|
South Carolinians
Outside of South Carolina During the Revolution |
|
Date |
Battle/Skirmish |
SC Provincials or Militia |
|
August 8, 1775 |
St. Augustine, FL |
Capt. Clement Lampriere of Mount Pleasant left
Port Royal on his armed sloop Commerce and captured the
British brigantine Betsy off St. Augustine with 11,000
lbs. of gunpowder. |
|
Mar. 11-12 1776 |
Hutchinson's Island and Savannah, GA |
SC Council of Safety ordered Col. Stephen Bull
with 222 men (95 from Beaufort District, 127 from Charles Town
District) to counter the British naval forces of East Florida
that had been harassing the Georgia coast. |
|
Sep. 1776 |
St. Augustine, FL |
Governor John Rutledge ordered Col. William Thomson
of the SC 3rd Regiment of Rangers to accompany Maj. Gen. Charles
Lee of Charlestown on an expedition to St. Augustine, FL. Two
days after leaving Savannah, the SC government sent an express
to return northward. |
|
Sep. 19, 1776 |
Coweecho
River, NC
(aka the Black Hole)
|
Col. Andrew Williamson with Lt. Col. Thomas Sumter
and 100 men of the SC 6th Regiment, plus about 1,900 SC militia
under Col. Thomas Neel, Col. John Thomas, Sr., Maj. Andrew Pickens,
Capt. Edward Lacey, Capt. Joseph Hamilton (Hamilton's Artillery),
and Capt. Samuel Boykin with his company of Catawba Indians surprised
by 50 Loyalists and 250 Cherokees. |
|
Oct. 14, 1776 |
Altamaha River, GA |
As ordered, Col. William Thomson sent a detachment
led by Capt John Caldwell with 100 men to Fort Barrington on
the Altamaha River in Georgia. On Oct. 18, a second detachment
of eight men under Lt. Barnes was sent. On Dec. 28, Capt. Richard
Winn was sent to relieve Capt. John Caldwell's two detachments. |
|
Feb. 23 - Mar. 15, 1777 |
Fort
McIntosh on the Satilla, GA |
A detachment of Col. William Thomson's SC 3rd
Regiment of Rangers under Capt. Richard Winn sent to build a
Patriot fort near a British fort in Georgia. British from Florida
seized the fort and captured the Patriots. |
|
Mar. - May, 1777 |
Caribbean Islands |
SC privateer Rutledge patrolled near Martinique
for two months. On March 4th, it captured the brig Endeavor
bound for Africa. On April 2nd, she took the brig Diana bound
for Cork. Also in April, she captured a slaver from Guinea. On
April 30th, she captured the Royal George, but it slipped
away. On May 3rd, she captured the sloop Nancy bound for
Jamaica. |
|
Mar. 2, 1777 |
Haiti |
HMS Hound captured the Chance,
with members of the SC 1st Regiment on board. Ten days later,
it was lost in a storm. |
|
Mar. 13, 1777 |
Jamaica |
SC Navy schooner Defense took three large
ships loaded with rum and sugar. |
|
Apr. 2, 1777 |
Delaware Coast |
SC Navy schooner Defense captured by two
British frigates, the Perseus and the Roebuck. |
|
May 21, 1777 |
St. Augustine, FL |
SC Navy brig Comet captured the Apalachicola,
a London brig carrying dry goods to St. Augustine. |
|
May 25, 1777 |
St. Augustine, FL |
SC Navy brig Comet battles privateer Rebecca,
owned by Capt. John Mowbray, off coast of St. Augustine. The
Comet had two men killed and four wounded by close musket
fire. |
|
Jun. 2-5, 1777 |
Dry Harbour, Jamaica |
SC privateer Washington captured the Blakeney,
another sloop full of logwood, two longboats, a sloop, then sailed
to Havana, which was a safe port for privateers. |
|
Jun. 8, 1777 |
St. John's River, FL |
SC privateer Cotesworth Pinckney owned
by Capt. William Ranking captured the sloop Mary with
a cargo of rum, sugar, beef, candles, and butter. Capt. Bissell
and seven sailors placed aboard to take her to Charlestown, but
it was captured by Capt. John Mowbray on the Daphne. |
|
Jun. 13, 1777 |
Castle
Harbour, Bermuda |
Charles and Francis Morgan of SC attacked with
their two armed brigs. They burned the harbor fort, captured
the sloop Ana, and took it to Charlestown. |
|
Jul. 14, 1777 |
Florida Coast |
SC Navy brigantine Notre Dame with Capt.
Stephen Seymore captured the British brigantine Judith
bound from Londonderry to St. Augustine. |
|
Oct. 1777 |
Gulf of Mexico |
SC Navy brig Notre Dame, commanded by
Lt. William Hall, captured two merchantmen, the John and
the Jemmy & Sally, in the Gulf of Mexico. |
|
Dec, 22, 1777 |
Cuba |
SC Navy brig Comet, commanded by Capt.
