Battle of Charleston, South Carolina

Battle of Charleston, South Carolina in 1780

The American Revolutionary War is certainly one of the most notable in American history and even in the history of mankind. The War of Independence is representative for the fight between the oppressed and the oppressor. In spite of the fact that they had been largely outnumbered by the British, the revolutionaries had been devoted to their cause of gaining independence. One of the most important battles which the Continental Army had lost during the war had been the Siege of Charleston in 1780.

Subsequent to the attempting to conquer Charleston, the British had success in the South, as they managed to achieve victory in most Southern military campaigns. The British had expected the Southern campaigns to bring them success because they were aware that a great number of loyalists had existed in the southern colonies. Furthermore, they also knew that the northern colonies would avoid having their troops sent to the south.

The British did not experience any notable success in the North, as George Washington had managed to push back the invaders. Conditions in the South had been different because Washington had been aware that a direct fight between the colonists and the British had implied several risks that he had not been willing to take.

During the day of 26 December 1779, Brigadier General Anthony Wayne reportedly witnessed a fleet of large dimensions heading South. He immediately concluded that a change had taken place in the strategy of the British.

The fleet had been led by Sir Henry Clinton and by Admiral Arbuthnot and it left from the city of New York. The British military leaders had intended the fleet to capture the South Carolinian city of Charleston. During its journey, the British fleet had been seriously damaged by the severe weather conditions encountered. "Many of the horses perished. A ship loaded with cannon went to the bottom of the sea; another, bearing Hessian troops, was driven across the Atlantic and dashed on the shore of England." (Lossing, Benson J.)

It had been during the month of February, 1980, that the British forces had arrived at Charleston. The city had been guarded by approximately two thousand men under the command of General Benjamin Lincoln. From the start, the British held the advantage both in men and in weapons, and, there had been little chances for the Americans to defeat their enemies.

From the very moment that they arrived, the British had made a critical mistake, as they could have attacked immediately and achieve victory in a very short time. However, Clinton wanted to make sure that he had the advantage, and, he waited for several other vessels which he had ordered from New York. Lincoln initially wanted to use the fleet that he had to counterattack the invaders. However, at the suggestion of Commodore Abraham Whipple, the Americans sunk their ships at the entrance of the river in order to slow the British fleet.

The siege began on the 2nd of April, with the British slowly advancing towards the American fortifications. During the first days of the battle, the British forces had encountered serious resistance from the colonists. Tarleton and Ferguson had received orders from Clinton on the 12th of April to capture Monck's corner. Lincoln had thought in advance and stationed General Isaac Huger at the exact spot. After a chain of incidents in which the British found out Huger's position, Monck's corner had been captured and Charleston became isolated from the rest of the world.

Lincoln offered to surrender his forces on the 21st of April provided that the British would allow his men to leave the city. Clinton refused the proposal as he knew Lincoln's exact position.

Lord Cornwallis joined the war on the 23rd of April and assumed command of the British forces. The Americans had made desperate attempts to prevent the British from destroying the dam that they had, but it all proved to be in vain, as the British continuously advanced and destroyed it on the 29th of April. Fort Moultrie had surrendered on the very same night.

On the 8th of May, wanting to put an end to the bloodshed, Clinton demanded that Lincoln would put down his weapons and surrender. Unwilling to cooperate, Lincoln again asked that Clinton would first fulfill his demands in order for him to surrender.

Ultimately, on the 12th of May, seeing that his forces had been ravaged, Lincoln accepted unconditional surrender. The Continental forces later made a deal with the British, giving several British officers in exchange for Lincoln and a few of his men. Consequent to capturing Charleston, the British army quickly established a perimeter by positioning troops in vital spots around the town.

Clinton went back to New York and left Cornwallis in charge of the area, ordering him not to move further into North Carolina. Even with the amazing success that the British had had in Charleston, they lost the war in 1781, when Cornwallis's army had been surrounded at Yorktown.

Works cited:

1. Benson, Lossing J. "Our Country: A household history for all readers, from the discovery of America to the one hundredth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence."