia and South Carolina, capturing an American army at Charleston, South Carolina. British strategy depended upon an uprising of large numbers of armed Loyalists, in 1779 Spain joined the war as an ally of France under the Pacte de Famille, intending to capture Gibraltar and British colonies in the Caribbean. Britain declared war on the Dutch Republic in December 1780, in 1781, after the British and their allies had suffered two decisive defeats at Kings Mountain and Cowpens, Cornwallis retreated to Virginia, intending on evacuation. A decisive French naval victory in September deprived the British of an escape route, a joint Franco-American army led by Count Rochambeau and Washington, laid siege to the British forces at Yorktown. With no sign of relief and the situation untenable, Cornwallis surrendered in October 1781, Whigs in Britain had long opposed the pro-war Tory majority in Parliament, but the defeat at Yorktown gave the Whigs the upper hand
2.
Greensboro, North Carolina
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Greensboro is a city in the U. S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the county seat and largest city in Guilford County, as of the 2010 census, the city population was 269,666, and in 2015 the estimated population was 285,342. Three major interstate highways in the Piedmont region of central North Carolina were built to intersect at this city, in 1808, Greensborough was planned around a central courthouse square to succeed Guilford Court House as the county seat. In 2003, the previous Greensboro – Winston-Salem – High Point metropolitan statistical area was re-defined by the U. S. Office of Management and this region was separated into the Greensboro-High Point MSA and the Winston-Salem MSA. The 2010 population for the Greensboro-High Point MSA was 723,801, the combined statistical area of Greensboro–Winston-Salem–High Point, popularly referred to as the Piedmont Triad, had a population of 1,599,477. At the time of European encounter, the inhabitants of the area that became Greensboro were a Siouan-speaking people called the Saura, other indigenous cultures had occupied this area for thousands of years, typically settling along the waterways, as did the early settlers. Quaker migrants from Pennsylvania, by way of Maryland, arrived at Capefair in about 1750, the new settlers began organized religious services affiliated with the Cane Creek Friends Meeting in Snow Camp in 1751. Three years later,40 Quaker families were granted approval to establish New Garden Monthly Meeting, the settlement grew rapidly during the next three years, adding members from as far away as Nantucket in Massachusetts. It soon became the most important Quaker community in North Carolina and mother of several other Quaker meetings that were established in the state and west of the Appalachians. After the Revolutionary War, the city of Greensboro was named for Major General Nathanael Greene, although the Americans lost the battle, Greenes forces inflicted heavy casualties on the British Army of General Cornwallis. Following this battle, Cornwallis withdrew his troops to a British coastal base in Wilmington, Greensboro was established near the geographic center of Guilford County, on land that was an unbroken forest with thick undergrowth of huckleberry bushes, that bore a finely flavored fruit. Property for the village was purchased from the Saura for $98. Three north-south streets were laid out intersecting with three east-west streets, the courthouse was built at the center of the intersection of Elm and Market streets. By 1821, the town was home to 369 residents, stimulated by rail traffic and improved access to markets, the city grew substantially, soon becoming known as the Gate City due to its role as a transportation hub for the Piedmont. The railroads transported goods to and from the textile mills. Many of the manufacturers developed workers housing in mill villages near their facilities, Textile companies and related businesses continued into the 21st century, when most went bankrupt, reorganized, and/or merged with other companies as textile manufacturing jobs moved offshore. Greensboro is still a center of the textile industry, with the main offices of International Textile Group, Galey & Lord, Unifi. ITG Brands, maker of Kool, Winston and Salem brand cigarettes, is the third largest tobacco company in the United States and is headquartered in Greensboro, rail traffic continues to be important for the citys economy, as Greensboro is a major regional freight hub
3.
United States
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Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico. The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America, bordered by Canada to the east, the state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean. The U. S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean, the geography, climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse. At 3.8 million square miles and with over 324 million people, the United States is the worlds third- or fourth-largest country by area, third-largest by land area. It is one of the worlds most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago. European colonization began in the 16th century, the United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast. Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the following the Seven Years War led to the American Revolution. On July 4,1776, during the course of the American Revolutionary War, the war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain, representing the first successful war of independence against a European power. The current constitution was adopted in 1788, after the Articles of Confederation, the first ten amendments, collectively named the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties. During the second half of the 19th century, the American Civil War led to the end of slavery in the country. By the end of century, the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean. The Spanish–American War and World War I confirmed the status as a global military power. The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the sole superpower. The U. S. is a member of the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organization of American States. The United States is a developed country, with the worlds largest economy by nominal GDP. It ranks highly in several measures of performance, including average wage, human development, per capita GDP. While the U. S. economy is considered post-industrial, characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy, the United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally, and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations. In 1507, the German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller produced a map on which he named the lands of the Western Hemisphere America after the Italian explorer and cartographer Amerigo Vespucci
4.
Kingdom of Great Britain
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The Kingdom of Great Britain, officially Great Britain, was a sovereign state in western Europe from 1 May 1707 to 31 December 1800. It did not include Ireland, which remained a separate realm, the unitary state was governed by a single parliament and government that was based in Westminster. Also after the accession of George I to the throne of Great Britain in 1714, the early years of the unified kingdom were marked by Jacobite risings which ended in defeat for the Stuart cause at Culloden in 1746. On 1 January 1801, the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland were merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. In 1922, five-sixths of Ireland seceded from the United Kingdom, the name Britain descends from the Latin name for the island of Great Britain, Britannia or Brittānia, the land of the Britons via the Old French Bretaigne and Middle English Bretayne, Breteyne. The term Great Britain was first used officially in 1474, in the instrument drawing up the proposal for a marriage between Edward IV of Englands daughter Cecily and James III of Scotlands son James. The Treaty of Union and the subsequent Acts of Union state that England and Scotland were to be United into one Kingdom by the Name of Great Britain. However, both the Acts and the Treaty also refer numerous times to the United Kingdom and the longer form, other publications refer to the country as the United Kingdom after 1707 as well. The websites of the UK parliament, the Scottish Parliament, the BBC, additionally, the term United Kingdom was found in informal use during the 18th century to describe the state. The new state created in 1707 included the island of Great Britain, the kingdoms of England and Scotland, both in existence from the 9th century, were separate states until 1707. However, they had come into a union in 1603. Each of the three kingdoms maintained its own parliament and laws and this disposition changed dramatically when the Acts of Union 1707 came into force, with a single unified Crown of Great Britain and a single unified parliament. Ireland remained formally separate, with its own parliament, until the Acts of Union 1800, legislative power was vested in the Parliament of Great Britain, which replaced both the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland. In practice it was a continuation of the English parliament, sitting at the location in Westminster. Newly created peers in the Peerage of Great Britain were given the right to sit in the Lords. Despite the end of a parliament for Scotland, it retained its own laws. As a result of Poynings Law of 1495, the Parliament of Ireland was subordinate to the Parliament of England, the Act was repealed by the Repeal of Act for Securing Dependence of Ireland Act 1782. The same year, the Irish constitution of 1782 produced a period of legislative freedom, the 18th century saw England, and after 1707 Great Britain, rise to become the worlds dominant colonial power, with France its main rival on the imperial stage
5.
Nathanael Greene
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When the war began, Greene was a militia private, the lowest rank possible, he emerged from the war with a reputation as George Washingtons most gifted and dependable officer. Many places in the United States are named after him and he suffered financial difficulties in the post-war years and died in 1786. Greene was the son of Nathanael Greene, a Quaker farmer and smith, Nathanael was born on Forge Farm at Potowomut in the township of Warwick, Rhode Island on August 7,1742. His mother Mary Mott was his fathers second wife and his fathers sect discouraged literary accomplishments, so Greene educated himself with a special study of mathematics and law. The Rev. Ezra Stiles, later president of Yale University, was an influence in the young Nathanaels life. In 1770, Greene moved to Coventry, Rhode Island to take charge of the family-owned foundry and he sympathized strongly with the Whig or Patriot element among the colonists. In July 1774, he married Catharine Littlefield, also known as Caty or Kitty and they had six children who survived infancy. He was Quaker by birth, and struggled to reconcile the faiths commitment to pacifism throughout his military career and he continued to serve despite this, as did many other Quakers in the American Revolution. In August 1774, Greene helped organize a militia which was chartered as the Kentish Guards that October. His participation in the group was challenged because he had a pronounced limp, at this time, he began to acquire many expensive volumes on military tactics and began to teach himself the art of war. In December 1774, he was on an appointed by the assembly to revise the militia laws. His zeal in fighting the British and organizing the militia led to his expulsion from the pacifistic Quakers, on May 8,1775, he was promoted from private to major general of the Rhode Island Army of Observation formed in response to the Siege of Boston. He was appointed a brigadier of the Continental Army by the Continental Congress on June 22,1775, George Washington assigned Greene the command of the city of Boston after it was evacuated by the British in March 1776. Severe illness prevented him taking part in the Battle of Long Island. Greene was also a Rhode Island Freemason and bore a masonic jewel, Greene was prominent among those who advised a retreat from New York City. He also advocated the burning of the city so that the British might not use it and he justified this by asserting that the majority of property was owned by Loyalists. While Washington agreed with this, the proposal was rejected by Congress and he was placed in command of Fort Constitution on the New Jersey side of the Hudson River. On October 25,1776, he succeeded General Israel Putnam in command of Fort Washington, Greene ordered Colonel Magaw, who was in immediate command, to defend the place until he should hear from him again, and reinforced it to meet General Howes attack
6.
