of the Southern Theatre to Lt. Gen. Charles Cornwallis and on June 5, he sailed north back to New York. On May 18th Cornwallis and 2,500 British troops marched out of Charleston with orders from Clinton to subdue the Carolina backcountry and establish outposts. The British quickly established outposts at Georgetown, Augusta, Georgia, and positions at Camden, Ninety-Six, Cheraw, Rocky Mount and Hanging Rock in South Carolina. The British would continue to occupy Charleston until December 1782, well after their surrender at Yorktown in October of 1781. THE BATTLE OF THE WAXHAW’S (Buford’s Massacre) May 24, 1780 Colonel Abraham Buford led a force of 350 Virginian Continentals of the 3rd Virginia Detachment to assist the Patriot forces in the Siege of Charleston. Before arriving, they learned that the city had already been captured by the British, and they turned back to Virginia. British Colonel Banastre Tarleton heard that South Carolina’s Governor John Rutledge was traveling with Buford. Anxious to capture Rutledge, Tarleton pursued with a force of roughly 230 men, consisting of 130 Legion dragoons, 100 Mounted British Legion infantry, and a three-pounder cannon. Buford’s troops were at least 10 days ahead of Tarleton. Since Buford had such a large lead on them, Tarleton was given discretion by Cornwallis to continue the pursuit, turn back, or attack Buford if he caught up with him. Riding night and day, Tarleton’s men caught up with the Patriots by covering more than 100 miles in 54 hours. Buford learned of Tarleton’s approach and sent Rutledge, with a small detachment, to continue to Hillsboro while the remainder of the Patriots would stop and engage the British.Tarleton sent a messenger ahead requesting that Buford surrender. In the message, Tarleton exaggerated his forces in hopes of
scaring Buford into surrendering. Buford declined surrender by replying: “Sir, I reject your proposals, and shall defend myself to the last extremity. At 3pm on May 24th, Tarleton caught up with Buford near the Waxhaw’s District in South Carolina, 185 miles north of Charleston and 6 miles south of the North Carolina border. Tarleton’s British Dragoon Cavalry charge quickly routed Buford’s forces. The battle lasted for about 15 minutes with Buford quickly flying a white
flag of surrender. During the charge Tarleton’s Horse was shot out from under him, and his men, thinking that their commander had been shot and killed under a flag of truce, angrily attacked again. They slashed at anyone and everyone, including men who were kneeling with their hands up in surrender. The Patriots claimed that Tarleton himself ordered the renewed attack because he didn’t want to bother with taking prisoners. Based on his aggressive style and zeal for brutal charges in other engagements, the Patriot claims are usually given more credence. Tarleton became
known as “Bloody Ban”, and “Ban the Butcher”. For the remainder of the war in the South, “Tarleton’s Quarter” meant to show no mercy. “Buford’s Massacre” became a rallying cry for the Patriots. Before the massacre, popular opinion held that the Southern states were lost to the Patriot cause and would remain loyal to Britain. The reports of the Waxhaw Massacre, however, may have changed the direction of the war in the South. Many who might have stayed neutral flocked to the Patriots, and “Tarleton’s Quarter!” and “Remember Buford” became rallying cries for the Whigs. THE BATTLE OF WILLIAMSON PLANTATION (Huck’s Defeat) July 12, 1780 Around the first of June, 1780, the British army established a fortified outpost at Rocky Mount on the upper Catawba River, near the North Carolina border, and placed a garrison there under Lieutenant Colonel George Turnbull, a career British officer . In early July, Turnbull ordered Christian Huck, a Philadelphia lawyer and a captain in Tarleton’s British Legion, to find the rebel Patriot Whig leaders and persuade other area residents to swear allegiance to the king. 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 held a great deal of bitterness toward the Patriots in general, and the Scotch-Irish Presbyterians in particular. During an earlier incursion into what was is now Chester County, South Carolina, his troops had murdered an unarmed boy,
reportedly while he was reading a Bible, and burnt the home and library of Rev. John Simpson, a Whig leader and influential Presbyterian minister. A week later, Huck and his men invaded the New Acquisition District of York County, South Carolina, and destroyed the ironworks of William Hill, another influential Whig. Huck’s style in the Catawba River Valley was to rough-up backcountry women, confiscate food and horses, and generally threaten prison and death to any who dared resist the British. This simply encouraged more men to join the rebels, who were organizing a militia brigade under Brigadier General Thomas Sumter. On July 11, 1780, Huck raided the home of the Patriot leader Captain John McClure on Fishing Creek in present-day Chester County, caught his brother and brother-in-law with newly made bullets, and sentenced them to hang as traitors at sunrise the next day. Huck’s detachment, consisting of about 35 British Legion dragoons, 20 New York Volunteers, and 60 Loyalist militia, then advanced once more into the New Acquisition and arrived at the plantation of another Whig militia leader, Colonel William Bratton, later that evening. Shortly thereafter, one of Huck’s soldiers put a reaping hook to the neck of Col. Bratton’s wife, Martha, in an unsuccessful attempt to discover Bratton’s whereabouts. Huck’s second-incommand, Lieutenant William Adamson of the New York Volunteers, intervened and disciplined the offending Loyalist soldier. Huck next arrested three elderly neighbors of the Brattons, including Col. Bratton’s older brother Robert, and told them they too would be executed the next day. Huck then proceeded a quarter of a mile southeast of Bratton’s plantation to the neighboring house of an elderly Whig named James Williamson, where he and his approximately 115 men made camp for the night. The five prisoners were secured in a corncrib to await
