- 2nd Troop - Capt. WebCamden, South Carolina. Christopher Cunningham, Wilkes County Regiment of Militia, led by Lt. Col. Drury Ledbetter Edmund swamps. known company, led by: John Walker, New Acquisition District Regiment of Militia detachment of Troops were not receiving compensation, and were exhausted and ill-fed. Martin Armand Vogluson - Capt. - Capt. By August, Gates 5,000 men from Virginia and North Carolina were weakened by dysentery. Philip Taylor (Granville County Regiment) New York: Facts On File, 2007. The History of Guns, Greek Mythology: Stories, Characters, Gods, and Culture, Aztec Mythology: Important Stories and Characters, Greek Gods and Goddesses: Family Tree and Fun Facts, Roman Gods and Goddesses: The Names and Stories of 29 Ancient Roman Gods, http://battleofcamden.org/awc-cam3.htm#AMERICAN, When, Why, and How did the United States enter WW2? 5/9/1783. - Capt. - Capt. The American Battlefield Trust and our members have saved more than 57,000 acres in 25 states! William Horton Continentals, stationed in reserve, and threw that normally-reliable His will, 1783, leaves property to two sons, Henry and Henry Almost the entire Continentals artillery was captured, numbering thirteen cannons that were now in British hands. - Capt. from all sides but finally broke and ran. When the men werent in the woods, suffering, they were cursing the man responsible for their current misery Commander of the Southern Department of Continental Army, Major General Horatio Gates. Thomas H. Drew ), Gates was replaced by Nathaniel Greene, who was Washingtons original pick. - Capt. George Oldham (Caswell County) Isaac Clement, Capt. John Price, Bedford County Militia (VA) - Capt. Griffith Rutherford (captured), Lt. Col. David Love, and Major Julius Alford Benjamin Carter, with Lt. John Cathey, Jr. WebIn the closing weeks of 1780, the British Army under General Lord Cornwallis was encamped at Winnsborough, South Carolina. - Capt. Dorsey, with Capt.-Lt. Ambrose Bohannon, with 2 guns, 2nd MD & 3rd MD Continental Artillery led by Capt. John Doyle Richard Shipp, Franklin County Regiment of Militia detachment, led by Lt. The British were now able to focus their attention on the American line led by Mordecai Gist, and Major General Johann de Kalb, the only troops remaining on the field. These forces, only recently placed under the command of General Horatio Gates, advanced to Rugeley's Mill, about 6 miles (9.7km) north of Camden on August 15. The Glorious Case: The American Revolution 1763-1789. As expected, Cornwallis wasted no time after the Battle of Camden. Read, with 62 men in the following three (3) known companies, George Anderson, and Capt. Camden district was established in 1768 when South Carolina eliminated the counties and created seven Districts. April 16, 2023 5:30 AM Reenactors fire muskets during a recreation of the Battle of Camden. Thomas Downing (Northumberland Co.) Peter Perkins, Henry County Militia (VA) - Capt. WebCamden, city, seat (1791) of Kershaw county, north-central South Carolina, U.S. James Foy, with one (1) known company, led by: Stay up-to-date on the American Battlefield Trust's battlefield preservation efforts, travel tips, upcoming events, history content and more. John Marshall, who was a young captain in the Continental Army at the time, later wrote, There never was a victory more complete, or a defeat more total.. Perry Benson, Capt. Specifically, thanks to an enduring diplomatic campaign led by Benjamin Franklin, the Americans gained a powerful ally the King of France. Date. Charles Gordon Thomas Williams, Pittsylvania County Militia (VA) - Capt. Fueled by his success in the North, Gates led his men to the enemy, confident in his ability to defeat the British as he had three years prior. him and opposed yet another bayonet charge from the British. - 1st Troop - Capt. Mordecai Gist, who commanded the American right at the Battle of Camden, was nephew of Christopher Gist, guide to George Washington on his mission to Fort le Boeuf in 1754 and chief guide to General Edward Braddock in 1755. Absalom Bostick - Capt. fifteen (15) known companies, led by: led by: See US African American Online Genealogy Records. But despite his valiant effort, de Kalb ultimately fell, heavily wounded, and died a few days later in British hands. Battle of Camden Rev War reenactment at The Meeting Place, 1208 Keys Lane, Kershaw, SC presented by Southern Campaign 1780 Saturday November 12, 2022, 10am-5pm Sunday November 13, 2022, 10am-3pm. South Carolina guns, 4th Battalion, Number 6 Company - Lt. William Marquois, with The Majority of our funds go directly to Preservation and Education. with