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis
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In the United States and the United Kingdom he is best remembered as one of the leading British generals in the American War of Independence. His surrender in 1781 to a combined American and French force at the Siege of Yorktown ended significant hostilities in North America, born into an aristocratic family and educated at Eton and Cambridge, Cornwallis joined the army in 1757, seeing action in the Seven Years War. Upon his fathers death in 1762 he became Earl Cornwallis and entered the House of Lords, from 1766 until 1805 he was Colonel of the 33rd Regiment of Foot. He next saw action in 1776 in the American War of Independence. Active in the forces of many campaigns, in 1780 he inflicted an embarrassing defeat on the American army at the Battle of Camden. He also commanded British forces in the March 1781 Pyrrhic victory at Guilford Court House, Cornwallis surrendered his army at Yorktown in October 1781 after an extended campaign through the Southern states, marked by disagreements between him and his superior, General Sir Henry Clinton. Despite this defeat, Cornwallis retained the confidence of successive British governments, knighted in 1786, he was in that year appointed to be Governor-General and commander-in-chief in India. From 1789 to 1792 he led British and Company forces in the Third Anglo-Mysore War to defeat the Mysorean ruler Tipu Sultan, returning to Britain in 1794, Cornwallis was given the post of Master-General of the Ordnance. Following his Irish service, Cornwallis was the chief British signatory to the 1802 Treaty of Amiens and was reappointed to India in 1805 and he died in India not long after his arrival. Cornwallis was born in Grosvenor Square in London, though his familys estates were in Kent and he was the eldest son of Charles Cornwallis, 5th Baron Cornwallis. His mother, Elizabeth, was the daughter of Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend and his uncle, Frederick, was Archbishop of Canterbury. Fredericks twin brother, Edward, was an officer, colonial governor. His brother William became an Admiral in the Royal Navy and his other brother, James, eventually inherited the earldom from Cornwalliss son, Charles. The family was established at Brome Hall, near Eye, Suffolk, in the 14th century, Frederick Cornwallis, created a Baronet in 1627, fought for King Charles I, and followed King Charles II into exile. He was made Baron Cornwallis, of Eye in the County of Suffolk, in 1661, Cornwallis was educated at Eton College and Clare College, Cambridge. While at Eton, he received an injury to his eye by an accidental blow while playing hockey, from Shute Barrington and he obtained his first commission as Ensign in the 1st Foot Guards, on 8 December 1757. He then sought and gained permission to engage in studies abroad. After travelling on the continent with a Prussian officer, Captain de Roguin, upon completion of his studies in Turin in 1758, he traveled to Geneva, where he learned that British troops were to be sent to the Continent in the Seven Years War
7.
Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War
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The Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War was the central area of operations in North America in the second half of the American Revolutionary War. During the first three years of the conflict, the largest military encounters were in the north, focused on campaigns around the cities of Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. After the failure of the Saratoga campaign, the British largely abandoned operations in the Middle Colonies, General Nathanael Greene, who took over as Continental Army commander after Camden, engaged in a strategy of avoidance and attrition against the British. The two forces fought a string of battles, most of which were victories for the British. In almost all cases, however, the victories strategically weakened the British army by the high cost in casualties and this was best exemplified by the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. Several American victories, such as the Battle of Ramseurs Mill, the Battle of Cowpens, the culminating engagement, the Siege of Yorktown, ended with the British armys surrender. It essentially marked the end of British power in the Colonies, in most colonies British officials quickly departed as the Patriots took control. In Virginia, the governor resisted. In the Gunpowder Incident of April 20,1775, Lord Dunmore, Dunmore saw rising unrest in the colony and was trying to deprive Virginia militia of supplies needed for insurrection. Patriot militia led by Patrick Henry forced Dunmore to pay for the gunpowder, Dunmore continued to hunt for caches of military equipment and supplies in the following months, acts that were sometimes anticipated by Patriot militia, who would move supplies before his arrival. Dunmore issued a proclamation in November 1775, promising freedom to runaway slaves who fought for the British. After an incident at Kemps Landing in November where Dunmores troops killed and captured Patriot militiamen, Dunmore and his troops retreated to Royal Navy ships anchored off Norfolk, these naval forces bombarded and burned the town on January 1,1776. Patriot forces in the completed the destruction of the former Loyalist stronghold. Dunmore was driven from an island in Chesapeake Bay that summer, wright escaped captivity and reached the fleet. In the Battle of the Rice Boats in early March, the British successfully left Savannah with a number of merchant vessels containing the rice supplies. South Carolinas population was divided when the war began. The lowland communities, dominated by Charleston, were strongly Patriot in their views, by August 1775, both sides were recruiting militia companies. In September, Patriot militia seized Fort Johnson, Charlestons major defense works, Loyalists fled, either to East Florida or to the Cherokee lands
8.
Siege of Charleston
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The Siege of Charleston was a major engagement fought between March 29 to May 12,1780 during the American Revolutionary War. The British, following the collapse of their strategy and their withdrawal from Philadelphia. By late 1779, two major British strategic efforts had failed, meanwhile, a strategic effort led by Sir William Howe to capture the Revolutionary capital of Philadelphia had met with initial success. The British were persuaded that there was a strong Loyalist sentiment in the south, largely due to the extensive business and it was expected that these Loyalists would rise against the American Patriots in large numbers. The opening British move was the Capture of Savannah, Georgia in December 1778, Sir Henry Clinton evacuated Newport, Rhode Island on October 25,1779, and left the substantial garrison of New York City under the command of Wilhelm von Knyphausen. In December, he sailed southward with 8,500 troops to join Colonel Mark Prevost at Savannah, the joint British naval-army forces were led overall by Sir Henry Clinton, with his subordinate, Lord Cornwallis as his second-in-command. The British regular troops were led by Brigadier General Alexander Leslie, the ground and naval forces were composed thus, The Franco-American garrison of Charleston was overall led by Benjamin Lincoln. The Continental Army troops were led by Brigadier General William Moultrie The ground and naval forces were composed thus. Cutting the city off from relief, he began a siege of the city on April 1, the following day, the British begun to dig their siege works, approximately 800 yards from the American lines. During these first few days, the British troops were under an artillery fire from the Americans. By April 6, the British fleet had moved into the harbour, Benjamin Lincoln held a council of war, and was advised by de Laumoy to surrender, with the American situation becoming untenable. On April 21, a parlay was made between Clinton and Lincoln, with Lincoln offering to surrender, should he be granted the honours of war, Clinton refused the terms, and the siege resumed with a heavy artillery exchange. On April 23, Lord Cornwallis crossed the Cooper River, assuming command of the British forces blocking an escape by land. On April 29, the British advanced down the end of a strategically important canal that fronted Charlestons defences, intending to destroy the dam. The Americans harried the British efforts with stiff resistance, however, by May 6, most of the water had drained. On the same day, Fort Moultrie surrendered, on May 8, Clinton called for Lincolns unconditional surrender, but Lincoln again attempted to negotiate for the honours of war. On May 11, the British fired red-hot shot into the city, burning several homes, on May 12, Lincoln, with over 5,000 troops, surrendered to the British. When word reached the back-country, the American troops holding Ninety-Six, following the surrender, the captured ordnance was brought to a powder magazine
9.
Battle of Waxhaws
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Buford refused an initial demand to surrender, but when his men were attacked by Tarletons cavalry, many threw down their arms to surrender. However, the British commanding officer Tarleton was shot at during the truce, having his horse fall, Loyalists and British troops were outraged at the breaking of the truce in this manner and proceeded to fall on the rebels. While Tarleton was trapped under his horse, men continued killing the Continental soldiers. Little quarter was given to the patriots/rebels, of the 400 or so Continentals,113 were killed with sabers,150 so badly injured they could not be moved and 53 prisoners were taken by the British and Loyalists. Tarletons quarter, thereafter became an expression for refusing to take prisoners. In some subsequent battles in the Carolinas, few of the defeated were taken alive by either side and this Battle of Waxhaws became the subject of an intensive propaganda campaign by the Continental Army to bolster recruitment and incite resentment against the British. They believed they had more supporters in the South due to the business and trading relationships, and that they might concentrate power in the South. They began the campaign in December 1778 with the capture of Savannah, in 1780, General Sir Henry Clinton brought an army south and captured Charleston, South Carolina on May 12,1780, after a siege. Colonel Abraham Buford commanded a force of about 380 Virginian Continentals, most of his men were raw recruits with little battle experience, although Buford had experienced officers under his command. Due to delays in outfitting his command, Buford had been unable to reach Charleston to participate in its defense, Buford was eventually joined by about 40 Virginia Light Dragoons who had escaped the siege or during battles outside the city, and by Richard Caswells North Carolina militia. Receiving news of the surrender, Buford was ordered by General Isaac Huger to return to Hillsborough and he turned his column around and headed north. At Camden, Buford and Caswell parted ways, with Buford heading north into the Waxhaws region, Buford was accompanied for a time by South Carolina Governor John Rutledge, who had been actively recruiting militia in the backcountry. When Buford stopped to rest his troops at Waxhaw Creek, Rutledge rode ahead toward Charlotte, General Clinton learned of Hugers and Rutledges forces, and on May 15 ordered Lord Cornwallis to bring the South Carolina and Georgia backcountry under British control. His army moving too slowly to keep up with Buford, Cornwallis on May 27 sent Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton in pursuit with a force of about 270 men, Tarleton commanded the British Legion, a primarily Loyalist provincial regiment. The force he took in pursuit of Buford consisted of 170 Legion and British Army dragoons,100 mounted British Legion infantry, Tarleton reached Camden late on May 28, and set off in pursuit of Buford around midnight the next morning. Warned of Tarletons pursuit, Buford had begun moving north, and was 2 miles up the road, Tarleton sent Captain David Kinlock forward to the rebel column, carrying a white flag, to demand Bufords surrender. Upon his arrival, Buford halted his march and formed a line while the parley took place. Tarleton hugely exaggerated the size of his force in his message—claiming he had 700 men—hoping to sway Bufords decision
10.