execution. With intelligence provided by John McClure’s younger sister, Mary, and a Bratton slave named Watt, the loosely organized Patriot forces swarmed after Huck. About 150 arrived in the vicinity of Williamson’s plantation that night, commanded by experienced militia officers. Huck’s security was extremely lax. 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 Patriot militia rested their rifles on a split rail fence, from which “they took deadly aim at their opponents as they emerged.” Huck mounted a horse to rally his troops and was shot in the head by John Carroll, who had loaded two balls in his rifle. Some of the Loyalists surrendered while others fled, hotly pursued by Whigs seeking vengeance. Tory losses were very high. 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, the entire backcountry seemed to take heart. Frontier militia had defeated soldiers of the feared British Legion. Volunteers streamed in to join the patriot militia brigade of General Thomas Sumter. Huck’s Defeat was a major turning point in the American Revolution in South Carolina. It was the precursor and led the way to the major Patriot victories at King’s Mountain in October and Cowpens in January 1781. REVOLUTIONARY WAR BATTLES IN NORTH CAROLINA The Battle of Ramseur’s Mill Lincolnton, North Carolina June 20, 1780. British Loyalist (Tories) were encamped at Ramsour’s Mill
through the efforts of Lt. Col. John Moore and Maj. Nicholas Welch. These officers left the victorious British on the march from Charleston and arrived at their homes in North Carolina early in June. By June 20, a force of 1,300 zealous British loyalists had collected at Ramsour’s Mill, and was actively engaged in their organization and military training to march and unite with the British in South Carolina. They occupied a wellchosen and advantageous position for offense and defense. It was on a high ridge that slopes three hundred yards to the mill and Clarke’s Creek on the west. Militia Patriot leader Col. Francis Locke collected a force of 400 Rowan and Mecklenburg militia to engage the Tories. His troops met at Mountain Creek, 16 miles from Ramsour’s on Monday, June 19th. The mounted Patriots were under the command of Captains McDowell, Brandon, and Falls, marching slowly toward the Tories position they followed the road due west to the camp, and were not to attack until the footmen under Col. Locke could detour to the south, and make a simultaneous assault. The mounted men came upon a Tory guard some distance from the camp, were fired upon, and charged the camp, but recoiled from their deadly fire. The shots hurried Locke into action, and a like volley felled many of his men. Atop the ridge, Colonel Francis Locke was unable to reform his line and ordered a retreat; however, Captain John Dickey disobeyed Colonel Locke’s orders to retreat and led his company to an advantageous position, where their marksmanship soon turned the battle into victory. When ordered by his superior officer, Colonel Locke, to retreat, he soundly swore, that he would not retreat. Captain Dickey called out, “Shoot straight, my boys, and keep on fighting; I see some of them beginning to tumble.” The Patriots renewed the action, which soon became furious on both sides. The Patriots made a charge
beyond the crest of the ridge, and, advancing from tree to tree, with unerring aim picked off the enemy’s officers and men, and hastened the termination of the conflict. When the Patriots reached the summit they saw the Tories collected beyond the creek, with a white flag
flying. Captain Dickey was credited with saving the day at the Battle of Ramsour’s Mill. THE BATTLE OF CHARLOTTE Charlotte, NC 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 uptown Charlotte. Following his successful routing of a second Continental Army at Camden in August 1780, British General Lord Cornwallis paused with his army in the Waxhaw’s region of northern South Carolina. 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. Cornwallis’ movements were shadowed by Patriot militia companies from North and South Carolina. One force under Thomas Sumter
stayed back and harassed British and Loyalist outposts in the South Carolina backcountry, while another, led by Major William R. Davie, maintained fairly close contact with portions of his force as Cornwallis moved northward. Davie successfully surprised a detachment of Cornwallis’ Loyalist forces at Wahab’s Plantation on September 20, and then moved on to Charlotte, where he set up an ambush to harass Cornwallis’ troops. Charlotte was then a small town, with two main roads crossing at the town center, where the Mecklenburg County courthouse dominated the intersection. Davie positioned three rows of militia at and north of the courthouse, with one behind the stone wall, and placed cavalry companies on the east and west sides of the courthouse, covering the roads leading away in those directions. Finally, he put a company of 20 men behind a house on the southern road, where he was expecting the British advance. Cornwallis would normally have sent Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton and his British Legion to investigate the town. However, Tarleton was ill, so Cornwallis gave the assignment to Tarleton’s subordinate, Major George Hanger, a young Englishman from an aristocratic family. Cornwallis ordered Hanger to cautiously enter the town and check for militia, which he expected to be in the area. Contrary to Cornwallis’ orders, Hanger and his cavalry galloped into town and were immediately engaged by Davies troops. Even after the 20 men behind the house opened fire, Hanger’s men continued to ride on until he was met by heavy 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 continued the charge. 