1. Major Battles in South Carolina

2. First Battles of American Revolution
British soldiers moved out of Boston on April 18, 1775 towards Concord and Lexington to seize gunpowder being stored by the colonists.
Paul Revere and William Dawes, two of the minutemen, rode throughout the countryside during the night to warn colonists that the British soldiers were coming their way.
British soldiers went to Lexington first where they were met by about 70 minutemen. The colonists were ordered to leave or be shot.

3. As they were leaving someone yelled “Fire” and the shooting began.
The British continued to march towards Concord where they were met by colonists who were hiding and were able to surprise them.
The British were not successful at getting the gunpowder and the colonists harassed them all the way back to Boston.

4. Back in SC…
A civil war broke out between the Loyalists and the Patriots. Most of the Loyalists lived in the Up Country and most of the Patriots lived in the Low Country.
SC Population: 1/3=Loyalists, 1/3=Patriots, and 1/3= whoever was winning at the time
More battles were fought in SC during the American Revolution than any other colony; at least 137 battles and skirmishes took place in SC

5. Battle of Ninety Six November 19, 1775
Ended in a stalemate but did not end fighting between Loyalists and Patriots

6. Snow Campaign
Col. Richard Richardson led a group of Patriots to the Upcountry to stop the Loyalists from helping the British
Thomas Sumter and Francis Marion were among the Patriots
By January 1, 1776, most loyalist leaders were captured.

7. Battle of Kings Mountain
To put down the Patriots on the western frontier, Cornwallis sent Major Patrick Ferguson into North Carolina. Ferguson sent word for the Patriots to put down their arms or he would destroy the whole area.
Groups of Patriots began to look for Ferguson. He was
found camped at a low hill, known as Kings Mountain. The patriots surrounded his camp and killed Ferguson and his militia. Many Loyalists were killed after they put down their arms.

8. Battle of Camden
In July 1780, Congress named General Horatio Gates commander of the Southern Department. He decided to attack the British post at Camden.
Gates marched his troops in the summer heat with little food south. The did eat some green corn which made everyone sick.
Cornwallis left Charles Town in search of Gates. They met on August 16, This battle was a disaster for the Americans. Baron de Kalb, a German soldier, who aided the Americans was killed in the fighting.

9. Battle of Cowpens
The Battle of Cowpens was fought on January 17, 1781, during the American Revolutionary War and was an overwhelming victory by American revolutionary forces under Brigadier General Daniel Morgan. It was an important turning point in the recon quest of South Carolina from the English, and went down in history as the great American tactical masterpiece of the war.

10. Battle of Fort Moultrie
Just days before the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the Battle of Fort Moultrie (then known as Fort Sullivan) resulted in a significant American victory over the British. Earlier that year, a crude palmetto-log fort had been built on Sullivan's Island as a first line of defense for CharlesTown.
The small American force, led by Colonel William Moultrie, held its position despite all-day shelling.

11. The American victory ensured the safety of the port of Charleston and won many people over to the patriot cause.
The American triumph at Sullivan's Island showed that the South could wage a successful campaign. It stood as a symbolic declaration of independence from the British
Soon after the victory, the fort was renamed in honor of William Moultrie. The blue and silver crescent flag that Sergeant William Jasper replanted during the battle later served as the inspiration for the South Carolina state flag.