May 2005 in THIS EDITION: State of South Carolina Acquire
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Vol. 2 No. 5 _____ ___________________________________ _ __ May 2005 IN THIS EDITION: “Banastre Tarleton” by artist Werner Willis………………...…………..….1 Fish Dam Ford Battlefield………….1 Editor’s Notes…………..…………..2 Letter to the Editor……….…………2 Battle of Biggin Bridge……………..3 New Book Review……………….…6 South Carolina Militia……………...7 Thomas Sumter Poem……………..14 Gen. Andrew Williamson………….12 Col. John Thomas………...…...…..15 Calendar of Upcoming Events…….22 Annotated Pension Statement….….25 Charleston 225th Anniversary…..…30 In the Commanders & Heroes of the American Revolution collector series are artist Werner Willis’ impressions of Lt. Gen. Charles Cornwallis, Brigadier Gen. Daniel Morgan, Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton, Col. William Washington, and Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene. Signed and numbered limited edition prints are available from the artist, printed on 12” by 9 7/8” art print stock for $20.00 each plus $8.00 s/h. You may visit SCAR featured artist Willis at his studio in Charlotte. Werner Willis 3927 Brookwood Road, Charlotte, NC 28215 (704) 509-2877 State of South Carolina acquires Gen. Thomas Revolutionary War military artifacts. This location and study appears to confirm the battle map drawn by Col. Richard Winn and Sumter’s Fish Dam Ford Battlefield may settle the debate on which side of the Broad River hosted this battle. Unfortunately the proposed bridge construction may impact To mitigate any impacts on the Fish Dam Ford battlefield resulting on one or two of the rifle pits that are very rare structures. SCAR from a bridge replacement project over the Broad River at the Fish has requested that SCDOT review the plans and try to save these Dam Ford, the South Carolina Department of Transportation pits. SCDOT archaeologist Wayne Roberts played an important (SCDOT) purchased approximately 150 acres in Chester County, role in the research and coordination of the acquisition of this SC on May 25, 2005. SCDOT commissioned Brockington and important Revolutionary War site. The SCDOT plans to transfer Associates to complete a preliminary archaeological reconnaissance title to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources’ of the site that yielded three probable rifle pits and numerous Heritage Trust. 1 Editor’s Notes amend their plans to save these features. over-built sites can still be appropriately This area was greatly impacted by marked and interpreted CBB i Southern Campaigns students will mining. The area on both sides of the be treated to many 225th anniversary Broad saw Native American activities, Letter to the Editor events in the next two years as the colonial and Revolutionary War era British renewed their strategy to camps and modern uses on both sides of Mr. Baxley: reconquer their rebellious colonies in the the Broad River. The battlefield site is Southern Department. Reenactments, in Chester County, SC overlooking the Some of you reading this may already be memorial services, scholarly conclaves, Broad River at the SC Highway familiar with my book, Calendar and Record and tours are now being planned and 72/121/215 bridge. This is a major of the Revolutionary War in the South: 1780- 1781, which can be found at: scheduled. We will keep you informed Revolutionary War battlefield preservation victory. SCAR will publish with a list of events and contacts for The Battle of Camden Project Website: an edition detailing this action. Please which we need your help. Please submit http://battleofcamden.org/sherman.htm th your scheduled 225 Southern send your information about camps on or Campaign anniversary event and contact both sides of the Broad River at the Fish http://www.americanrevolution.org/warint information. The York, SC symposium Dam. hesouth.html on July 8, 2005 sounds especially In South Carolina, the SCDOT or my Info or Home page at: interesting; see Calendar of Upcoming is working on replacing several bridges http://www.angelfire.com/d20/htfh/ Events in this edition for more details. at important Revolutionary War cultural sites. Besides the bridge over the Broad of which work many of you, or people you On June 11, SCAR editor Charles B. know, contributed generously the first time Baxley and David P. Reuwer will River at Fish Dam Ford, SCDOT is th around in the way of material, comments, present a talk at the Ramsey’s Mill 225 designing replacements for the suggestions, corrections, for which I again celebrations in Lincolnton, NC. southbound US Highway 17 bridge over extent my sincerest thanks. At present I am SCAR and friends are organizing the North Santee River at Hopsewee busy putting together a second edition, and the Southern Campaigns Revolutionary Plantation (a National Historic Site and welcome and invite the same sort of War Roundtable, loosely modeled on the home of Continental Congressmen