James Pyne, captured by Royal Navy ship Daphne. Capt. Pyne was
sent to New York as a prisoner, and his crew was forced to become
Royal Navy seamen - four decided to escape. |
|
Mar. 7-8, 1778 |
Barbados |
Continental Navy frigate Randolph, commanded
by Capt. Nicholas Biddle, with mostly impressed British seamen
taken from jail in Philadelphia, was sent with several other
ships to intercept British shipping in the West Indies. On board
were 52 men of the SC 1st Regiment led by Capt. Joseph Ioor,
Lt. Gray, and Lt. Simons. On March 7th, they engaged the 64-gun
Yarmouth out of Antigua, with cannons firing and the SC
infantrymen shooting at the enemy's decks. The Randolph
was clearly winning the fight when an enemy shell hit its powder
magazine and exploded. Only four sailors of the Randolph
survived. |
|
May-July 1778 |
March
Through Georgia
(Florida Expedition)
|
Maj. Gen. Robert Howe, with GA and SC militia,
marched through Georgia, reaching the St. Mary's River and capturing
Fort Tonyn. Maj. Samuel Wise's detachment returned to Savannah,
where they remained for a while. Col. Charles Cotesworth Pinckney
and the remaining SC troops returned via ship to Charlestown. |
|
Jun. 22, 1778 |
Ogeechee
River, GA |
Capt. James Moore with some East Florida Rangers
was ambushed and he was wounded and captured. |
|
June 28, 1778 |
Battle
of Monmouth (NJ) |
Col. John Smith of what later became Darlington
County was commended by General George Washington for his bravery. |
|
Nov. 29, 1778 |
Capture
of Savannah |
Lt. Col. Archibald Campbell defeated Maj. Gen.
Robert Howe's army on this date, and Savannah fell into the hands
of the British. Maj. Samuel Wise's men formed the right wing
of Maj. Gen. Howe's army, which was commanded by Brig. Gen. Isaac
Huger. |
|
Dec. 29, 1778 |
Savannah |
Detachments of the SC 3rd Regiment and SC 4th
Regiment assisted Maj. Gen. Robert Howe's army against a much
larger British force that finally took the town. |
|
Jan. 6-10, 1779 |
Fort
Morris, GA |
A detachment of the SC 3rd Regiment of Rangers
led by Lt. James Robinson with 26 men joined the GA Patriots
in a futile attempt to fend off a much larger British force.
Supported by detachment of SC 4th Regiment (Artillery). |
|
Feb. 3, 1779 |
Augusta, GA |
Lt. Col. Archibald Campbell vs. Col. Andrew Williamson
and Col. Andrew Pickens along the Savannah River. |
|
Feb. 8-10, 1779 |
Carr's
Fort, GA |
Col. Andrew Pickens with 250 men of the Upper
Ninety-Six District Regiment, a detachment of NC Militia, and
the GA Militia under Col. John Dooly attempted to retake the
fort from the Loyalists, but were forced to abandon their seige
when they learned more Loyalists were soon coming. |
|
Feb. 14, 1779 |
Kettle
Creek, GA |
Col. Andrew Pickens with 200 men joined the Georgia
Militia in defeating the Loyalists gathered at Kettle Creek. |
|
Feb. 18, 1779 |
Herbert's Store, GA |
Col. LeRoy Hammond, his Lower Ninety-Six District
Regiment, and Georgians John McIntosh and Lt. Col. John Twiggs
captured and killed a British garrison and captured 200 horses. |
|
Mar. 3, 1779 |
Briar
Creek, GA |
NC Militia Maj. Gen. John Ashe commanded a force
of over 2,300 men, including a detachment of the SC 3rd Brigade
of Militia led by Brig. Gen. Andrew Williamson, and a detachment
of the SC 4th Regiment of Artillery led by Lt. Col. John Faucheraud
Grimke with 50 men and three guns, along with others from NC
and GA. Got their butts whipped. |
|
Mar. 20, 1779 |
Abercorn Creek, GA |
SC Navy galley Congress, commanded by
Capt. Robert Campbell with 70 men and 17 guns, along with 36
men of an independent company of seamen - and - the galley Lee,
commanded by Capt. Jacob Milligan with 130 French sailors and
12 guns, fight the armed sloop HMS Greenwich with 12 guns
and an unknown galley and flatboat. Capt. Campbell was killed
along with 39 other either killed or wounded. |
|
Mar. 21, 1779 |
Crossroads, Beech Island, GA |
Col. Eli Kershaw of the Camden District Regiment
supported Lt. Col. John Twiggs of the GA Militia against Maj.
John Spurgin with about 200 GA Loyalist militia. |
|
Mar. 22, 1779 |
Rocky Comfort Creek, GA |
SC militia led by Col. LeRoy Hammond with 300
men, and Maj. John Ross of the 2nd Spartan Regiment with about
200 men ran into Loyalist Capt. Alexander McGillivray with 10
men and about 40 Creek Indians. |
|
April 1779 |
North Atlantic Ocean |
Capt. Thomas Pickering killed during a mid-ocean
battle between his ship, the Hampton, and an East Indiaman
that was armed with 36 guns. |
|
Apr. 19, 1779 |
Savannah, GA |
Sgt. William Jasper and Sgt. John Newton of the
SC 2nd Regiment crossed the Savannah River and captured Captains
Scott and Young, and brought them to Charlestown. |
|
Jul. 21, 1779 |
Ebenezer, GA |
Sgt. William Jasper alone and once with Sgt.
