South Carolina And The American Revolution

An assessment of critical battles on the southern front that led to American independence An estimated one-third of all combat actions in the American Revolution took place in South Carolina. From the partisan clashes of the backcountry's war for the hearts and minds of settlers to bloody encounters with Native Americans on the frontier, more battles were fought in South Carolina than any other of the original thirteen states. The state also had more than its share of pitched battles between Continental troops and British regulars. In South Carolina and the American Revolution: A Battlefield History, John W. Gordon illustrates how these encounters, fought between 1775 and 1783, were critical to winning the struggle that secured Americas independence from Great Britain. According to Gordon, when the war reached stalemate in other zones and the South became its final theater, South Carolina was the decisive battleground. Recounting the clashes in the state, Gordon identifies three sources of attack: the powerful British fleet and seaborne forces of the British regulars; the Cherokees in the west; and, internally, a loyalist population numerous enough to support British efforts towards reconquest. From the successful defense of Fort Sullivan (the palmetto-log fort at the mouth of Charleston harbor), capture and occupation of Charleston in 1780, to later battles at King's Mountain and Cowpens, this chronicle reveals how troops in South Carolina frustrated a campaign for restoration of royal authority and set British troops on the road to ultimate defeat at Yorktown. Despite their successes in 1780 and 1781, the British found themselves with a difficult military problem—having to wage a conventional war against American regular forces while also mounting a counterinsurgency against the partisan bands of Francis Marion, Andrew Pickens, and Thomas Sumter. In this comprehensive assessment of one southern state's battlegrounds, Gordon examines how military policy in its strategic, operational, and tactical dimensions set the stage for American success in the Revolution.

Later printings by N.C. Dept. of Cultural Resources, Division of Archives and History.

"...Puts into perspective the choices people faced because of the changing fortunes of the two sides, the civil war that raged in the backcountry and how it affected those who lived through it, and the decisions thrust upon families to flee to new lives in other parts of the empire or to make peace with the state government in hopes of remaining in South Carolina"--Book jacket.

From one of the South′s foremost historians, this is the dramatic story of the conflict in South Carolina that was one of the most pivotal contributions to the American Revolution. In 1779, Britain strategised a war to finally subdue the rebellious American colonies with a minimum of additional time, effort, and blood. Setting sail from New York harbour with 8,500 ground troops, a powerful British fleet swung south towards South Carolina. One year later, Charleston fell. And as King George′s forces pushed inland and upward, it appeared the six-year-old colonial rebellion was doomed to defeat. In a stunning work on forgotten history, acclaimed historian Walter Edgar takes the American Revolution far beyond Lexington and Concord to re-create the pivotal months in a nation′s savage struggle for freedom. It is a story of military brilliance and devastating human blunders - and the courage of an impossibly outnumbered force of demoralised patriots who suffered terribly at the hands of a merciless enemy, yet slowly gained confidence through a series of small triumphs that convinced them their war could be won. Alive with incident and colour.

In December 1780, former Quaker turned general Nathanael Greene took command of the entire Southern Department. He reported only to George Washington himself. Leadership of the southern states to that point in the American Revolution had failed, as the British held all major southern cities, including the important port city of Charleston. Greene faced the British in several key battles in South Carolina in 1781 and ultimately was able to rid the state of the British and free Charleston, but not until 1782, long after the victory at Yorktown. Join author and historian Leigh Moring as she tells the forgotten story of General Nathanael Greene and the liberation of the Lowcountry at the end of the American Revolution.

Captain Wilkins: Ready to fire the town on your order, sir. Colonel Tavington: The town? Huh, burn the church. Captain Wilkins: There's no honor in this. Colonel Tavington: Didn't you say, all those who stand against England deserve to die a traitor's death? Burn the church, Cap This scene in the movie The Patriot raises several questions. Did the British burn churches during the American Revolution? Were churches burned with people locked inside? As you have probably guessed, the correct answers are "yes" and "no." Like many South Carolinians, Jim Neal saw this movie. Since retiring, he had done some part-time work, but always finds himself drawn back to his first love - South Carolina history. Neal knew of a couple of churches had been burned - Old Waxhaw Presbyterian Church in Lancaster, where his mother had been a member, and Sheldon in Beaufort County, where a roadside marker states it was burned by the British. He became intrigued with learning about the churches in South Carolina that were burned and quickly discovered that a list did not exist. With help from the South Caroliniana Library, S.C. Department of Archives and History and Southern Campaigns of the American Revolution, he began to research the churches. Bill Segars's career as a general contractor working from his home base in Kellytown, S.C., was rewarding, but he was drawn to the older churches that he would drive by as he traveled to his company's building sites. His passion for history and his knowledge of construction came together, thanks to Larry Nix, who introduced him to old churches through his book The Old Churches of South Carolina. This 46-page volume contained a brief description of 185 pre-Civil War churches that exist in South Carolina. With this book, a camera and a map in hand, Segars set out on a quest to find, photograph, and research these buildings. His file of churches exceeded 700 when he encountered a book on historical United Methodist churches and places in South Carolina...written by Jim Neal. A phone call by Segars and a couple of meetings resulted in a partnership. The book is subtitled A Pictorial Guide, but it could have justifiably been named A Pictorial Journey. You will find photographs of each site, directions, even GPS coordinates. In addition, the authors have included information on what happened at each site. You will find that history is not always as presented and that we are still learning about these churches. Join Neal and Segars on this adventure to Churches in South Carolina Burned During the American Revolution