Huck's Defeat
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Believing the Whigs had been crushed in South Carolina, Sir Henry Clinton abrogated the terms of surrender, which had allowed parolees to remain neutral for the remainder of the war. Under terms of the proclamation of June 3,1780, Patriots or Whigs were compelled to take an oath of loyalty to the king or be regarded as rebels. Clinton then departed for New York, leaving Lieutenant General Charles, a native of Germany, Huck was one of many Pennsylvania Loyalists whose property was confiscated after the British evacuated Philadelphia. He was then banished from the state and joined the British army at New York, Huck was a remarkably poor choice for this assignment because he held a great deal of bitterness toward the Whigs in general, and the Scotch-Irish Presbyterians in particular. John Simpson, a Whig leader and influential Presbyterian minister, a week later, Huck and his men invaded the New Acquisition District, and destroyed the ironworks of William Hill, another influential Whig. Residents who had wanted to be left alone had then joined the Patriots. Actions like these quickly earned Huck the nickname the swearing captain, after witnessing Hucks tirade, one resident, Daniel Collins, told his wife, I have come home determined to take my gun and when I lay it down, I lay down my life with it. Hucks style in the Catawba River Valley was to rough-up backcountry women, confiscate food and horses and this simply encouraged more men to join the rebels, who were organizing a militia brigade under Brigadier General Thomas Sumter. Shortly thereafter, one of Hucks soldiers put a hook to the neck of Col. Brattons wife, Martha. Hucks second-in-command, Lieutenant William Adamson of the New York Volunteers, Huck next arrested three elderly neighbors of the Brattons, including Col. Brattons older brother Robert, and told them they too would be executed the next day. The five prisoners were secured in a corncrib to await execution, with intelligence provided by John McClures younger sister, Mary, and a Bratton slave named Watt, the loosely organized Patriot forces swarmed after Huck. About 150 arrived in the vicinity of Williamsons plantation that night, after a brief reconnaissance and some discussion, they agreed to attack Huck from three directions simultaneously. Shortly after sunrise, at least two of the Patriot groups managed to attack simultaneously, the British and Loyalist troops were caught completely by surprise, many were still asleep. The partisans rested their rifles on a rail fence, from which they took unerring. Huck mounted a horse to rally his troops and was shot in the head by John Carroll, some of the Loyalists surrendered while others fled, hotly pursued by Whigs seeking vengeance. Tarleton later reported that only twenty-four men escaped, Patriot losses were one killed and one wounded, the five prisoners were also released from the corncrib unharmed. Although the numbers engaged were small, the importance of the skirmish was immediately clear, as South Carolina historian Walter Edgar has written, The entire backcountry seemed to take heart. Frontier militia had defeated soldiers of the feared British Legion, Volunteers streamed in to join the partisan militia brigade of General Thomas Sumter
11.
Battle of Hanging Rock
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The Battle of Hanging Rock was a battle in the American Revolutionary War that occurred between the American Patriots and the British. It was part of a campaign by militia General Thomas Sumter to harass or destroy British outposts in the South Carolina back-country that had established after the fall of Charleston in May 1780. The British, in control of both South Carolina and Georgia, established outposts in the interior of both states to recruit Loyalists and to suppress Patriot dissent. One of these outposts was established at Hanging Rock, in present-day Lancaster County south of Heath Springs and these forces were under the overall command of Major John Carden. Robert Irwins cavalry of Mecklenburg county, North Carolina, on August 1,1780, Sumter launched an attack on the British outpost at Rocky Mount, west of Hanging Rock on the Catawba River. As part of this attack Sumter detached Major Davie on an attack on Hanging Rock. Davie attacked a house, and captured 60 horses and a number of weapons. This, however, did not prevent the British from sending troops from Hanging Rock to reinforce the garrison there, after his assault on Rocky Mount failed, Sumter decided to make an attack on the weakened Hanging Rock outpost. Sumter decided on a plan of attack of assaulting the camp in three mounted detachments, the initial assault was made early in the morning where Winns and Davies men completely routed Bryans corps. Capt. McCullochs company of the British Legion, after presenting a volley, was routed by Sumters riflemen. The Prince of Wales Regt. also came under heavy fire, part of the Prince of Wales Regt then came up, and having cleverly deployed themselves in some woods, checked the rebel assault with a surprise crossfire. In the heat of the battle, Major Carden lost his nerve and this was a major turning point for the Americans. At one point, Capt. Rousselet of the Legion infantry led a charge, lack of ammunition made it impossible for Sumter to completely knock out the British. The battled raged for 3 hours without pause, causing men to faint from the heat. At the end, the British had lost 192 soldiers, the Americans lost 12 killed and 41 wounded, the battle site has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is managed by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the Day It Rained Militia, Hucks Defeat and the Revolution in the South Carolina Backcountry, May–July 1780. The Southern Strategy, Britains Conquest of South Carolina and Georgia, columbia, SC, University of South Carolina Press. Savas and Dameron, A Guide to the Battles of the American Revolutionary War
12.
Battle of Camden
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The Battle of Camden was a major victory for the British in the Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War. Following the battle, he never held a command again. His political connections, however, helped him avoid inquiries and courts martial into the debacle, clinton returned to New York in the summer of 1780, leaving Lord Cornwallis the task of fortifying the South and raising the anticipated large numbers of Loyalists. The Continental Army in the south, most of which had surrendered at Charleston, was driven from South Carolina in the May 1780 Battle of Waxhaws. The Patriot resistance remaining in South Carolina consisted of militia partisan companies under commanders like Thomas Sumter, William Davie, the Continental Army began to reform at Charlotte, North Carolina under Horatio Gates, the hero of Saratoga. Gates arrived in late July, and met with the local militia, a significant number of his troops were relatively untested militia companies, and even some of the Continentals under his command had little battlefield experience. Because of its crossroads location, Camden was considered a key to controlling the country of the Carolinas. On July 27, Gates advanced into South Carolina, heading towards Camden, then garrisoned by about 1,000 men under Lord Rawdon, Gates established a camp at Rugeleys Mill, north of Camden, where he was joined by militia companies from North Carolina and Virginia. The weather was hot, and a significant number of troops were put out of action by the heat. Gates formed up first on the field and he had about 3,700 troops, of which only 1,500 were Continental regulars. On his right flank he placed Mordecai Gists 2nd Maryland and the Delaware Regiment, on his left flank, he placed 2,500 untried North Carolina militia under Maj. Gen. Richard Caswell. Gates stayed with the force, the 1st Maryland Regiment under William Smallwood. Gates placed seven guns along the line, behind the militia, he placed companies of cavalry and light infantry. Cornwallis had roughly 2,100 men, of which about 600 were Loyalist militia, the other 1,500 were British regulars. Cornwallis also had the infamous and highly experienced Tarletons Legion, some 250 cavalry and 200 infantry who were formidable in a pursuit situation, Cornwallis formed his army in two brigades. Lord Rawdon was in command of the left, facing the Continental Infantry with the Irish Volunteers, Banastre Tarletons infantry, on the right was Lt. Col James Webster, facing the inexperienced militia with the 23rd Royal Welch Fusiliers and the 33rd Regiment of Foot. In reserve, Cornwallis had two battalions of the 71st Regiment of Foot and Tarletons cavalry force and he also placed four guns in the British centre. While the militia was being routed, and before Gates flight, Rawdons troops advanced in two charges, but a heavy fire repulsed his regiments
13.
Battle of Fishing Creek
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The Battle of Fishing Creek, also called the Battle of Catawba Ford, was an American Revolutionary War battle fought on August 18,1780, between American and British forces including the 71st Foot. It was fought near the junction of Fishing Creek and the Catawba River in South Carolina, British and Loyalist outposts were established throughout South Carolina and Georgia. In the absence of Continental Army units in South Carolina, militia commanders like Francis Marion, Andrew Pickens, Sumter had been particularly successful in the northern part of the state, making attacks on Rocky Mount and Hanging Rock in early August 1780. Cornwallis moved reinforcements to Camden from Charleston, while Sumter, in coordination with Gates movements, harassed British communication. The armies of Gates and Cornwallis met north of Camden on August 16, one day before, Sumter had twice fallen on British supply convoys, and his forces were slowed by prisoners and eighty wagons of supplies. He was moving north toward Charlotte, North Carolina when he learned of the disaster at Camden, in spite of this news, he failed to take some basic precautions when his column took a break near Fishing Creek on August 17. After his victory at Camden, Cornwallis had ordered troops, including Banastre Tarleton, Tarleton, commanding about 350, left the main army on August 17 and headed first toward Rocky Mount, where he had heard that Sumter was encamped. He arrived there late in the day only to learn that Sumter had already moved north and was encamped on the far side of the Catawba River. Crossing over the morning and moving with characteristic speed, he reached the site of Sumters camp. Picking 160 men from his company and leaving the rest to cover his rear, Tarleton continued the pursuit, while Sumter had posted guards at some distance from his camp, Tarleton was able to overwhelm them before they could raise the alarm. Forming up the cavalry, he charged into Sumters unprepared camp, Sumter, asleep under a wagon, barely got away in the ensuing panic. Tarleton freed prisoners and recaptured the wagon trains of supplies that Sumter had taken, Sumter arrived in Charlotte, alone, two days later. He eventually reformed his militia, and got a measure of revenge against Tarleton at Blackstocks Farm in November 1780, notes Sources The Battle of Fishing Creek at www. revolutionarywar101. com
14.
Battle of Musgrove Mill
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The Battle of Musgrove Mill, August 19,1780, occurred near a ford of the Enoree River, near the present-day border between Spartanburg, Laurens and Union Counties in South Carolina. During the course of the battle,200 Patriot militiamen defeated a force of approximately 300 Loyalist militiamen and 200 provincial regulars. By the summer of 1780, the war raged in the backcountry of South Carolina had effectively become America’s first civil war. Few men engaged on either side had ever seen Great Britain, with their position compromised by an enemy patrol and horses unable to go on without rest, the Patriots understood that they must stand and fight despite being outnumbered better than two to one. At the top of a ridge across the leading down to Musgrove Mill. In the best tradition of guerrilla tactics, a band of twenty men under the leadership of Captain Shadrach Inman crossed the Enoree. Feigning confusion they retreated back toward the line of ambush until the Loyalists were nearly on the Patriot line, when the Loyalists spotted the Patriot line, they fired too early. The Patriots, however, held their fire until the Loyalists got within killing range of their muskets, Patriot musket fire operated “with devastating effect. ”Nonetheless, the Tory regulars were well disciplined and nearly overwhelmed the Patriot right flank with a bayonet charge. Isaac Shelby ordered his reserve of “Overmountain Men” to support him, Patriots ran from their positions “yelling, shooting, and slashing on every hand. ”The whole battle took perhaps an hour. Within that period, sixty-three Tories were killed, a number wounded. The Patriots lost only four dead and twelve wounded. Shelby’s forces covered sixty miles with Ferguson in hot pursuit before making good their escape, william Campbell and his 400 Virginia men at the Sycamore Shoals muster in advance of the October 7,1780 Battle of Kings Mountain near present-day Blacksburg, South Carolina. The Musgrove Mill battlefield is preserved at the Musgrove Mill State Historic Site, Loyalist Institute website, photographs of battle site. National Register Properties in South Carolina, South Carolina Department of Archives and History, includes photographs of the park and battle site
15.