assistance. Unfortunately for some time now successful New York and Philadelphia Thomas Lynch, Sr. and Jr., signer of the I have been having regular problems Revolutionary War roundtables and the Declaration of Independence: receiving communications. What I wanted to make notice to all of also was this. If you many Civil War roundtables that meet www.hopsewee.com ) and the SC Highway 14 (Landrum Road) bridge write or call me I guarantee you a reply, and across the United States. Stay tuned for if you call you can certainly expect to be an announcement on how to join our over the Pacolet River in upper treated politely and respectfully. Now if for group. Spartanburg County at the site of the some reason you write and do not get a reply, SCAR is also working with Battle of Earle’s Ford. We need any or the reply seems a rude or strange one, or Historic Camden to plan a world-class information you may have about the the same if you were to call me by phone, I symposium and battlefield tours on Gen. locations of Earle’s Fort and Earle’s request that you contact: Nathanael Greene in April 2006 in Ford and the battles and camps there. conjunction with the 225th anniversary of SCAR is discussing these projects with Sgt. Liz Eddy of the Seattle Police Department at 206-684-8183 the Battle of Hobkirk’s Hill. This will the SCDOT environmental management office that is charged by law to protect Police Headquarters likely include an opportunity to walk 610 Fifth Avenue, P.O. Box 34986 Hobkirk’s Hill and Eutaw Springs vital cultural resources. Seattle, WA 98124-4986 Battlefields with knowledgeable Battlefield preservation is or battlefield guides. Your thoughts and usually initiated and led by local groups. Charles B. Baxley, SCAR Editor at input on both projects are invited. Have you worked on locating, P.O. Box 10, Lugoff, SC 29078-0010 SCAR has learned that the State of preserving, and marking your favorite Home: 803-438-1606 South Carolina is purchasing another Revolutionary War cultural treasure? work: 803-438-4200 important battlefield: a 150 acre tract Your help is critical, as we have [email protected] including what is believed to be site of irrevocably lost many of the Revolutionary War sites’ historic context to let them know you tried to contact me, but British Maj. James Wemyss’ November could not reach me or were somehow 10, 1780 attack on Gen. Thomas by over-development. Spreading “on the rebuffed. This, I know, must sound rather Sumter’s camp. Wemyss was seriously ground” knowledge is the most powerful strange or silly, but do believe it is offered wounded and captured by Gen. Sumter’s force we have to build public awareness for good reason, and indeed making notice of men at the Battle of Fish Dam Ford. and influence to encourage protective this may, in a direct or indirect way, be a help Because of a planned bridge uses of these sites entrusted to our to law enforcement. I appreciate your replacement, the South Carolina generation. Please help us pry site assistance on this, as well as of course any on Department of Transportation (SCDOT) information from the dusty archive my book. My thanks for your attention. commissioned Brockington and files, the archaeology departments, and knowledge base of local William Thomas Sherman Associates to conduct an archaeological 1604 NW 70th St. assessment of the site. Unfortunately, historians, property owners and Seattle, WA 98117 the planned new bridge may destroy two artifact collectors. We have over 230 206-784-1132 extant rifle pits (see photos on p. 14); Revolutionary War battle and skirmish [email protected] i hopefully, the bridge engineers will sites to document in South Carolina alone. We need your help! Even the 2 The Battle of Biggin Bridge - April 14, 1780 - Tarleton’s Cavalry Charge by Charles B. Baxley In March 1780, Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton and Major Patrick Ferguson, with their cavalry, joined Lt. Gen. Sir Henry Clinton and the main British force in its thirty-mile approach to Charles Town. By April 2nd, 1780 the third British attempt to capture Charles Town was officially underway. To guard the upper reaches of the Cooper River, on April 12, 1780, Patriot Southern Department Commandant Maj. Gen. Benjamin Lincoln sent Brigadier Gen. Isaac Huger and all of the Patriot cavalry to guard Biggin Bridge, near Monck’s Corner, SC. This detachment consisted of the 1st and 3rd Continental Dragoons, the remains of Pulaski’s Legion cavalry (decimated in their attack on the Spring Hill Redoubt at the Siege of Savannah in October 1779), Col. Daniel Horry’s South Carolina Dragoons, and North Carolina militia. On April 12th, General Clinton ordered Lt. Col. Tarleton into the South Carolina countryside to defend his rear and cut Charles Town off from its lines of communication, reinforcement, counterattack and supply with the North and South Carolina backcountry. The Continentals had successfully reinforced Charles Town on April 8th and Col.