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.

The South Carolina Encyclopedia Guide to the American Revolution in South Carolina details the people, places, and struggles that defined the region's prominent role in the path to American liberty from British authority. Nearly 140 battles of the American Revolution were fought in South Carolina, more than in any other colony. As America's first civil war, the revolution pitted Loyalists against partisans and patriots in the fierce combat that established the legacies of figures such as Francis Marion, Nathanael Greene, Peter Horry, Henry and John Laurens, Daniel Morgan, and Andrew Jackson. In addition to profiling these leaders, this guide also chronicles the major combat operations, including the battles of Ninety Six, Cowpens, Camden, Kings Mountain, and Charleston Harbor. Also documented are the vital contributions of African Americans and Native Americans in the struggle and the roles of Revolutionary War heroines such as Kate Barry, Emily Geiger, Rebecca Brewton Motte, and Dorcas Nelson Richardson. The origins of the South Carolina state flag and seal in the war are detailed as well in this treasure trove of fascinating information for students and historians of the American Revolution.

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

Paul Revere's midnight ride; the Battles at Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill; and the people and places associated with the early days of the American Revolution hold a special place in America's collective memory. Often lost in this narrative is the pivotal role that South Carolina played in the Revolutionary conflict, especially when the war moved south after 1780. Drawing upon the entries in the award-winning South Carolina Encyclopedia, this volume shines a light on the central role South Carolina played in the story of American independence. During the war, more than 200 battles and skirmishes were fought in South Carolina, more than any other state. The battles of Ninety Six, Cowpens, Charleston Harbor, among others, helped to shape the course of the war and are detailed here. It also includes well-known leaders and lesser-known figures who contributed to the course of American history. As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of its independence, this volume serves as a reminder of the trials and sacrifice that were required to make a new nation.