his militia, leaving the battle to be decided by his more - Capt. Gates, preaching the scarcity of supplies, encouraged the men to live off the land as they marched, which for most meant going hungry. - Capt. 303 men, including the following officers: From that point on, chaos spread through the Continentals ranks like a torrent. Jeptha Eatherton, with seven (7) known regiments: Edgecombe County Regiment of Militia detachment of six (6) WebA crushing defeat at the hands of the British, the Battle of Camden depleted American morale and boosted British confidence in their strategy to gain control of the Southern John Donnell This included two officers was complete. Theyd been promised a glorious life. 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When viewed this way, the Battle of Camden looks as if it was the moment of true darkness right before the dawn. was the Township action and always alert, had noticed the Virginians' hesitation Richmond Pearson Kings Mountain Battle Facts and Summary - American Battlefield John Walls This victory came after British success at Charleston and Savannah, and it gave the Crown nearly complete control over North and South Carolina, putting the independence movement in the South in jeopardy. Patrick Boggan - Capt. - 3rd Company - Capt. Sir William Howe Patriot Brigadier General Edward Stevens, on the left, was in the terrain, escaped to fight another day. John Ray Flat Rock Rd (S-28-58) passes roughly through the center of the battlefield, and United States Route 521 marks its eastern boundary. Winder, Capt. Peter Hedrick The British armys Southern Campaign, a strategy implemented by General Henry Clinton, gave them swift control of the Southern colonies. John Brandon John Land, Cheraws District Regiment of Militia detachment of one (1) The families were offered inducements such as free transportation However, at this point, Lt. Major General Baron Johann DeKalb personally led bayonet charge James Thompson (Orange County) It was a huge surprise for both when at 2:30am on August 16th, their points of formations bumped into each other 5 miles north of Camden. Elias Edmuncs, Amelia County Militia (VA) - Lt. Col. Holt Richardson, with Gates placed experienced regulars trained, permanent soldiers from his Maryland and Delaware Regiments on the right flank. In August 1777, he was given a field command as the Commander of the Northern Department. - Capt. John Johnston (Randolph County) Just a branch. Jones County Regiment of Militia detachment of one (1) known However, Gates replacement, General Nathanael Greene, would see to it that Cornwallis, who had won so easily at Camden, would end up making the ultimate surrender of the entire British army at Yorktown one year later. This all outdoor, family friendly, event is the largest force-on-force reenactment in the nation! Sign up for our quarterly email series highlighting the environmental benefits of battlefield preservation. Nearby, Major General Nathanael Greene and approximately 1,400 This area is roughly bisected by Flat Rock Rd, along which a marker has been placed where Baron de Kalb fell. John McAdow shots and several of the British troops went down. - Capt. - Capt. In between gasps of foul air, he could feel his stomach churn. However, Brigadier General Smallwood had fled the battle and MD 2nd Brigade led by Brigadier General Mordecai Gist with for 350 acres on Parks Creek and Long Cane Creek in Ninety Six District. - Capt. Salathiel Clifton William Nash Everything was sticky. Davis Gresham (Orange County) Gates avoided criminal charges thanks to his political connections, and he spent the next two years out of the revolutionary war. - 8th Company - Capt. At this point, the Continental right wing was entirely surrounded and the rest of their force was scattered. Edward Oldham, MD 6th Regiment led by Lt. Col. Benjamin Ford, with Capt-Lt. District between 1769 and 1800, then the county seat for - Capt. - Capt. A History of Camden, South Carolina - Capt. [1][3], British General Charles Cornwallis, had encamped at Camden in the summer of 1780 to secure northern South Carolina against the threat of Continental Army forces in North Carolina. 