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 some disarray back to Cornwallis and his 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 army’s light infantry had also begun to arrive, and Davie withdrew his forces. 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. Cornwallis’ left flank, commanded by Patrick Ferguson, was virtually destroyed in early October at Kings Mountain, and Cornwallis eventually withdrew to Winnsboro, South Carolina in November on reports of persistent Patriot militia activity in South Carolina. THE BATTLE OF COWAN’S FORD February 1, 1781 Mecklenburg County NC The battle took place when 5,000 British troops led by British General Cornwallis following the Battle of Cowpens ,which took place in January, who was intent on destroying the American forces led by General Nathanael Greene that were retreating to Guilford Courthouse North Carolina. General Greene had instructed Militia leader General William Lee Davidson and his force of approximately 900 militia patriots to slow the British Army’s crossing of the Catawba River at Cowan’s Ford between Lincoln and Mecklenburg counties. General Greene and Daniel Morgan then left to accompany their forces.For three days, the British forces camped at Ramsour’s Mill, where they were joined by the remains of Banastre Tarleton forces. Cornwallis marched his forces eastward toward the river to Jacob Forney’s, where they camped for another three days
London since the Revolution. General Davidson is buried at Hopewell Church in Mecklenburg County, NC.
after he had determined that the Catawba River at Beatties Ford was impassable because of the raging current.Davidson dispatched a company of cavalry and infantry southward four miles to Cowan’s Ford. The cavalry was to see that the British did not make a surprise crossing under cover of darkness. Toward nightfall Davidson joined the detachment at Cowan’s Ford. Near daybreak, after a difficult march in which the British lost some of their cannon, Cornwallis’s army reached Cowan’s Ford. Without hesitating, the British began crossing the swollen stream straight across along the wagon ford and soon the horses were over
THE BATTLE OF GUILFORD COURTHOUSE March 15, 1781 Greensboro, Guilford County North Carolina On March 14, 1781, while encamped in the forks of the Deep River, Cornwallis was informed that Greene was encamped at the Guilford Court House. With him was a body of North Carolina militia, plus reinforcements from Virginia, totaling between 4,0005,000 men. Cornwallis decided to
their heads in the raging torrent. Davidson’s forces immediately began to confront the Redcoats. The militiamen were picking off many British soldiers as they struggled in the water. The Redcoat’s return fire was heavy. Shortly after arriving on the scene, Davidson was struck from his horse by a rifle ball through the heart.It was thought that a local Tory guide fired the fatal shot. Late that evening Davidson’s naked body was found. His corpse was evidently robbed by British soldiers, a fact established on July 3, 2001 when Davidson’s wallet was brought back from England where it had been held in the Public Records Office in
give battle, though he had only 1,900 men at his disposal and set off with his main force, arriving at Guilford at midday.Cornwallis found the Americans in position on rising ground about one and a half miles from the court house. To his front he saw a plantation with a large field straddling both sides of the road, with two more further over on the left separated by 200 yards or so of woodland. To his right beyond the fields the woodland extended for several miles. On the far side of the first field was a fenced wood, 1 mile in depth, through which the road passed into an extensive cleared area around the court house. Along the edge of
this woodland was a fence forming the American first line of defense with 6-pound cannons on each side of the road. General Greene had prepared his defense in three lines. North Carolina militia formed the first line, with backwoods riflemen on the left and right flanks to snipe advancing British. In the second line, he placed the Virginia militia. Two more 6-pound cannons were located in the center of the line. His third and strongest line consisting of his regulars, included the Virginian Regiment, Delaware infantry, and the 1st and 2nd Maryland regiments was 400 yards further on. While superficially resembling the deployment successfully used by Daniel Morgan at Cowpens, the lines were hundreds of yards apart and could not support one another. Cornwallis opted to attack and moved his men forward. When they were about 150 yards short of the fence, a volley was fired from the Americans, but the British continued until they were within musket shot then fired their own volley in return. On a command from Webster, they then charged forward, coming to a halt 50 paces from the American lines because the North Carolina Militia had their arms presented and resting on the picket fence, and were taking aim with deadly precision. Urged onwards by Lieutenant Colonel James Webster the British continued to advance. The North Carolina Militia, to the west of the road, fired their muskets then turned and fled back through the woods, discarding their personal equipment as they ran. The British advanced on the second line. Heavy resistance was shown, but Webster pushed around the flank and on to the American 3rd line. The British army forced its way through the first two lines with significant losses. While many British soldiers were killed from friendly fire, the Americans broke off and retreated from the field. During the battle, Cornwallis had a horse shot from