Battle of Musgrove’s Mill 235th Anniversary
Speech by South Carolina State Society Sons of the
American Revolution State President Greg Greenawalt
Welcome to my SAR brothers, DAR sisters, our CAR future
leaders and distinguished guests. I would like to extend a
special thank you to our friends with the US Park Service
who protect and preserve these historical battle sites and
help us to educate the public on their importance. I offer
greetings on behalf of the 20 chapter and over 850 members
of the South Carolina State Society of the Sons of the
American Revolution.
Let’s take a moment to reflect back on the activities that
took place throughout the Carolina back country in 1780. It
was an extremely difficult time in our countries history as
the war for Independence from Brittan pitted neighbors,
relatives and family members against each other.
In December of 1778, in a strategy to divide the colonies the
British Commander- and –Chief Sir Henry Clinton decides to
send British forces south. The British hoped this strategy
would weaken patriot morale in the South and inspire British
Loyalist to rise up and support the British army. The first
target was to capture Savannah and Augusta Georgia which
they did successfully in December 1778 and January 1779.
With military victories in Georgia, Clinton decides to go after
Charleston, the South’s first city, and set sails from New
York with 13,500 men on December 26, 1779.
The Revolutionary War in the South was quite different from
the Northern Campaign. American trained continental
soldiers and regiments were scarce until October 1780 when
General Washington appoints Nathanael Greene as his
trusted General to lead the Continental army in the South.
The British still occupy New York City and have over 16,000
Redcoats based there which causes Washington and a large
contingency of American Continental soldiers to stay in the
north and keep the British contained to their Manhattan
stronghold.
The War in the Carolina Back country was predominately
fought with poorly trained back woods militia regiments.
Some of the Militia leaders had gained military experience by
fighting with the British in the French in Indian wars that
took place in 1756- 1765, such as Francis Marion, Daniel
Morgan and Thomas Sumter. The war pitted neighbors, family
members, slaves and local Indian tribes against each other
as any particular community would have both American
Patriots and British Loyalist living in close proximity to each
other. Most do not realize that there were over 400
Revolutionary War battles fought in the Southern Campaign.
Many earlier American Revolutionary War educational books
and material left out the major battles that took place in the
South, and minimalized the important contributions to
America’s Independence made by the southern militia
patriots.
The British had a fatal flaw in their strategy, they grossly
under estimated the resolve and fighting spirit of the
Carolina back country patriots. Many were Scots-Irish
immigrants that arrived in Charleston by boat and followed
wagon and Indian trails to establish their homesteads in the
Carolina backcountry. Most left their homelands to distance
themselves from the tyranny of British rule and had little
patience for continued British oppression in their new
homeland.
The British assault on the Carolinas begins on
April 1, 1780 with the Siege of Charleston British Commander
Sir Henry Clinton with 13,500 British troops defeats Patriot
General Benjamin Lincoln. 5,266 American troops were
captured resulting in one of the largest surrenders in US
Military history.
April 14, 1780 Battle of Moncks Corner South Carolina takes
place resulting in a British victory for Banastre Tarleton who
defeated Isaac Huger
On May 24, the Battle of the Waxhaw’s or (Buford’s
Massacre) occurs in Buford S.C. Where Bloody Ban the
Butcher Tarleton massacres over 150 American Patriots
under the command of General Abraham Buford
On June 20 The Battle of Ramseur’s Mill happens in
Lincolnton N.C. A Patriot Victory for Francis Locke who
defeated John Moore
On July 12, 1780 Battle of Williamson Plantation or (Huck’s
Defeat) occurs at McConnell’s S.C. A Patriot Victory for Col.
William Bratton who defeated British Captain Christian Huck
August 1, the Battle of Rocky Mount at Great Falls S.C. A
British victory for George Turnbull who defeats Thomas
Sumter
August 6, the Battle of Hanging Rock, Heath Springs S.C. A
British victory for John Carden over Thomas Sumter
On August 16,The Battle of Camden, resulting in a major
British Victory for General Charles Cornwallis over Patriot
General Horatio Gates
Just two days after the Patriot loss at the Battle of Camden
on August 18th Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton, and
350 Loyalists located a Patriot force commanded by
Brigadier General Thomas Sumter, “The Gamecock” about 40
miles from Camden at Fishing Creek . Tarleton caught the
Americans totally unprepared, killing 150, wounding and
capturing 300 and freeing 100 British prisoners. Loyalist
losses were just 16 killed. This battle made Tarleton, in eyes
of the British, a national hero. Coming just after the Patriot
loss at Camden,
However, that very same day, a second battle gave the
Patriots a spark of hope, here at Musgrove’s Mill. Patriot
Colonels Elijah Clarke, Isaac Shelby and James Williams
commanded a militia force of 200 men that repelled an
attack by 500 Loyalists, killing 63, wounding 90 and
capturing another 70. Patriot losses were only 4 killed and 12
wounded, resulting in a battle that could have cemented
Patriot disaster but instead ended in a Patriot victory. In the
wake of General Horatio Gates major defeat at Camden and
the loses at Fishing Creek the victory here at Musgrove’s
Mill heartened the Patriots and served as evidence that the
South Carolina Backcountry could not be held by the British.
Ladies and Gentlemen we pause today at this most important
Revolutionary war battle site not to remember that we are
free men and women, but to ask how we gained that
freedom. Our liberty comes at a very high price. 25,000
Patriots lost their lives during the War for Independence
including over 12 brave American Patriots who were killed
here on this battle site, men who laid down their lives for a
cause much greater than their own.
Many more lost their homes, their land, and their livelihood
for the freedoms that we enjoy today. This ladies and
gentlemen is a story that we must not forget and for the sake
and future of our great nation, it is our obligation to ensure
that the story of America’s fight for independent and what
occurred here at the battle of Camden is passed along from
generation to generation.
Today we pay tribute to those fallen heroes who gave their
lives for the principles of liberty and freedom. May God bless
our fallen patriots who have made the ultimate sacrifice for
their country and all of our veterans who have bravely fought
for the cause of liberty and American independence and May
God Bless America!