Revolutionary War Historical Article
The American Revolution Month-by-Month November 1780
By Compatriot Andrew "Andy" Stough
Editor's Note: This article was reprinted by Permission of the Gold Country Chapter No. 7 of the CSSAR and was slightly edited by the Sons of Liberty Chapter of the CSSAR
November, 1780, was a month mainly of reflection as to where each partisan group belonged. Tories who after Charleston had so rapidly rushed to embrace the cause of King George and trained as British Regulars and then imposed the British will upon the southern states were taking a second look at the situation. Kings Mountain had changed everything. It was now obvious that British Regulars and Tories equally well trained were no longer supreme in Georgia and the Carolinas. There would be few pitched battles but American guerilla hit-and-run tactics would be like a pack of jackals constantly ripping the backside of the British Lion.
The trial and conviction of some 40 Tory prisoners from Kings Mountain and the hanging of ten of their number warned Tories that their unbridled and inhumane treatment of prisoners and innocent civilians would no longer be tolerated. General British Commander-in-Chief General Sir Henry Clinton had threatened that if his Adjutant Major John Andre was hanged that American prisoners would also pay the price by hanging. Patriot Commander-in-Chief General George Washington’s steadfastness and his warning to Clinton that many Britons who were also prisoners of war would suffer an identical fate as any Americans who were hanged or ill treated by the British was a promise, not a threat. In light of the certainty that Loyalist prisoners of war would be treated in kind for any mistreatment of Americans, Clinton failed to make the promised reprisals for Andre’s hanging. From Kings Mountain onward it would be a new kind of war; one in which the Lion would suffer more than the Jackal.
British Lt. Colonel Banastre Tarleton was sent to reinforce Major Patrick Ferguson but failed to arrive in time for the battle at Kings Mountain. Returning to Lt. General Charles Earl Cornwallis' camp at Charlotte, North Carolina, Tarleton gave the news of Ferguson’s defeat and a rumor that 3,000 Americans from Kings Mountain were now enroute toward Ninety-six and Camden in South Carolina. Thus Cornwallis delayed his grand design to capture and control the South to go to the support of his western bases. His march south was fraught with exposure from constant rain, flooded marshes, mired roads, hunger, and disease. Cornwallis himself was stricken with a fever and transported in a wagon during the march. Not only was nature turning on them but bodies of militia emboldened by the recent success at Kings Mountain and now by this retreat of Cornwallis were constantly harassing his rearguard and frequently making off with a supply wagon or two thereby further reducing much needed British equipment and rations. Reaching Winnsboro, South Carolina, Cornwallis went into camp for most of the remaining days of October and into November. The Americans remained at Hillsboro, North Carolina, attempting to reconstitute what had been an army before the Battle of Camden.
After Patriot General Horatio Gates' defeat at Camden he still had Congress' trust and confidence in his ability. But he did not have the support of the people or the trust of the army as a leader. General Washington was given the task of appointing a new commander for what remained of the Southern Army. On November 14th, Washington appointed Major General Nathanael Greene to relieve Gates. Greene was a veteran general who along with Washington had learned the art of war by practicing it since the Siege of Boston. Newly assigned to command at West Point, Greene had looked forward to a period in which he could be reunited with his wife Kitty. Unfortunately, Kitty arrived at West Point to find that her husband had departed for his new assignment several hours before her arrival.
Greene, upon his departure from West Point, made stops at numerous places to ask dignitaries to assist in the reconstitution of the army by supplying men, weapons, uniforms and food for the troops at Hillsboro and above all for pledging a continuing supply of necessities for his army. He was not particularly successful. Most states considered themselves as affiliated with the Continental Congress but not as subservient to the Continental Congress. Instead, they saw themselves as sovereign entities with their own military, naval forces and privateers; any and all to be used as they saw fit. And, of course, there was the continuing lack of hard cash. Both the Continental Congress and the States had resorted to printing their own money – all of which by now was either worthless or almost so. Under these conditions it is remarkable that Greene could build and then rebuild an army that appeared always to lose, but could recoup time after time; gaining new troops who came back to fight courageously another day. On November 27th, Greene was at Hillsboro preparing for the change of command of the Southern Army. The actual change of command would not occur until December 2nd.
While the two armies lay encamped, Patriot Officers Daniel Morgan, Francis Marion and Thomas Sumter were busy with plans of their own. Brigadier General Daniel Morgan had raised a new crop of riflemen and set off to capture Rugeley’s mills in South Carolina. There they found a log barn well fortified and manned by Tories. Determining that the fort was impregnable to sharpshooters or assault by cavalry or men he resorted to guile. Nothing but cannon could reduce the fort. Having no cannon, Morgan determined to build one fashioned from a log of correct proportions and supported on a set of wheels. When completed it was rolled into position and an ultimatum issued to the fort. "Surrender, or be blown asunder by cannon fire!" The commander and garrison surrendered. With the aid of the "Quaker Cannon" as it was dubbed, Morgan led the entire command; a colonel, a major and 107 privates back to his camp at New Providence.
Colonel Francis Marion with his irregulars was raising recruits in the area between Charleston and Camden. Cornwallis who saw this as an attempt to cut his supply line, sent Tarleton to suppress Marion. Marion rather than fight a superior force, simply disappeared into the swamps of South Carolina. Colonel Thomas Sumter, also active in the area, was subjected to a cavalry attack by other troops sent out by Cornwallis. On November 9th the British commander Major Wemyss thought that he could surprise Sumter in his camp at Fish Dam Ford. Sumter was not surprised and the hunter became the hunted. Major Wemyss was captured along with 25 of his men. The remainder retreated, leaving the field to Sumter who now appeared to be moving toward Ninety-six, South Carolina.
Cornwallis recalled Tarleton and sent him after Sumter, who, aware of Tarleton's orders, had secured a site for an assault. Tarleton, outrunning his foot soldiers attacked with 250 cavalry. Sumter, with no intention of facing the British and Tories in the European manner, had set up his force of 420 men to fight from cover at Blackstock’s Plantation. When Tarleton appeared he saw that he was outnumbered and decided to wait for his foot soldiers to arrive. Sumter, unwilling to fight the consolidated force, sent 100 men to prevent the British foot soldiers from joining with Tarleton. Forced into action, Tarleton led several charges up hill against fortified buildings. Unable to breach the fortifications he was forced to withdraw. Sumter lost 3 killed and 4 wounded. Tarleton admitted to the killing or wounding of 51 of his 250 man force. Sumter, fearing an attack by Tarleton’s recombined force, withdrew to a safe area across the Tiger River. Tarleton claimed victory since Sumter abandoned the field of battle. This was a foreboding of what was to come. The British would claim victory but they would pay a high price in men and materiel.
Britain had just declared war on the United Netherlands to prevent them joining the League of Armed Neutrality. The League had been created by Russia on March 10th, 1780, for the purpose of refusing Britain the right to stop, search and in some cases seize the League’s ships on the high seas. This did nothing directly for the United States in the land war with Britain but it kept the Royal Navy and some soldiers occupied and unavailable in America. The war with the Netherlands was short; ending with the loss of some Netherlands possessions in the East Indies and a general loss of power.
December 1780, will see continuing activity by Morgan, Sevier and other irregulars.
References: Arthur Meier Schlesinger’s "Almanac of American History"; Christopher Ward's "The War of the Revolution"; Bruce Lancaster's " The American Revolution".
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