Col. Isaac Hayne had been captured at Horse Shoe in July and brought to Charlestown for trial. He was found guilty by the British of violating his parole and was hanged for treason on August 4th. Hayne instantly became a martyr to the Patriot cause and his name was a new rallying cry for all South Carolinian Patriots. Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene wrote the British in Charlestown "that retaliation shall immediately take place, not on the tory militia officers, but it shall fall on the heads of regular British officers."

Soon thereafter, Maj. Gen. Greene ordered Brig. Gen. Francis Marion to strike at the enemy's lines of communications down to Charlestown.

Brig. Gen. Francis Marion in turn sent Col. John Ervin to disrupt communications along the Santee River. Col. Ervin captured an enemy convoy south of the Santee River and took Capt. Campbell, two other British officers, and a private prisoner. Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene confined these prisoners to the camp provost for possible reprisal for the recent death of Patriot Col. Isaac Hayne.

Capt. Campbell, with unknown number of men

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