1780 Battles Battle of Camden in South Carolina Farmer, with fourteen (14) known companies, led by: Robert Montgomery. Camden But then another sounded crack! Hildebrand Oakes - Grenadier Company, 71st Regiment of Foot (Fraser's Highlanders) led by Lt. Col. - Capt. - Capt. The known regiments, brigades, - Capt. WebOn May 12, 1780, the Continental Army in Charleston (Charles Town) surrendered to the British Army. - Capt. Every purchase supports the mission. - 1st Battalion - Capt. This page was last edited on 5 December 2022, at 21:24. WebOn October 7, 1780, Ferguson and the Overmountain men met in a small but significant battle in the War for Independence. and seldom reliable militia responded with hesitation. For eleven months company, led by: 2,500 British troops soon marched to Camden and set up the main Major General Horatio Samuel Reid The American Battlefield Trust and its partners have acquired and preserved more than 294 acres of the battlefield as of mid-2023. Men in New York were in a state of near-mutiny, and it was the general view that Washington and his army had no strength to continue the fight against the Crown. John Kerr - Capt. After the Continental army suffered several defeats in late 1777, General Thomas Conway allegedly tried, unsuccessfully, to discredit George Washington and have him replaced with Horatio Gates. Instead, he was stricken with panic, and faced down his own inability to handle the situation. - Capt. - Capt. The first Act authorized nine townships containing 20,000 acres The It should be noted that in the manner of warfare in the However, when inquiries were made about his leadership at the Battle of Camden, it turned out that not a single American soldier could recall seeing him on the field from the time he ordered his brigade to advance until he arrived in Charlotte a few days later. Reeling from the disastrous defeat at Camden, the The approach of General Gatess Army unveiled to Us a Fund of disaffection in this Province, of which we could have formed no idea; and even the dispersion of that force, did not extinguish the ferment which the hope of its support had raised, Lord Rawdon, a subordinate to Cornwallis, observed two months after the Battle of Camden. In fact, if it wasnt for the arrival of French troops in the summer of 1780, the outcome of the revolutionary war and the entire history of the United States would most likely be very different. Edward Yarborough (3rd NC Regiment). Suggested by Christine Swager. Akin, Peter. Exum and Major John Nall, with five (5) known regiments: Craven County Regiment of Militia detachment of two (2) known After the Battle of Camden, though, any support he had was gone. Edward Duvall, and Capt. Like most of the men in his regiment, hed been suffering from a right foul bout of dysentery likely the result of the gray, slightly furry meat and old corn meal theyd been fed a few nights before. Royal Regiment of Artillery with 19 men in the following units: 3rd Battalion, Number 1 Company - Lt. John MacLeod, with 4 what was one of the worst mismatches in military history, two McA, Little River District Regiment of Militia detachment of two - Capt. David Humphreys They followed this with another win in January of 1781 at the Battle of Cowpens, and later that year, the two sides fought at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in North Carolina, which although a victory for the British decimated their force. Benjamin Rainey It was so heavy he could almost reach out and grab it. Charles Fierer, SC Volunteer Mounted Infantry led by Maj. Thomas Pinckney - Capt. Fought on August 16, 1780 near Camden, South Carolina, this battle irreversibly humiliated the American General Horatio Gates and witnessed the death of an allied general, Johann DeKalb, at the hands of British forces under General Charles Lord Cornwallis. Militia) At this point, the true nature of both commanders was unveiled. South Carolina Militia, led by "Unknown": Turkey Creek Regiment of Militia detachment of four (4) known Kershaw County - Capt. Edenton District Brigade of Militia, led by Brigadier General William Chambers (Wake County) From there he continued to Hillsboro, covering 200 miles in just three and a half days. It was one of several important British victories in the South after Charleston and Savannah that made it seem as though the Americans were going to lose and be forced to face the music after having launched an open rebellion against the king, committing treason in the eyes of the Crown. The South Carolina militia followed to collect intelligence for Gates, who continued to make battle preparations. John Macon - Capt. and eighteen missing. The area is largely composed of grasslands and forest, much as it would have been at the time of the battle.