Battle of Wahab's Plantation
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The owner of the plantation was militia Captain James A. Walkup who served as a guide for Davie prior to the attack. Confusion has arisen over the spelling of the name Wahab as there are many spellings of the surname including, the Loyalists were camped on the west side of the Catawba River while General Charles Cornwallis army had camped on the east side. Davie opportunistically decided to attack the Loyalist camp, and succeeded in driving back in complete surprise. He retreated before the British regulars arrived, the latter, in revenge for the attack, burned down Captain Walkups house. Following his successful routing of a second Continental Army at Camden in August 1780, believing British and Loyalist forces to be in control of Georgia and South Carolina, he decided to turn north and address the threat posed by the Continental Army remnants in North Carolina. In mid-September he began moving north toward Charlotte, North Carolina, Cornwallis movements were shadowed by companies of North Carolina militia. When he learned that companies of Loyalist dragoons and British light infantry were encamped to the rear of Cornwallis army, riding off on the evening of September 20, he located the Loyalist camp at Wahabs Plantation, not far from the light infantry camp. Sending William Davidson and a company of men through a cornfield to take the plantation house, the surprise was practically complete, and the Loyalists took flight, leaving 15 dead and 40 wounded. Davie did not linger at the Loyalist camp, as the infantry had taken notice and were beating to arms and he took away 96 horses and 120 muskets, and retreated to the north. Davie again made contact with British forces a few days later when they entered Charlotte, memoirs of Henry Lee Pancake, John. Global Gazetteer of the American Revolution
16.
Battle of Black Mingo
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The Battle of Black Mingo was a skirmish during the American Revolution. It took place in September 1780 in the vicinity of Dollards Tavern near Black Mingo Creek near Hemingway, General Francis Marion attacked and scattered a contingent of Loyalist troops that had been left to secure the region by Colonel Banastre Tarleton after his destructive march through the area. The Loyalists, under Colonel John Coming Ball, were driven into the swamp after suffering significant casualties. A company of militia was placed under the command of Brigadier General Francis Marion in the wake of the Battle of Ramsours Mill, Marion then engaged in a series of guerrilla actions to harry elements of the British force and its Loyalist supporters. Following their victory at Camden the British sent out contingents to secure the countryside, the British then traveled across South Carolina, plundering and destroying Revolutionary properties. This prompted Marion to move into South Carolina, where Revolutionaries angered by the British action signed up in large numbers and he was alerted to the presence of a large number of Loyalists near Black Mingo Creek, then 15 miles away. While the reports indicated that the Loyalist numbers were larger than his own, alarm shots were heard in the Loyalist camp, and Marions company rushed to engage them. While the surprise was not complete, the Loyalists were sufficiently disorganized that the force was routed and forced to retreat into the swamp. Word of Marions success spread, and he continued to recruit well after the battle and he also learned a lesson, he reportedly never again crossed a bridge intending surprise without first laying blankets down on it. Henry Mouzon Francis Marion Moore, Horatio Newton, the life and times of Gen. Francis Marion
17.
Battle of Charlotte
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The Battle of Charlotte was an American Revolutionary War battle fought in Charlotte, North Carolina on September 26,1780. The battle took place at the Mecklenburg County Court House, which is now the site of the Bank of America tower at Trade and Tryon Streets in downtown Charlotte. An advance guard of General Charles Cornwallis army rode into town, a skirmish ensued in which George Hanger, leading the British cavalry, was wounded. The small Patriot force, which had not intended more than token resistance, withdrew north toward Salisbury upon the arrival of Cornwallis and the main army. Following his successful routing of a second Continental Army at Camden in August 1780, believing British and Loyalist forces to be in control of Georgia and South Carolina, he decided to turn north and address the threat posed by the Continental Army remnants in North Carolina. In mid-September he began moving north toward Charlotte, North Carolina, Cornwallis movements were shadowed by militia companies from North and South Carolina. Davie successfully surprised a detachment of Cornwallis Loyalist forces at Wahabs Plantation on September 20, and then moved on to Charlotte, Charlotte was then a small town, with two main roads crossing at the town center, where the Mecklenburg County courthouse dominated the intersection. The southern facade of the courthouse had a series of pillars, finally, he put a company of 20 men behind a house on the southern road, where he was expecting the British advance. As his column approached Charlotte, Cornwallis would normally have sent Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton, however, Tarleton was ill, so Cornwallis gave the assignment to Tarletons subordinate, Major George Hanger, an impetuous young Englishman from an aristocratic family. Cornwallis ordered Hanger to cautiously enter the town and check for militia, contrary to Cornwallis orders, Hanger and his cavalry blithely galloped into town. Even after the 20 men behind the house opened fire, Hangers men continued to ride on until he was met by fire from the line of militia behind the stone wall. When the first militia line maneuvered to make way for the second, Hanger misinterpreted their movement as retreat and this brought him into a withering crossfire from the second line and the cavalry companies stationed to the east and west. Hanger went down with a wound, and his cavalry retreated in disarray back to the Legions infantry. Cornwallis, alerted by the sound of battle, rode forward to assess the situation, sarcastically calling out you have everything to lose, but nothing to gain, the earl ordered the legion forward once more. By this time the main light infantry had also begun to arrive. Hanger termed the incident a trifling insignificant skirmish, but it did clearly communicate to Cornwallis that he would have to further resistance. Hanger then also fell ill, further disabling the effectiveness of Tarletons Legion, instead of advancing on Hillsboro, Cornwallis occupied Charlotte. His position was never entirely secure, because the Patriot militia interfered with any significant attempts to communicate with the countryside
18.
Battle of Kings Mountain
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Ferguson had arrived in North Carolina in early September 1780 to recruit troops for the Loyalist militia and protect the flank of Lord Cornwallis main force. Ferguson issued a challenge to the militias to lay down their arms or suffer the consequences. In response, the Patriot militias led by Benjamin Cleveland, James Johnston, William Campbell, John Sevier, Joseph McDowell, receiving intelligence on the oncoming attack, Ferguson decided to retreat to the safety of Lord Cornwallis army. However, the Patriots caught up with the Loyalists at Kings Mountain near the border with South Carolina, achieving a complete surprise, the Patriot militiamen attacked and surrounded the Loyalists, inflicting heavy casualties. After an hour of battle, Ferguson was fatally shot while trying to break the rebel line, although victorious, the Patriots had to retreat quickly from the area for fear of Cornwallis advance. Later they executed nine Loyalist prisoners after a short trial, the battle was a pivotal moment in the Southern campaign. The surprising victory of the American patriot militia over the Loyalists came after a string of defeats at the hands of Lord Cornwallis. With Ferguson dead and his Loyalist militia destroyed, Cornwallis was forced to abandon his plan to invade North Carolina, Major Patrick Ferguson was appointed Inspector of Militia on May 22,1780. The Battle of Musgrove Mill, August 19,1780 occurred near a ford of the Enoree River, the whole battle took perhaps an hour and within that period, sixty-three Tories were killed, an unknown number wounded, and seventy were taken prisoner. The Patriots lost only four dead and twelve wounded. Shelby’s forces covered sixty miles with Ferguson in hot pursuit before making their escape, William Campbell and his 400 Virginia men at the Sycamore Shoals muster in advance of the October 7,1780 Battle of Kings Mountain north of present day Blacksburg, South Carolina in North Carolina. On September 2, Ferguson and the militia he had already recruited marched west in pursuit of Shelby toward the Appalachian Mountain hill country on what is now the Tennessee/North Carolina border. North Carolina Patriot militia leaders Isaac Shelby and John Sevier, from the Washington District, met, the detachments of Shelby, Sevier and Campbell were met by 160 North Carolina militiamen led by Charles McDowell and his brother Joseph. Campbells cousin, Arthur Campbell, brought 200 more Virginians and their movement had been made possible by easing tensions with the Cherokee, thanks to diplomacy by Benjamin Clevelands brother-in-law, Indian agent Joseph Martin. The Overmountain Men crossed Roan Mountain the next day, and proceeded in a direction for about thirteen days in anticipation of fighting the British Loyalist forces. By September 30, they had reached Quaker Meadows, the Burke County, North Carolina home of the McDowell brothers, meanwhile, two deserters from the Patriot militia reached Patrick Ferguson and informed him of the large body of militia advancing towards him. The request did not reach Cornwallis until one day after the battle, on October 1, Ferguson reached North Carolinas Broad River, where he issued another pugnacious public letter, calling the local militia to join him lest they be pissed upon by a set of mongrels. On October 4, the Patriot militia reached Fergusons former camp at Gilbert Town, on October 6, they reached Cowpens, South Carolina, where they received word that Ferguson was east of them, heading towards Charlotte and Cornwallis
19.
Battle of Blackstock's Farm
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The Battle of Blackstocks Farm, an encounter of the American Revolutionary War, took place in what today is Union County, South Carolina, a few miles from Cross Anchor, on November 20,1780. Meanwhile, Sumter had been gathering partisan volunteers and now had a thousand men under his command, the British brought up a 3-pounder grasshopper field gun and easily scattered the partisans. But Tarleton did not submit easily to insults, putting his men across the river in flat boats that night, he pressed Sumter hard the next day. Fortunately for Sumter, a deserter from the 63d Regiment revealed Tarletons plans, although Sumter now had a thousand Backcountry militiamen, Tarleton had more than five hundred regulars under his command, including three hundred British regulars. And Tarleton had never yet been defeated, Sumter and his colonels decided the best course was to find a strong defensive position and wait for Tarleton to attack them. Colonel Thomas Brandon, who knew the area, suggested the nearby farm of William Blackstock, Sumter placed Colonel Henry Hampton and his South Carolina riflemen in the farm outbuildings. Some units he stationed behind stout fences and others he screened in the surrounding woods, Tarleton came up late in the fall afternoon and chose to make a frontal attack against a numerically superior force, not waiting for his infantry and artillery to catch up. The Patriot militia fired at too great a distance, and before they could reload Major John Money, commanding the 63d Regiment, hit them with the bayonet. Nevertheless, in doing so, the 63d advanced too close to the buildings and came under fire from Hamptons men inside, as usual aiming at the epaulets. Money and two of his lieutenants were killed, and according to an officer of Frasers Highlanders, a third of the privates as well, meanwhile, other partisans worked their way around their right flank and attacked Tarletons dragoons who were in their saddles but only watching the action. Realizing that the battle was going against him, Tarleton desperately ordered a cavalry charge against riflemen firing from cover. As Henry Lumpkin has written, caution never was Tarletons outstanding virtue, still, the British forces fell back in good order. When Sumter, as reckless as Tarleton, moved into position to watch the British withdrawal, members of the 63d fired a volley at him, Sumter was severely wounded and had to relinquish command to his most senior colonel, John Twiggs. Tarleton retreated two miles to await his reinforcements for another attack the next morning, but Twiggs left camp fires burning and disappeared into the night. The next morning Tarletons troops buried the dead of both sides, vastly disproportionate, Tarleton claimed that 51 of his men were killed or wounded. Most modern commentators credit higher numbers for the British casualties,92 killed, American casualties were 3 killed,4 wounded, and 50 captured. Tarleton lied in his report to Cornwallis that he had broken. Of course, he made much of Sumters wounding and he even told Cornwallis that three of his soldiers had promised to fix Sumter immediately, for which he had promised them fifty guineas apiece
20.
