 |
||||
|
|
||||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
| Patriot Cdr: |
|
British Cdr: |
|
| Killed: |
|
Killed: |
|
| Wounded: |
|
Wounded: |
|
| Captured: |
|
Captured: |
|
| Old District: |
|
Present County: |
|
 Skirmish, Maj. William Clay Snipes vs. Capt. John Saunders. The British began sending out patrols into this area from their base at Dorchester, where various mounted detachments were routinely stationed. Early in June, Capt. John Saunders of the Queen's Rangers led a party of horse, including some units of Col. Robert Ballingall's Colleton County Loyalist militia, in pursuit of a Patriot force under Maj. William Clay Snipes of Sumter's state troops. Maj. Snipes was encamped on his own plantation, at the Horse Shoe. Capt. Saunders' men swam their horses across the Edisto River at Parker's Ferry, and surprised Maj. Snipes and his men at daybreak on June 3, 1781. The Patriots were totally routed; only Maj. Snipes and three of his men escaped. Eighteen Americans were put to the sword, and some others may have been killed when Snipes's mill house was set on fire. William Clay Snipes had been a captain under Lt. Col. Peter Horry in Marion's Brigade, yet he was not satisfied being a mere captain. He consulted with Brig. Gen. Thomas Sumter and Lt. Col. William Polk who agreed to promote him to major and allowing him to raise his own company of State Troops under Lt. Col. Polk. Maj. Snipes recruited men from Marion's Brigade, and this irritated both Marion and Horry, who did not accept Snipes's promotion as being legitimate. They felt that Sumter was meddling in their own territory and had no business offering promotions to their men, so Marion took it up with Continental Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene. Greene had no power over the militias, so the matter went no further - there is no documentation to suggest that Marion went to Gov. John Rutledge about this matter. |
|||
|
|
|
||
|
Polk's Regiment of Light Dragoons detachment of one (1) known company - Snipes's Company of Horse Militia led by Maj. William Clay Snipes with 25 men - - - |
Queen's Rangers led by Capt. John Saunders with Cornet Thomas Merritt SC Royalists Light Dragoons led by Lt. Stephen Jarvis Colleton County Regiment of Loyalist Militia led by "Unknown" Independent Horse Loyalist Militia led by Capt. Alexander Chesney |
||
 |
 |
© 2009 - J.D. Lewis - PO Box 1188 - Little River, SC 29566 - All Rights Reserved