Post Two: South Carolina History

South Carolina history is full of firsts and other significant events that helped shape this country into what it is today.  Unfortunately, some of the press related to South Carolina is often negative and depicts us as a backward, uneducated state.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  History is something made every day and each generation must add to the significant events that should be remembered. For instance, when my parents were in school they didn’t study the Vietnam War and its implications on the state of our country, it hadn’t happened yet. Likewise, I didn’t learn about the war in Iraq or Afghanistan or the War on Terror that my children and their children will study as history.  As time goes on, however, there are some events that should never be forgotten. We are a country today instead of a British colony because of several events and battles that took place during the Revolutionary War; events that took place right here in South Carolina.  I would like to remind you of two of those events that took place very near my home here in the upstate, events that have been widely regarded as turning points in the Revolutionary War, The Battle of King’s Mountain and the Battle of Cowpens.

The events leading up these battles include the fall of Savannah, Charleston, and a severe loss at Camden in August of 1780.  Morale was at its lowest.  There were two other upstate, backwoods, skirmishes (Huck’s Defeat and Musgrove Mill) that began to give the Patriot forces hope in the battle for freedom, but it was in October of 1780 at King’s Mountain where the rebels turned the tide of the battle for the south and ultimately for the war.  After Major Ferguson of the British Army made threats to come after the Patriot forces and hang the officers and burn their houses, the Americans, instead of being intimidated, responded by defeating Ferguson’s force of around 1100 on that hill known locally as King’s Mountain.  As word spread of this American victory the once sure British takeover of the south was now in doubt.  Then in January of 1781 General Daniel Morgan led a group of Patriot fighters which included South Carolina militia to a resounding defeat of Lt. Col. Banistre Tarleton and the British forces.  According the Town of Cowpens’ website, “Military historians regard Cowpens as one of the most brilliant tactical operations ever fought on American soil.”  With two resounding defeats in South Carolina the British Army was reeling and other Patriot victories led to Cornwallis’ surrender at Yorktown, Virginia in 1782.

This brief synopsis doesn’t do justice to the incredibly important victories in these two battles nor does it attempt to explain all the other significant battles fought in and around South Carolina during the Revolutionary War.  However, I hope you will research these and other events in South Carolina history and gain an appreciation for how great this state really is.  If you don’t do research, fear not, I will keep you informed over the course of future posts.

Information gathered from SCIWAY and other links found on their site at http://www.sciway.net/hist/periods/revolwar.html