Yorktown campaign
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The Yorktown or Virginia campaign was a series of military maneuvers and battles during the American Revolutionary War that culminated in the decisive Siege of Yorktown in October 1781. The campaign involved land and naval forces of Great Britain and France, British forces were sent to Virginia between January and April 1781 and joined with Cornwalliss army in May, which came north from an extended campaign through the southern states. The Royal Navy attempted to dispute this control, but Admiral Thomas Graves was defeated in the key Battle of the Chesapeake on September 5, American and French armies that had massed outside New York City began moving south in late August, and arrived near Yorktown in mid-September. Deceptions about their movement successfully delayed attempts by Clinton to send troops to Cornwallis. The Siege of Yorktown began on September 28,1781, in a step that probably shortened the siege, Cornwallis decided to abandon parts of his outer defenses, and the besiegers successfully stormed two of his redoubts. When it became clear that his position was untenable, Cornwallis opened negotiations on October 17, when the news reached London, the government of Lord North fell, and the following Rockingham ministry entered into peace negotiations. These culminated in the Treaty of Paris in 1783, in which King George III recognized the independent United States of America. Clinton and Cornwallis engaged in a war of words defending their roles in the campaign. By December 1780, the American Revolutionary Wars North American theaters had reached a critical point, the national currency was virtually worthless, public support for the war, about to enter its sixth year, was waning, and army troops were becoming mutinous over pay and conditions. In the Americans favor, Loyalist recruiting in the south had been checked with a blow at Kings Mountain in October. Virginias only defenses consisted of locally raised militia companies, and a force that had been virtually wiped out in the 1779 raid. Steuben had established a center in Chesterfield for new Continental Army recruits. French military planners had to balance competing demands for the 1781 campaign, after a series of unsuccessful attempts at cooperation with the Americans, they realized more active participation in North America was needed. However, they also needed to coordinate their actions with Spain, as the French fleet was preparing to depart Brest in March 1781, several important decisions were made. Due to a lack of transports, France also promised six million livres to support the American war effort instead of providing additional troops, the French fleet at Newport was given a new commander, the Comte de Barras. In orders that were not fully shared with General Washington. The French general, the Comte de Rochambeau was instructed to tell Washington that de Grasse might be able to assist, the French fleet sailed from Brest on March 22. The British fleet was busy with preparations to resupply Gibraltar, after the French fleet sailed, the packet ship Concorde sailed for Newport, carrying the Comte de Barras, Rochambeaus orders, and credits for the six million livres
21.
Raid of Richmond
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The Richmond Campaign was a group of British military actions against the capital of Virginia, Richmond, and the surrounding area, during the American Revolutionary War. In the event of an attack, Jefferson moved all of the military supplies to a foundry five miles outside of Richmond. Little did Jefferson know how big of an attack would soon follow, from the 1st to the 3rd of January, Arnolds fleet sailed up the James River, laying waste to plantations and settlements along the way. On the 4th of January, the British reached their destination, Westover Plantation, in the afternoon, Arnold and his men disembarked on foot towards Richmond. The following day, Arnolds force of Loyalist green-coats, consisting of infantry, dragoons, and artillery, arrived at Richmond, which was defended by about 200 militiamen. Surprisingly enough, most Virginia militiamen had not bothered to defend their capital because they had served their time in battle. Upon seeing the group of Virginia militiamen, Colonel John Graves Simcoe, of the Queens Rangers, the militiamen fired a weak musket volley at the advancing British, and then broke and ran into the woods, with the Loyalist detachment chasing after them. At noon, Arnolds forces marched triumphantly into the city, described by an eyewitness as undisturbed by even a single shot, jeffersons response was livid, refusing that a turncoat do anything to Richmonds supplies. Upon receiving the letter the day on January 6, Arnold was enraged. British troops then started a rampage across the city, burning government buildings as well as private homes, a strong wind spread the flames even more, adding to the destruction. After most of Richmond was burned and its valuables sacked, Arnold led his forces outside of Richmond and to the Westham cannon foundry, which even more armaments. After its destruction, the British went down to the city of Chesterfield, when the news of Richmonds destruction reached Jefferson, he was aghast. Arnolds British force had entered Virginias very capital, unopposed, and had singlehandedly defiled it, the Governor called his friend, Sampson Mathews, the Colonel of the Virginia militia, and ordered him to assault Arnolds forces. Mathews built up a group of around 200 militiamen, and embarked hastily to catch, eventually, delayed by bad weather, sickness and mutiny, Mathews forces caught up with Arnolds army, and attacked it by surprise. Thus, the British army moved quickly down the James River, burning plantations and homes in their wake. He quickly informed his wife and children, and they escaped in a carriage. Arnold knew that Berkeley belonged to Harrison, whom he viewed as a traitor, all of the Harrison familys portraits and artwork were taken outside and 40 of Harrisons slaves were confiscated. Arnold spared Harrisons mansion and houses, however, as he believed the war would soon be won by the British, the only original portrait of Harrison to survive was the miniature around his wifes neck, wearing it as she fled from the British forces
22.
Skirmish at Waters Creek
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The Skirmish at Waters Creek was a minor action fought on March 8,1781, during the American Revolutionary War. It was fought near Waters Creek in Newport News, Virginia between a group of local Patriot militia and British Army troops, the state of Virginia had not been the scene of significant military activity for most of the American Revolutionary War. This began to change with the arrival in October 1780 of 2,500 British Army troops under Brigadier General Alexander Leslie and these troops established a fortified position at Portsmouth, and began raiding the area for supplies. However, they were ordered to abandon the post by Lieutenant General Charles, in January 1781 another 1,600 troops, this time under the command of the traitor Benedict Arnold, arrived in Virginia. After making a raid on the state capital, Richmond, Arnold. Arnolds presence at Portsmouth was monitored by local Patriot militia, which turned out to respond to raiding, early on March 8, Arnold sent about 300 men on a raiding expedition to the Newport News area. They were led by Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Dundas, leader of the regiment known as the Royal Edinburgh Volunteers, when the militia were alerted to Dundas expedition, Colonel Francis Mallory, a resident of Hampton, organized the opposition. Mallory had recently released from a brief imprisonment on board a Royal Navy ship as part of a prisoner exchange. The militiamen divided their forces with the leading the charge from the front while the infantry fired from the flank. Colonel Mallory himself was killed in the attack, after being wounded by shot, saber, the militiamen were able to hold off the British forces, forcing them to retreat to Newport News point and eventually their boats. While retreating, Captain Brown was injured and left behind, the Virginia Historical Register and Literary Note Book. Quarstein, John, V, Rouse, Parke S. Jr. Finneran, Newport News - A Centennial History. Newport News, Virginia, City of Newport News, library of Congress Catalog Card Number 96-71877. Endless Harbor - The Story of Newport News, library of Congress Card Number 75-92458
23.
Battle of Cape Henry
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Admiral Destouches was asked by General George Washington to take his fleet to the Chesapeake to support military operations against Arnold by the Marquis de Lafayette. Sailing on 8 March, he was followed two days later by Admiral Arbuthnot, who sailed from eastern Long Island, Arbuthnots fleet outsailed that of Destouches, reaching the Virginia Capes just ahead of Destouches on 16 March. After manoeuvring for several hours, the battle was joined, however, Arbuthnot was positioned to enter the Chesapeake as the fleets disengaged, frustrating Destouches objective. Destouches returned to Newport, while Arbuthnot protected the bay for the arrival of additional troops to reinforce General Arnold. In December 1780, British General Sir Henry Clinton sent Brigadier General Benedict Arnold with about 1,700 troops to Virginia to do some raiding, General George Washington responded by sending the Marquis de Lafayette south with a small army to oppose Arnold. Seeking to trap Arnold between Lafayettes army and a French naval detachment, Washington asked the French admiral Destouches, the commander of the fleet at Newport, Rhode Island for help. Destouches was wary of the threat posed by the slightly larger British North American fleet anchored at Gardiners Bay off the end of Long Island. A storm in early February damaged some of Arbuthnots fleet, which prompted Destouches to send a squadron of three ships south shortly after, when they reached the Chesapeake, the British ships supporting Arnold moved up the shallow Elizabeth River, where the French ships were unable to follow. The French fleet returned to Newport, having as their success the capture of HMS Romulus. This modest success, and the encouragement of General Washington, prompted Destouches to embark on a full-scale operation. On 8 March, Washington was in Newport when Destouches sailed with his entire fleet and he had the speed advantage of copper-clad vessels and a favourable wind, and reached Cape Henry on 16 March, slightly ahead of Destouches. When Arbuthnot spotted the French fleet to his northeast at 6 am on March 16, Arbuthnot came about, and Destouches ordered his ships to form a line of battle heading west, with the wind. Between 8 and 9 am the winds began shifting, but visibility remained poor, and the two fleets manoeuvred for several hours, each seeking the advantage of the weather gage. By 1 pm the wind had stabilised from the northeast, and Arbuthnot, Destouches, in order to escape this position, gave orders to wear ship in sequence, and brought his line around in front of the advancing British line. Arbuthnot responded to the French manoeuvre by ordering his fleet to wear, when the ships in the van of his line made the maneuver, they were fully exposed to the French lines fire, and consequently suffered significant damage. Robust, Europe, and Prudent were virtually unmanageable due to damage to their sails, Arbuthnot kept the signal for maintaining the line flying, and the British fleet thus lined up behind the damaged vessels. Destouches at this point again ordered his fleet to wear in succession, French casualties were 72 killed and 112 wounded, while the British suffered 30 killed and 73 wounded. Arbuthnot pulled into Chesapeake Bay, thus frustrating the original intent of Destouches mission, after transports delivered 2,000 men to reinforce Arnold, Arbuthnot returned to New York
24.
