Revolutionary War Historical Article
The American Revolution Month-by-Month September 1781
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
September, 1781 begins with the forces of American Commander-in-Chief General George Washington and Lt. General Rochambeau reaching Philadelphia on September 1st, where they received a joyous welcome. The citizens of Philadelphia were particularly impressed by the appearance of the French in their fine uniforms and their soldierly appearance and actions. They were greatly impressed by the manners and figure cut by Rochambeau.
The next day, September 2nd, British Commander-in-Chief Sir Henry Clinton learned that Washington and Rochambeau had slipped away. It was obvious to him that they were heading for Yorktown. It was by that time too late for the fastest ship to warn Cornwallis to leave Yorktown for the interior where he could avoid being surrounded.
On September 4th, a letter arrived from General Mordecai Gist informing Washington that the French fleet was in the Chesapeake, where on September 5th, Admiral de Grasse debarked 3,000 men to add to Lafayette’s force.
On September 6th, the combined armies of Washington and Rochambeau arrived at Head of Elk to await transportation to Williamsburg,Virginia. At this point it is interesting to note that British General Benedict Arnold, who had been recalled to New York, was in Connecticut and on the same day, September 6th, was looting and burning the port city of New London, Connecticut.
British Admirals Thomas Graves and Samuel Hood left New York to intercept Admiral de Barras before he could meet de Grasse at the Chesapeake and to guard the entrance to the Chesapeake denying de Grasse entrance. Upon arrival, they found that de Grasse was already in control of the Chesapeake and had debarked his troops in support of General Lafayette. When the British fleet arrived, de Grasse moved out and engaged them.
The battle began in late afternoon and raged on for several hours until it was obvious that the British could not match the overwhelming superiority of the French fleet. After the battle, British Admirals Graves and Hood hovered off the coast for several days before returning to New York. The Royal Navy was never again capable of challenging De Grasse, leaving Cornwallis isolated both by land and by sea. Count de Barras arrived uninterrupted on September 9th from Newport, Rhode Island, with additional troops to join Rochambeau.
Beginning September 14th, de Grasse began transportation of the French and American forces up the Chesapeake from Head of Elk to Williamsburg completing the operation on September 24th.
On September 28th, 9,000 Americans and 7,000 French begin the siege of Yorktown.
SOUTH CAROLINA – Intelligence reports told American General Nathanael Greene that British troops were approaching his encampment but were unable to come closer than 16 miles due to high water. Greene moved around the flooding with the intention of surprising them. On September 7th, the Americans were close to the British encampment at Eutaw Springs. Here General Francis Marion joined the force as did General Andrew Pickens with a group of South Carolina state infantry and General Thomas Sumter with South Carolinians. The force was now recuperated and healthy but it numbered only 2,400 men of which 200 were assigned to guard the small supply train. As usual, reinforcements had been promised and as usual, none had appeared.
It was now up to the old stand-bys to face British Lt. Colonel James Stuart encamped at Eutaw Springs with 2,000 mixed British and Tories. British regulars were predominant in Stuart's force but the majority of Tories were deserters from the Continental Army. On the other hand, many of Greene’s men were deserters from the British army. Considering this, Greene said: "At the close of the war, we fought the enemy with British soldiers; and they fought us with those of America." Christopher Ward states (see References) "Perhaps in no other battle of the war were the opposing forces so fairly matched." Hessians, in particular, are known to have deserted in fairly large numbers and settled in the United States. Were these the deserters who made up so much of Greene’s army? I am sure that the irregulars of Sumter, Pickens, and Marion were all Americans and primarily Americans by birth.
Believing that Greene was unable to move due to flooding, Stuart felt secure encamped in a well fortified position; an eight acre, palisaded enclosure with water from a creek and a stoutly built brick house. He lacked information concerning the location of the American army until on September 8th two North Carolina deserters appeared at six o’clock and warned him of Greene’s advancing army. He did not believe their report but sent a large party of foot and horse to check their story. This group was surprised and partially destroyed. Its remnants returned in precipitate flight to their base at Eutaw springs where Stuart was warned of the advancing Americans.
While preferring the European order of battle with two armies drawn up in an open field, British officers Cornwallis, Rawdon and Stuart had learned to incorporate American tactics in their battle plans. With this in mind, Stuart formed his main line of battle in the open across Charleston Road but modified the open formation to include a concealed force off the road in a stand of blackjack trees. This in itself was one of the factors that saved him from defeat. As the battle waxed hot and heavy the men in the trees did untold damage to the Americans, including destroying most of Colonel William Washington’s cavalry and capturing Washington when in desperation he charged the woods.
Much of the British force was forced back through their camp and ran pell mell down the road towards Charleston. Victory seemed inevitable until the attacking force discovered the British supply train and turned their attention to plunder and consumption of rum, instead of continuing to push the British on down the road. Stuart, alert to the turn of events and the disorganization of the American line, rallied and reformed his troops to charge the now disorganized Americans. While this represented only a small number of troops it was sufficient to allow Stuart to save the day. It is possible that Greene could have won the day by throwing in all of his reserves. His philosophy had always been to win. Short of winning he would inflict as much punishment as possible on the enemy but never gamble with his entire army. If victory was not possible then the army must be saved to fight another day and so it was at Eutaw Springs. American casualties were heavy, one fourth of Greene’s men had been killed or wounded (522 men wounded or killed and eight missing.) Stuart’s losses were greater. amounting to two-fifths of his force (866 dead or wounded and 430 missing). Both sides claimed victory but it was more nearly a draw; after three hours fighting in the summer heat both sides were exhausted.
The following day Greene planned to again attack Stuart while he retreated toward Charleston. This plan was abandoned when reinforcements arrived for Stuart. This was the last great battle in the South; Britain was now confined to the areas around Charleston and Savannah.
Greene, without British or Tory Resistance, moved to a political role; restoring law and order by the re-establishment of legislatures and civilian enforcement of law and order backed up by Greene and his army.
The siege of Yorktown began on September 28th. The surrender at Yorktown in October 1781 signals the end of major battles in the War For American Independence. October, 1781 will also be the next to final article for the monthly series entitled "The American Revolution – Month by Month." A final summary entitled "After Yorktown" will follow and will be listed under the year 1782.
References: Christopher Ward's "The War of the Revolution"; Bruce Lancaster's "The American Revolution"; Dan Higginbotham’s "The War of American Independence";Arthur Meier Schlesinger's "The Almanac of American History"; James Thomas Flexner's "George Washington, The Indispensable Man"; Encyclopedia Britannica; "The Revolutionary Years".
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