Battle of Eutaw Springs

The Battle of Eutaw Springs was fought on September 8, 1781 during the American Revolutionary War. It was the last major engagement of the conflict to be fought in the Carolinas. Both sides claimed a victory.

Background

In early 1781, Major General Nathanael Greene, the commander of the Continental Army in the American South, began a campaign to end British control over the South Carolina backcountry. His first major objective was the capture of the British-controlled village of Ninety Six. On May 22, 1781, Greene laid siege to the fortified village. After nearly a month Greene became aware that reinforcements under Lord Rawdon were approaching from Charles Town. Forces under Greene's command assaulted Ninety Six on June 18, but were repelled. To avoid facing Rawdon's force, Greene retreated toward Charlotte, North Carolina. Rawdon pursued Greene for several days but abandoned the pursuit because his men were exhausted by days of forced marching and he lacked sufficient supplies to continue. In spite of the fact that Ninety Six was the only remaining inland British outpost after the siege of Augusta, Rawdon decided to burn and abandon it, and withdrew the garrison to Charles Town. In poor health, Rawdon sailed for England in late August, leaving Charleston under the command of Lieutenant-colonel Alexander Stewart.

On 16 July, Greene moved his army, exhausted by many days of marching and combat, to a campsite on the High Hills of Santee, allowing his main force to rest while awaiting reinforcements. Francis Marion and Thomas Sumter continued to harass the British in a "war of posts". On August 23, his force moved towards Camden to cross the Wateree River, and then Howell's Ferry to cross the Congaree River. By 4 Sept., they were camped at Fort Motte, then Stoudenmyer's Plantation on 5–6 Sept.By 13 Aug., Stewart had led a force of 2,000–2,300 men from Orangeburg to Thompson's Plantation, south of the Congaree River. He then fell back to Eutaw Springs on 27 Aug., about 2 miles east of present-day Eutawville, then in Charleston District (but both now in Orangeburg County). Ashe and Blount served with the 1st North Carolina Regiment, while Armstrong belonged to the 4th North Carolina Regiment.

Lieutenant Colonel Richard Campbell's two Virginia battalions under Major Smith Snead and Captain Thomas Edmonds were trailed by Colonel Otho Holland Williams' two Maryland battalions under Lieutenant Colonel John Eager Howard and Major Henry Hardman. Lieutenant Colonel William Washington's mounted men and Captain Robert Kirkwood's Delaware infantry companies formed the tail of the column. Greene's force had two 3-pound grasshopper guns under Captain-Lieutenant William Gaines and two 6-pound cannons directed by Captain William Brown. All told, Greene had 1,256 Continental infantry and 300 cavalry, the horsemen mostly divided between Lee and Washington. Lee's cavalry were led by Major Joseph Eggleston and his infantry by Captain Rudolph. Greene's army numbered 2,400 men of whom 200 were left behind to guard the baggage train.

Greene's force, with around 2,200 men, now approached Stewart's camp while Stewart, warned by Coffin, deployed his force. When the Americans realized they were approaching the British force, they formed three lines, with the militia in front with 2 3-pounders, followed by the Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina Continentals with 2 6-pounders, with the Delaware Regiment and Washington in reserve. The Americans started the attack at 9 am with artillery and an advance by the militia. This line consisted of, left to right, Hampton, Henderson, Pickens, de Malmedy, Polk, Marion, Lee's infantry and then Lee's Cavalry. They were opposed by the British Line consisting of, left to right, Coffin, 64th, 63rd, New Jersey Volunteers, New York Volunteers, 84th, De Lancey's, 3rd, and Marjoribanks. Hand-to-hand combat ensued when the Militia closed with the British Line. Some militia panicked while some held firm, able to fire 17 times, before ordered back and replaced by the North Carolina Continentals in a 'passage of lines". The second, compiled somewhat later and published by the Continental Congress, reduced the losses to 138 killed, 375 wounded and 41 missing. The third and final revision, compiled on September 25, 1781, arrived at figures of 119 killed, 382 wounded and 78 missing. His rear was apparently under constant fire at least until meeting with reinforcements near Moncks Corner.

thumb|Present day view of the battlefield

Despite winning a tactical victory, the British lost strategically. Their inability to stop Greene's continuing operations forced them to abandon most of their conquests in the South, leaving them in control of a small number of isolated enclaves at Wilmington, Charleston, and Savannah. The British attempt to pacify the South with Loyalist support had failed even before Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown.

Lord Edward Fitzgerald, later to become famous as a United Irish rebel, served as a British officer at the battle and was badly wounded.

The Continental Congress awarded Greene a gold medal.

The State Song of South Carolina contains the line "Point to Eutaw's Battle Bed" in reference to this battle.

The Eutaw Springs Battleground Park was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. The American Battlefield Trust and its partners have acquired and preserved more than of the battlefield.

References

Sources

Swager, Christine R. The Valiant Died: The Battle of Eutaw Springs September 8, 1781.
Battle of Eutaw Springs at HistoryOfWar.org

Battle of Eutaw Springs

Background

See also

References

Sources

Further reading