Battle of Blandford
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The Battle of Blandford, also called the Battle of Petersburg, took place near Petersburg, Virginia on 25 April 1781, late in the American War of Independence. Roughly 2,300 British regulars under the command of Brigadier General William Phillips defeated about 1,000 militia under Major General Baron von Steuben. The introduction of a British troop presence led by turncoat general Benedict Arnold into Virginia in early 1781 prompted an increase in activity to counter the British force. The militia were, however, poorly trained and equipped, and were unable to prevent Arnold from moving freely, Arnold was reinforced in March 1781 by additional troops led by General Phillips, who targeted Petersburg in a raiding expedition. Militia forces led by von Steuben and Peter Muhlenberg decided to make a stand at Blandford and they eventually retreated to Richmond, where they joined forces with Continental Army troops led by the Marquis de Lafayette. The British continued raiding, and eventually joined forces with Charles Cornwalliss army from North Carolina, by December 1780, the American Revolutionary Wars North American main theaters had reached a critical point. The national currency was worthless, public support for the war, about to enter its sixth year, was waning. In the Americans favor, Loyalist recruiting had been checked with a blow at Kings Mountain in October. To counter the British threat in the south, Washington sent Major General Nathanael Greene, one of his best strategists, Charles Cornwallis, leading the British troops in the south, wanted to deal with him and gain control over the state. On the afternoon of 4 January, Arnold sailed up the James River and landed his force at Westover, moving rapidly with an overnight forced march, he raided Richmond, the state capital, the next day. After another day of raiding, he returned to his boats and sailed to Portsmouth, Arnolds arrival prompted General Washington to mobilize land and naval forces to challenge him. When a storm in late January caused damage to the Royal Navy fleet watching Newport, Destouches slipped a ship of the line, when Clinton and Admiral Marriot Arbuthnot learned of this two days later, they immediately mobilized supporting resources. Arbuthnot sailed with eight ships of the line that very day, arbuthnots fleet was followed by transports carrying 2,000 British Army troops under the command of General William Phillips. When Phillips and his troops were landed at Portsmouth on 26 March, Phillips, with seniority over Arnold, Phillips then advanced again against the largely undefended countryside. A militia force under Major General Baron von Steuben tried to check their progress and protect Richmond, on 24 April, as the afternoon progressed, about 1,000 of General Muhlenbergs Virginia militia marched into Petersburg. Other militia units were also gathering, Lafayettes force was still several days away, and another Continental Army force under General Anthony Wayne was even further off. Von Steuben and Muhlenberg, who had been avoiding conflict with the British due to their numbers and inexperienced troops. The militia had not had any sort of victory since the British arrived in Virginia, after a council of war, they decided to establish a line in Blandford, then a separate town east of Petersburg and now a neighborhood within the city
25.
Battle of Spencer's Ordinary
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The Battle of Spencers Ordinary was an inconclusive skirmish that took place on 26 June 1781, late in the American Revolutionary War. Lafayette had been shadowing Cornwallis as he moved his army toward Williamsburg from central Virginia, aware that Simcoe had become separated from Cornwallis, he sent Butler out in an attempt to cut Simcoe off. Both sides, concerned that the other might be reinforced by its main army, in May 1781, Lord Charles Cornwallis arrived in Petersburg, Virginia after a lengthy campaign through North and South Carolina. These forces were opposed by a much smaller Continental Army force led by the Marquis de Lafayette, Cornwallis then turned back to the east, marching for Williamsburg. These detachments were composed of units taken from a variety of regiments. Lafayette, once he was joined by Wayne and Campbell, wanted to engage elements of Cornwallis army without necessarily facing its full strength, Simcoes full force included, in addition to the Rangers, a few companies of Hessian jägers led by Captains Johann Ewald and Johann Althaus. On the night of 25 June, Wayne sent most of the guard under Colonel Richard Butler, including McPherson, Call. At Spencers Ordinary, the troops rejoined and paused to rest, Simcoe ordered fences in the area torn down since it was an admirable place for the chicanery of action. While they rested, some of the Loyalists went out to round up more cattle found in the area, McPhersons men encountered the latter, whose sentries raised the alarm to the main body. Simcoes cavalry charged McPhersons formation, breaking it up, McPherson and a number of his men were unhorsed in the melee, and several were taken prisoner before the leading edge of Butlers main force began to arrive. Simcoe ordered most of the infantry up to support his cavalry, by questioning the prisoners, Simcoe learned that Lafayette was not far off. He sent word to Cornwallis, dispatched the cattle convoy toward Williamsburg and he then arrayed his troops in a way calculated to mislead the Americans into believing that more troops were in formation just over a rise. When Butlers force arrived, Simcoe ordered an infantry charge and this scattered the first wave of Butlers men into the nearby woods, where the jägers then pushed them back. However, Butlers men continued to advance, Simcoe ordered a cavalry charge and fired a field cannon to give the impression that a larger force was arriving. Simcoe left his men at the tavern under a truce flag. The Americans retreated to Lafayettes camp at Tyres Plantation, and Simcoe was able to return to the tavern, Simcoe reported his losses at 11 killed and 25 wounded, and the American loss at 9 killed,14 wounded, and 32 captured. Lafayette claimed the Americans had killed 60 and wounded 100, while Cornwallis claimed the British had 33 killed and wounded, the location of the battle is now within the grounds of James City Countys Freedom Park in Williamsburg. Published park materials do not indicate if the location is marked in any way
26.
Battle of Green Spring
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The Battle of Green Spring took place near Green Spring Plantation in James City County, Virginia during the American Revolutionary War. Lafayette followed Cornwallis fairly closely, emboldened by the arrival of reinforcements to consider making attacks on the British force, on July 4, Cornwallis departed Williamsburg for Jamestown, planning to cross the James River en route to Portsmouth. Lafayette believed he could stage an attack on Cornwalliss rear guard during the crossing, Cornwallis anticipated Lafayettes idea, and laid an elaborate trap. General Waynes forces were nearly caught in the trap. Cornwallis did not follow the victory with pursuit, instead following his plan to cross the river, the action reinforced the perception among contemporaries that justified the moniker Mad to describe Wayne, although opinion on the merits of his actions was divided. The battlefield has been preserved, and reenactments are sometimes staged. In May 1781, Earl Charles Cornwallis arrived in Petersburg, Virginia after a campaign through North and South Carolina. These forces were opposed by a much smaller Continental Army force led by the Marquis de Lafayette, Lafayette successfully avoided engaging Cornwallis, who used his numerical advantage to detach forces for raids against economic, military, and political targets in central Virginia. After about one month of activity, Cornwallis turned back to the east. One such foray led to a clash at Spencers Ordinary, a crossroads not far from Williamsburg, when Cornwallis arrived at Williamsburg, he received orders from General Sir Henry Clinton to go to Portsmouth and prepare a detachment of troops to return to New York City. Pursuant to these orders, Cornwallis began moving south on the Virginia Peninsula on July 4, Lafayette followed, with advance units and most of his Continentals reaching Norrells Mill, about 8 miles from the ferry on July 5. Lafayette saw an opportunity to attack the British force as it made the crossing of the James. Cornwallis also recognized the possibility, and decided to lay a trap and he only sent his baggage train and John Graves Simcoes Queens Rangers across the river, and concealed his main force near the crossing. Cornwallis also sent men to desert to the Americans with information that most of the British force had crossed, the position where Cornwallis hid his army was well-chosen. To the left, impassable swampy terrain sloped down toward the river, to the right, there was more marshy ground and a few ponds. Both wings also included light infantry companies, Brigadier General Mad Anthony Wayne led Lafayettes advance company, about 500 men, out early on July 6 from Norrells Tavern. When Wayne reached Green Spring, he surveyed the terrain and noted the presence of the British guards, when Lafayette came up with his main force, the two men decided to go ahead with the attack, but Lafayette ordered more troops forward from Norrells Tavern around 1 pm. Some minor skirmishing took place while they awaited these troops, Waynes 500 soldiers included 200 Virginia riflemen under Majors John Willis and Richard Call backed by additional light infantry led by John Francis Mercer, William Galvan, and McPherson
27.
Francisco's Fight
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The skirmish, which is only known to be documented by Francisco, resulted in the death of at least one man and the wounding of several others. Later historical accounts of the skirmish embellished the story with details not present in the documentary record, in early July 1781, General Charles Cornwallis, in command of British troops in Virginia, arrived at Portsmouth and prepared to embark some of the troops on transports. While en route to Portsmouth, he dispatched Banastre Tarleton and some of his British Legion on an expedition into central Virginia. Moving rapidly, Tarleton and his men left Suffolk on July 9, Peter Francisco was a private who served in several units during the war. He was a figure, reported to be about six feet six inches and over 260 pounds. In the northern campaigns, he was in the battles at Brandywine and Monmouth Court House and he then served in the southern army under General Greene, where he was reported to have killed 11 men during the May 1781 Battle of Guilford Courthouse. He was also injured in battle, and had returned to his home in Buckingham. The only documented primary sources for this action originate with Peter Francisco himself, one source is Franciscos 1829 application to the United States Congress for financial support. His request was rejected on the grounds that he was receiving a military pension. The other is a letter addressed to the Virginia State Assembly in 1820. The two accounts differ in details, but much of the narrative is essentially the same. No other sources are known to corroborate the events he describes, Tarleton, in his memoir, one of the dragoons demanded that he give up his watch and silver shoe buckles. As the dragoon bent down to take his buckles, Francisco and he then used the sword to kill the man. According to the Virginia letter, he wounded and drove off the others. In the 1829 letter to Congress, he claims to have killed two men and frightened off the rest of the party, amounting in number to six. Some of its details are visible in the 1814 engraving depicted above, V---, then in Amelia, now Nottoway county, nine of Tarletons cavalry came up, with three negroes, and told him he was their prisoner. Seeing he was overpowered by numbers, he made no resistance, believing him to be very peaceable, they all went into the house, leaving him and the paymaster together. Give up instantly all that you possess of value, said the latter, I have nothing to give up, said Francisco, so use your pleasure
28.