John Newton went to see Jasper's brother, a Loyalist. Learned
some prisoners to be hanged in Savannah, so they ambushed the
guards and retook the Patriots and saved their lives. |
|
Sep. 16-Oct. 18 1779 |
Siege
of Savannah, GA |
British captured Savannah in late November of
1778. General George Washington sent south Maj. Gen. Benjamin
Lincoln to assume command of the southern forces from Maj. Gen.
Robert Howe. He rushed 2,500 Continentals and SC Militia forces
to the Beaufort District and encamped at Purrysburg. British
Brig. Gen. Augustine Prevost attacked SC and kept the Patriots
on the run for most of the first half of 1779. By September,
the Patriots were ready to go after Prevost, now in Savannah.
Count D'Estaing arrived with some of the French fleet, but they
made little diference. |
|
Oct. 26, 1779 |
Tybee River, GA |
SC Navy ships, Myrtle and Rutledge,
expecting to find Patriots in charge of the area ran into Royal
Navy, and they were captured. |
|
Mar. 25, 1780 |
Savannah, GA |
Col. Andrew Pickens ambushed a detachment of
the NY Volunteers riding out of Savannah. |
|
Apr. 5, 1780 |
Wright's
Plantation, GA |
Col. Andrew Pickens with 300 men fought Capt.
Thomas Conkling of DeLancey's Brigade with 65 men, who were sent
to stop Col. Pickens from destroying the former Royal Governor's
plantation. |
|
Jun. 20, 1780 |
Ramseur's
Mill (NC) |
Loyalist Lt. Col. John Moore with about 1,300
men vs. NC Col. Francis Locke with NC and SC Militia, including
Col. Thomas Brandon of the 2nd Spartan Regiment, with several
other detached SC companies. |
|
Sep. 9, 1780 |
Anson
County, NC |
Col. Abel Kolb of the Cheraws District Militia
(SC) led 80-100 men against Loyalists in two locations in Anson
County, NC, killing three and wounding five. |
|
Sep. 14-18, 1780 |
McKay's Trading Post, GA |
Maj. James McCall, of Col. Thomas Sumter's Brigade,
with 300 men supported GA Col. Elijah Clarke's attack of this
Loyalist site. |
|
Feb. 25, 1781 |
Haw
River, NC |
aka Pyle's Defeat or Pyle's Massacre. Brig. Gen.
Andrew Pickens with 500 SC militiamen supported Lt. Col. Henry
Lee assault against NC Loyalist Col. John Pyle. |
|
Mar. 6, 1781 |
Whitesell's
Mill, NC |
Brig. Gen. Andrew Pickens sent Lt. Col. William
Farr with an unknown number of men to support the Continentals
under Col. Otho Williams. |
|
Mar. 15, 1781 |
Guilford
Court House, NC |
Brig. Gen. Andrew Pickens on his way home after
Whitesell's Mill, but some of his men stuck around and supported
Lt. Col. Henry Lee of Virginia. |
|
Apr-Jun 1781 |
Siege
of Augusta |
April 16th, first under siege by Georgians and
Col. LeRoy Hammond. Brig. Gen. Andrew Pickens with Lt. Col. Henry
Lee sent by Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene in mid-May to help Georgian
Col. Elijah Clarke take Augusta, which takes until June 6th. |
|
May 23, 1781 |
Fort
Grierson, GA |
Brig. Gen. Andrew Pickens with Lt. Col. Henry
Lee and SC Militia against GA Loyalist Militia under Col. James
Grierson. Considered part of the Siege of Augusta by most historians. |
|
Sep. 8, 1781 |
Shetland
Islands, off Scotland |
SC Navy frigate South Carolina just purchased
in Amsterdam got underway on August 24th and headed for America.
After a two day chase, she captured the privateer Alexander
of Liverpool on September 8th. After stripping her, a prize crew
was put aboard and she was recaptured soon thereafter. |
|
Oct. 21, 1781 |
Madeira
Islands, Near Coast of Africa |
Frigate South Carolina captured the Venus,
bound from Newfoundland to Lisbon, with 1,600 quntals of saltfish. |
|
Jan. 7, 1782 |
Bahama
Channel, Atlantic Ocean |
Frigate South Carolina, commanded by Commodore
Alexander Gillon, captured five ships going from Jamaica to Europe
loaded with sugar and lumber. |
|
Jan. 12-Apr. 12 1782 |
Siege of Savannah |
Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene, under orders from
General George Washington, sent Brig. Gen. John Barnwell and
his SC 4th Brigade of Militia/State Troops along with Col. Wade
Hampton (SC 1st Regiment of State Dragoons) to assist Maj. Gen.
Anthony Wayne in retaking Savannah. |
|
May 8, 1782 |
New
Providence, Bahamas |
Frigate South Carolina assisted the Spanish
in their attack against the British at New Providence, Bahamas. |
