1. Essential Question
How did the state of the Revolution change in terms of tactics and outcomes when the war shifted into the South?

2. Guerrilla War in the South
Chapter 7 Section 3 Pt I

3. The Battle of Charles Town
In 1780, a British army trapped American forces in Charles Town, SC (now Charleston)
The Battle of Charles Town ended in disaster for the Americans:
They lost their largest southern city
They lost almost their entire southern army (approx soldiers)
This was the single worst American defeat of the war

4. The “Swamp Fox”
Perhaps the most famous Patriot guerrilla leader in the south was Francis Marion
He was known as the “Swamp Fox” b/c he led cunning attacks from his bases in the SC swamps
Marion led a small band of ill-equipped & diverse guerillas
Despite their lack of equipment, Marion and his men were often very effective at cutting British supply lines coming out of Charleston

5. General Greene Takes Charge
After Horatio Gates’ was fired at Camden, GW named Nathaniel Greene leader of the Southern Army
Greene was one of GW’s most trusted and talented generals
In Jan. 1781, Greene sent his army south to confront Lord Charles Cornwallis
Cornwallis was now the Commander of the British forces in the South

6. The Battle of Cowpens
Greene and his army soon won a spectacular victory at the Battle of Cowpens, SC
Led by Daniel Morgan, this victory proved that the Americans had finally mastered formal battle tactics
However, it was truly the blending of guerilla tactics with formal tactics that won the day for the Americans

7. Greene’s “Guerrilla Army”
After Cowpens, Greene’s strategy was simple
Engage the British when we have an advantage, otherwise retreat
Exhaust the British by making them constantly chase us
This strategy was a major success for the Patriots
The British took heavy losses on several occasions
With his army wounded and exhausted, Cornwallis was forced to retreat back to the Wilmington, NC

8. Summary/Test Question
Which is NOT true of guerrillas in the American Revolution?
They were often small bands of fighters who used hit-and-run tactics
They often used their superior knowledge of the land to ambush the British
They were professional soldiers hired from the Spanish colonies
One guerilla band had a leader nicknamed the “Swamp Fox”

9. Summary/Test Question
How did war in the South differ from the fighting in other colonies?
Guerrilla warfare was more often used in the South
The fighting in the South was less vicious
Most of the fighting in the South took place on the seas
There were more full-scale battles in the South