Battle of the Chesapeake
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Presented in July 1781 with the options of attacking British forces in either New York or Virginia, Admiral de Grasse opted for the latter, arriving at the Chesapeake at the end of August. Sailing south from New York with 19 ships of the line, de Grasse hastily prepared most of his fleet,24 ships of the line, for battle and sailed out to meet Graves. In a two-hour engagement that took place after hours of manoeuvring, the battle was consequently fairly evenly matched, although the British suffered more casualties and ship damage. The battle broke off when the sun set, British tactics in the battle have been a subject of contemporary and historical debate ever since. On 13 September de Grasse broke away from the British and returned to the Chesapeake, Graves returned to New York to organize a larger relief effort, this did not sail until 19 October, two days after Cornwallis surrendered. During the early months of 1781, both pro-British and separatist forces began concentrating in Virginia, a state that had not experienced more than naval raids. The British forces were led at first by the turncoat Benedict Arnold, in June he marched to Williamsburg, where he received a confusing series of orders from General Sir Henry Clinton that culminated in a directive to establish a fortified deep water port. In response to orders, Cornwallis moved to Yorktown in late July. The presence of these British troops, coupled with General Clintons desire for a port there and they considered either an assault or siege on the principal British base at New York City, or operations against the British forces in Virginia. Rochambeau, in a note to de Grasse, indicated that his preference was for an operation against Virginia. The two generals then moved their forces to White Plains, New York, to study New Yorks defenses, de Grasse arrived at Cap-Français on 15 August. He immediately dispatched his response, which was that he would make for the Chesapeake, taking on 3,200 troops, he sailed from Cap-Français with his entire fleet,28 ships of the line. Sailing outside the shipping lanes to avoid notice, he arrived at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay on August 30. British Admiral George Brydges Rodney, who had been tracking de Grasse around the West Indies, was alerted to the latters departure, but was uncertain of the French admirals destination. Rodney, who was ill, sailed for Europe with the rest of his fleet in order to recover, refit his fleet, sailing more directly than de Grasse, Hoods fleet arrived off the entrance to the Chesapeake on 25 August. Finding no French ships there, he sailed for New York. When Hood arrived at New York, he found that Graves was in port, de Grasse had notified his counterpart in Newport, the Comte de Barras Saint-Laurent, of his intentions and his planned arrival date. Barras sailed from Newport on 27 August with 8 ships of the line,4 frigates and he deliberately sailed via a circuitous route in order to minimize the possibility of an encounter with the British, should they sail from New York in pursuit
29.
Siege of Yorktown
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The battle boosted faltering American morale and revived French enthusiasm for the war, as well as undermining popular support for the conflict in Great Britain. In 1780, approximately 5,500 French soldiers landed in Rhode Island to assist their American allies in operations against British-controlled New York City. On the advice of Rochambeau, de Grasse informed them of his intent to sail to the Chesapeake Bay, where Cornwallis had taken command of the army. Cornwallis, at first given confusing orders by his officer, Henry Clinton, was eventually ordered to build a defensible deep-water port. Cornwallis movements in Virginia were shadowed by a Continental Army force led by the Marquis de Lafayette, the French and American armies united north of New York City during the summer of 1781. When word of de Grasses decision arrived, the armies began moving south toward Virginia. De Grasse sailed from the West Indies and arrived at the Chesapeake Bay at the end of August, bringing additional troops and providing a naval blockade of Yorktown. He was transporting 500,000 silver pesos collected from the citizens of Havana, Cuba, to fund supplies for the siege, while in Santo Domingo, de Grasse met with Francisco Saavedra de Sangronis, an agent of Carlos III of Spain. De Grasse had planned to leave several of his warships in Santo Domingo, Saavedra promised the assistance of the Spanish navy to protect the French merchant fleet, enabling de Grasse to sail north with all of his warships. In the beginning of September, he defeated a British fleet led by Sir Thomas Graves that came to relieve Cornwallis at the Battle of the Chesapeake, as a result of this victory, de Grasse blocked any escape by sea for Cornwallis. By late September Washington and Rochambeau arrived, and the army, after initial preparations, the Americans and French built their first parallel and began the bombardment. With the British defense weakened, on October 14,1781 Washington sent two columns to attack the last major remaining British outer defenses, a French column took redoubt #9 and an American column took redoubt #10. With these defenses taken, the allies were able to finish their second parallel, with the American artillery closer and more intense than ever, the British situation began to deteriorate rapidly and Cornwallis asked for capitulation terms on the 17th. After two days of negotiation, the ceremony took place on the 19th, Lord Cornwallis was absent from the ceremony. With the capture of more than 7,000 British soldiers, on December 20,1780, Benedict Arnold sailed from New York with 1,500 troops to Portsmouth, Virginia. He first raided Richmond, defeating the militia, from January 5–7 before falling back to Portsmouth. The Marquis de Lafayette was sent south with 1,200 men to help with the assault, however, Destouches was reluctant to dispatch many ships, and in February sent only three. Destouches withdrew due to the damage sustained to his fleet, leaving Arbuthnot, on March 26, Arnold was joined by 2,300 troops under command of Major General William Phillips, who took command of the combined forces
30.
Battle of Cowpens
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The Battle of Cowpens was a engagement between Patriot forces under Brigadier General Daniel Morgan and British forces under Sir Banastre Tarleton fought on January 17,1781. As part of the campaign in the Carolinas, a force of 1,100 British under Tarleton were sent against 2000 men under Morgan, the Patriot forces were able to perform a double envelopment of Tarletons force, at the cost of only 12 killed and 61 wounded. Tarleton was one of around 160 British troops to escape, the British had received incorrect reports that Morgans army was planning to attack the important strategic fort of Ninety Six, to the west of the Carolinas. Morgans army was deemed to represent a threat to the British left flank. Cornwallis dispatched Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton to defeat Morgans command, upon learning Morgans army was not at Ninety Six, Tarleton, bolstered by British reinforcements, set off in hot pursuit of the American detachment. Morgan resolved to make a stand near the Broad River and he selected a position on two low hills in open woodland, with the expectation that the aggressive Tarleton would make a headlong assault without pausing to devise a more intricate plan. He deployed his army in three main lines, Tarletons army, after exhaustive marching, reached the field malnourished and heavily fatigued. Tarleton attacked immediately, however the American defence-in-depth absorbed the impact of the British attack, the British lines lost their cohesion as they hurried after the retreating Americans. Morgans army went on the offensive, and wholly overwhelmed Tarletons force, the battle was a turning point in the American reconquest of South Carolina from the British. On October 14,1780, George Washington chose Nathanael Greene to be commander of the Southern Department of the Continental forces, Greenes task was not an easy one. A victory of Patriot militia over their Loyalist counterparts at the Battle of Kings Mountain in October had bought time, when Greene took command, the southern army numbered only 2307 men, of whom just 949 were Continental regulars. On December 3, Brigadier General Daniel Morgan reported for duty to Greenes headquarters at Charlotte, at the start of the Revolution, Morgan, whose military experience dated to the French and Indian War, had served at the Siege of Boston. Later he participated in the 1775 invasion of Canada and its climactic battle and that battle, on December 31,1775, ended in defeat and Morgans capture by the British. Morgan was exchanged in January 1777 and placed by George Washington in command of a force of 500 trained riflemen. Morgan and his men played a key role in the victory at Saratoga, bitter after being passed over for promotion and plagued by severe attacks of sciatica, Morgan left the army in 1779. A year later he was promoted to Brigadier General and returned to service in the Southern Department, Greene decided that his weak army was unable to meet the British in a stand-up fight. Greene gave Morgan command of wing and instructed him to join with the militia west of the Catawba. Morgan headed west on December 21, charged with taking position between the Broad and Pacolet Rivers, and protecting the civilians in that area and he had 600 men, some 400 of which were Continentals, the rest being Virginia militia with experience as Continentals
31.
Battle of Torrence's Tavern
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This withdrawal allowed Greene to unite his army with several detached Patriot forces in the Piedmont prior to the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. After the conclusion of the war, the site of Torrences Tavern was commemorated by two state and local historical markers. At the Battle of Cowpens on January 17,1781, the Continental Army scored a victory against a force, detached from the main British Army, after the defeat, Cornwallis set out to pursue Greene into nearby North Carolina. The victor of Cowpens, Daniel Morgan, had requested that Greene relieve him of his command of the Patriot militia due to a flare-up of sciatica, but Greene refused. Morgan then set about establishing defenses on the Catawba River, which Cornwallis army would be forced to cross in order to drive into central, defensive positions were established at every ford on the river in that state in expectation of the British assault. By January 30, Morgan had received word that the British were indeed preparing to cross the river. On January 31,1781, Greene and Morgan left the Catawba River defenses in the hands of militia General William Lee Davidson, the Continental force crossed the Catawba River ahead of Cornwallis army, and followed Davidson and Morgan to the rallying point. At Cowans Ford on February 1,1781, a force of Patriot militia commanded directly by Davidson held back the British Army for a period of time, Davidsons militia inflicted numerous casualties before withdrawing towards the rally point. Davidson was killed in the battle at the ford, leaving the surviving militia temporarily without effective strategic command. Tarletons British Legion was a force that contained infantry, cavalry, and artillery units, at the time of the battle, Torrences Tavern sat on a roadway that ran from Beattys and Cowans fords on the Catawba directly to Salisbury. Additionally, the rain that forced Tarleton to shed his foot-soldiers had rendered much of the militias gunpowder supply useless. Despite lacking support from Cornwallis main army, Tarletons cavalry struck immediately upon arriving at the scene, there is also evidence that Col. Thomas Farmer and some 300 militia were stationed at the tavern as a secondary defensive line. Tarleton claimed to have led the charge by reminding his cavalrymen to remember the Cowpens, the British won in a quick and convincing fashion, dispersing the outnumbered militia units before they managed to complete their rally. Martin was captured in the first few moments of the battle, with Patriot forces under the effects of such confusion, Tarleton divided his dragoons into smaller parties, ordering them to chase and further disburse the militia from the area. At the time of the skirmish, Greene was at a farm owned by David Carr, carrs farm had been set as a secondary rendezvous point for the Patriot militia, but none of the expected units rallied to that location following the Torrences Tavern engagement. Buchanan went so far as to state that had Tarleton not lived to write his history of the campaign Torrences Tavern probably would have merited at most a footnote, in 1939, the State of North Carolina placed a Historical marker on the south-bound shoulder of N. C. Highway 115 in Mount Mourne marking the location of the battle. Touring North Carolinas Revolutionary War Sites, the Road to Guilford Courthouse, The American Revolution in the Carolinas
32.