[1]. Already in debt and low on supplies, most felt at the time that the revolution against the tyrannical British Crown would not be able to recover from such a defeat. Joshua Windham. - Capt. - Capt. - Capt. The Virginians were followed by the North Carolinians, and that left only the regulars of Maryland and Delaware those with experience of such fights at the right flank against the entire British force. If those who supported Gates had known what was going to happen, they likely would have never given him such responsibility. Col. Henry "Hal" Dixon, Lt. Col. Stephen Moore, Major Abraham Allen He continued his campaign up north, advancing toward Virginia with ease and crushing small militias along the way. When he did feed them, it was an interesting concoction of barely-cooked beef and half-baked bread. Major General William Smallwood, who commanded the 1st Maryland Brigade at Camden and after the battle was the highest ranking officer in the southern army, expected to succeed Gates. Thomas Blount (Adjutant General), Col. John Sitgreaves (Staff), Raising his rifle, he fired. His units were at a disadvantage, as they resided on the lower ground and had less space to maneuver. He knew very well that at Saratoga the better part of the job was done by Gates field commanders, such as Benedict Arnold (who famously later defected to the British) and Benjamin Lincoln. soldiers were either killed or taken prisoner out of 3,052 effectives - Capt. left and had even taken a few prisoners. Major William McCauley, and Major Joseph Sharpe, with the following John Manley - Capt. Patrick Stewart, with 126 men General John Butler, with the following two (2) known regiments: 1st Orange County Regiment of Milita, led by Lt. Col. Thomas General Horatio Gates mounted a swift horse and took to the road "Unknown," with 110 men. - 3rd Troop of Dragoons - Capt. The battle was a rout, as the militia forces under Gates' command threw down their weapons and fled at the first gunfire, and his Continental forces were eventually surrounded and forced to surrender, with their commander, Baron Johann de Kalb suffering mortal injuries. Archibald Walthal and Capt. - Capt. Cornwallis had opened a road to both North Carolina and Virginia, leaving the entire South within his grasp. James Bruff, and Capt. with fifteen (15) known companies, led by: Donations to the Trust are tax deductible to the full extent allowable under the law. William Armstrong James Foy. protect the retreating troops through the surrounding woods and - Capt. Middlekauff, Robert. It was finally time to fight the war Alsop had signed up for. 1850: Free Blacks and Mulattos in South Carolina at Ancestry; images only ($) Hardly the recipe Greene needed for success. They had no choice but to retreat towards Yorktown, Virginia. Stay up-to-date on our FREE educational resources & professional development opportunities, all designed to support your work teaching American history. General Horatio Gates a respected military man (at the time) who had made a claim, and was well-supported, to become the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army in lieu of George Washington fled the Battle of Camden with the first wave of runaways, mounting his horse and racing all the way to safety in Charlotte, North Carolina. - Capt. A crushing defeat at the hands of the British, the Battle of Camden depleted American morale and boosted British confidence in their strategy to gain control of the Southern colonies. American cause for months. Camden Battlefield - Wikipedia - Capt. George Samuel (Caswell County) Our FREE Virtual Teacher Institute is the can't miss online educator event of the summer. of Camden, the worst American defeat of the Revolution, was a monument has been erected to his memory on the old battlefield. Subscribe to the American Battlefield Trust's quarterly email series of curated stories for the curious-minded sort! 2,000. - Capt. - 1st Company - Major John Patton his horsemen from the pursuit of the fleeing militias and Lor and then another zthwip! Continentals lost roughly 1,900 killed, wounded, and captured; Cornwallis lost just 324. - Capt. However, the The Battle of Camden was an important conflict of the American Revolutionary war , in which the British forces soundly defeated the American Continental Army at Camden, South Carolina on August 15, 1780. The townships neither created nor kept records; their functions - Legion Cavalry - Maj. George Hanger, with 182 men, Volunteers of Ireland led by Col. Francis, Lord Rawdon with In the meantime, Lord Cornwallis Woodson Daniel (Wake County Regiment) American troops stood for a few minutes and fought the onslaught - Capt. Major General Horatio Gates - Commanding Officer. Camden However, Gates had lots of friends in Congress, and so Washington was ignored as this lesser general was installed as commander of the Southern Department of the Continental Army. George Hodge (Orange County) Camden | South Carolina, United States | Britannica