Pyle's Massacre
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Patriot cavalry commander Continental Army Colonel Henry Lee surprised Loyalist militia under Dr. John Pyle who thought he was the British cavalry commander Banastre Tarleton sent to meet them. Lees men then opened fire, surprising and scattering Pyles force, with Colonel Lee pursuing Tarleton in the direction of Hillsborough, NC, intending to capture or kill his command. Cornwallis, who had burned his baggage train at Ramsours Mill, in chasing Greene completely exhausted his men, all the boats for crossing the Dan River were taken by Greene so that Cornwallis was stranded on the NC side of the river. Dr. John Pyle had moved to North Carolina from Chatham County in 1767, noted for his loyalty to the King, he had assisted the Governor in the War of the Regulation, though he was not at the Battle of Alamance. When Cornwallis appealed for Loyalist volunteers, Pyle gathered between 300 and 400 men and he requested Cornwallis provide his men with an escort, and Banastre Tarleton with his cavalry and a small force of infantry, a total of about 450 men, marched to lead Pyle to safety. General Greene spent days in Virginia from the 15th to the 22nd, on February 17 he detached Colonel Henry Lee with his cavalry, and Colonel Andrew Pickens with Maryland infantry and South Carolina militia, to recross the Dan and monitor British activity. This force crossed the Dan on February 18 and set up a camp along the road between Hillsborough and Haw River crossing points. From there Lee sent scouts to watch for British movements, word came the next morning that Tarleton was moving toward the Haw with an estimated 400 men. Lee and Pickens followed behind Tarleton, who, they learned, had camped near the Haw, a planned attack was called off when scouts reported that Tarleton had again moved, after the militia companies he was expecting to meet did not show up. Pyles force had delayed its movement to visit family and friends before setting off. At noon on February 24, Lee and Pickens captured two British staff officers and learned through interrogation that Tarleton was only a few miles ahead. In the waning hours of the day, Lees Legion, who wore green jackets and plumed helmets. Lee used this to his advantage and learned that Pyles troops were nearby, Lee instructed Pickens riflemen to flank Pyles position, and then trotted into the camp in full salute. Lee exchanged customary civilities with Colonel Pyle and began shaking his hand when the sounds of battle commenced, when he asked one of the Loyalists which side he was on, the man replied King George, and Eggleston responded by striking him on the head with his sabre. Seeing this, Pickens riflemen joined in the attack, the cavalry line turned and also attacked the Loyalists. Pyles men broke and ran, but many were killed or wounded in the early exchanges. Many Loyalists, believing the attack to be a mistake, continued insisting they were on King Georges side, to no avail. After 10 minutes, the remaining Loyalists had fled, and 93 Loyalists were known to be dead, certainly more were wounded and others were seen being carried off by friends
33.
Siege of Fort Motte
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The Siege of Fort Motte was a military operation during the American Revolutionary War. A force of Patriots led by General Francis Swamp Fox Marion, the British garrisoned roughly 175 British soldiers under Lt. Daniel McPherson at the fort. Marion and Lee learned that Lord Rawdon was retreating towards Fort Motte in the aftermath of the Battle of Hobkirks Hill, the Americans forces invested the place on May 8 and wanted to capture the fort before Rawdon arrived. Two days later, Marion called for the British to surrender, the next day, Colonel Lee informed Mrs. Motte that he intended to burn the mansion down to force the British out. On May 12,1781, the American forces had entrenched themselves close enough to the mansion they were able to hit the roof with flaming arrows, Mrs Motte, a patriot, accepted Lees plan, and offered her own arrows for it. The mansion was set on fire, marions artillery fire added to the desperation of the British and, by one oclock that afternoon, Lt. McPherson surrendered the garrison to the Patriots. Great Britains southern strategy for winning the American Revolutionary War appeared in some ways to be going well after the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in March 1781, Greene, while he had lost the battlefield, still had his army intact. He first ordered Colonel Henry Light Horse Harry Lee to continue shadowing Cornwallis so that his movement was screened. Once he was on his way into South Carolina, he ordered Lee to abandon Cornwallis, Lee and Marion met on April 14, and first targeted Fort Watson, a small stockaded fort on the east side of the Santee River, which fell after a short siege. They chased after John Watson, the forts commander, who had led a force away from it in search of Marion. Lee and Marion then targeted Fort Motte, a key British supply depot, the British had taken over Mount Joseph Plantation, owned by Miles Brewton and then occupied by his sister, the widowed Rebecca Brewton Motte and her children, who had left the city of Charleston. The British fortified the area around the mansion, building palisades, ramparts, trenches and they garrisoned a force of roughly 175, made up of British soldiers, Hessians, and Provincials under Capt. Lt. Donald McPherson at the fort. Arriving May 8, Lee and Marion immediately surrounded the fort, on the approach of the Americans, the British had evicted the widowed Rebecca Motte from the main house, and she had taken up residence outside the fort at the overseers house. As the forces of Watson and Rawdon were still active and might come to relieve the siege, Marion, at Fort Watson they had constructed a tower from which the attackers could fire into the fort, but this idea was not workable under the conditions at Fort Motte. The idea was put forward to set fire to the buildings within the defenses. Mrs. Motte, apparently sympathetic to the Patriot cause, provided the arrows that were used to ignite the roof of the house on May 12. When the defenders tried to go onto the roof to extinguish the flames, the garrison surrendered shortly after, and the Americans moved quickly to put out the fires before the whole house was engulfed. The captured garrison was released on parole to return to Charleston, before they left, Mrs. Motte and the American and British officers shared a meal
34.
Siege of Ninety-Six
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The Siege of Ninety Six was a siege in western South Carolina late in the American Revolutionary War. From May 22 to June 18,1781, Continental Army Major General Nathanael Greene led 1,000 troops in a siege against the 550 Loyalists in the village of Ninety Six. The 28-day siege centered on a fortification known as Star Fort. Despite having more troops, Greene was unsuccessful in taking the town, the area is now protected as Ninety Six National Historic Site and was designated a National Historic Landmark. The surviving Loyalists were later relocated by the Crown and granted land in Nova Scotia, Cornwallis had suffered significant casualties and subsequently moved his army to Wilmington, North Carolina. Greene, whose army was largely intact after that battle, took advantage of Cornwallis move to march into South Carolina. The British outpost at Ninety Six was garrisoned by 550 experienced Loyalists, such as De Lanceys Brigade, occupied by the British since 1780, the defenses consisted of a palisade surrounded by a deep ditch and abatis. Cruger had three field pieces. Greene and about 1,000 men arrived outside Ninety Six on May 22 and they immediately began siege operations, targeting the Star Fort, under their chief engineer, Col. Thaddeus Kosciuszko of Poland. Cruger did what he could to interfere with the siege works, in one notable incident, his forces drove the workers away and captured some of their digging tools. By June 3 Greenes men had dug a trench within 30 yards of the Star Fort. They used a similar to one used by Gen. Marion to capture Fort Watson, whereby they constructed a wooden Maham Tower, about 30 feet tall. Under this elevated cover, American sharpshooters would have a firing line into the fort. At first, the snipers in the tower were able to pick off a number of Crugers artillerymen. Cruger quickly countered by using sandbags to raise the height of his parapet and he also tried to set the tower on fire with heated shot, but was unable to get the balls hot enough. The attackers fired flaming arrows into the fort, in order to set anything flammable within the fort on fire, Cruger had work crews remove the roofs from the buildings in the fort to prevent them from burning. On June 7 Lord Rawdon left Charleston with 2,000 British forces to relieve the siege, the next day, Pickens and Lee arrived, having successfully captured Augusta on June 6. Greene did not learn of Rawdons move until June 11, with the situation becoming critical, Greene decided to try an assault on the fort
35.
Battle of Eutaw Springs
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The Battle of Eutaw Springs was a battle of the American Revolutionary War, and was the last major engagement of the war in the Carolinas. In early 1781 Major General Nathanael Greene of the Continental Army began a campaign to end British control over the South Carolina backcountry and his first major objective was the capture of the British controlled village of Ninety Six. On May 22,1781, Greene laid siege to the fortified village, after nearly a month Greene became aware that reinforcements under Lord Rawdon were approaching from Charleston. Forces under Greenes command assaulted Ninety Six on June 18, but were repelled, to avoid facing the force commanded by Rawdon, Greene retreated toward Charlotte, North Carolina. Rawdon pursued Greene for several days, but was compelled to abandon the pursuit because his men were exhausted by days of forced marching and he lacked sufficient supplies to continue. Despite the fact Ninety Six was the remaining inland British outpost after the fall of Augusta, Georgia, Rawdon decided to burn and abandon it. In poor health, Rawdon sailed for England in late August, after Rawdons departure, Greene turned his army around and headed toward Charleston. On August 22, his force prepared to face the remaining British forces garrisoned in Charleston, Colonel Stewart led a force of 2,000 men from Charlestons British garrison in search of Greenes army. The force camped at Eutaw Springs, about 2 miles east of present-day Eutawville, at 4,00 AM on 8 September 1781, Greenes army began marching from Burdalls Plantation in the direction of Eutaw Springs, which was 7 miles distant. In the van were Lieutenant Colonel Henry Lees Legion plus 73 infantry and 72 cavalry of South Carolina State troops under Lieutenant Colonel John Henderson and Captain Wade Hampton, Continental Army troops formed the center and rear of Greenes column. These were led by three green North Carolina battalions under Brigadier General Jethro Sumner, Major John Armstrong led a mounted contingent while Lieutenant Colonel John Baptista Ashe and Major Reading Blount directed the foot soldiers. Ashe and Blount served with the 1st North Carolina Regiment, while Armstrong belonged to the 4th North Carolina Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel William Washingtons mounted men and Captain Robert Kirkwoods Delaware infantry companies formed the tail of the column. Greenes force had two 3-pound grasshopper guns under Captain-Lieutenant William Gaines and two 6-pound cannons directed by Captain William Brown, all told, Greene had 1,256 Continental infantry and 300 cavalry, the horsemen mostly divided between Lee and Washington. Lees cavalry were led by Major Joseph Egleston and his infantry by Captain Rudolph, Greenes army numbered 2,400 men of whom 200 were left behind to guard the baggage train. Stewart had between 1,800 and 2,000 troops on hand and his British regulars were the 3rd Foot, 63rd Foot, 64th Foot, and John Marjoribanks 300-man flank battalion. The last-named unit was made up of the flank companies of the 3rd, 19th. The regulars were supported by two American loyalist contingents and these units were John Harris Crugers regular battalion of DeLanceys Brigade and John Coffins South Carolina Tories, which consisted of about 150 regular infantry and 50 militia cavalry. Stewarts artillery consisted of two 6-pound, one 4-pound, and one 3-pound cannons plus a swivel gun
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