Battle Of Rocky Mount
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The Battle of Rocky Mount took place on August 1, 1780 as part of the
American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 โ€“ September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
. 600 Loyalists commanded by Lieutenant Colonel George Turnbull occupying an outpost in northern
South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...
withstood an attack by 300 American Patriots led by Colonel Thomas Sumter.


Background

Throughout 1779 and early 1780, the British " southern strategy" to regain control of its rebellious provinces in the
American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 โ€“ September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
went well, with successful amphibious operations against
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and
Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atla ...
, and a routing of the few remaining
Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...
troops in
South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...
in the May 29, 1780 Battle of Waxhaws. The British, in complete control of both South Carolina and
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
, established outposts in the interior of both states to recruit
Loyalist Loyalism, in the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and its former colonies, refers to the allegiance to the British crown or the United Kingdom. In North America, the most common usage of the term refers to loyalty to the British Cr ...
s and to suppress Patriot dissent. One of these outposts was established at Rocky Mount, near the confluence of Rocky Creek and the Catawba River, south of present-day Great Falls, South Carolina. This outpost was garrisoned by a regiment of New York Volunteers under the command of Lieutenant Colonel George Turnbull.


Patriot militia regroup

In the absence of
Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...
command structure to organize resistance to the British following the disaster at Waxhaws, companies began to grow around Patriot militia leaders who had either survived it, or were not present at the battle. One militia colonel, Thomas Sumter, began in June 1780 to accumulate a militia force near
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with financial assistance from
North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
officials. While his force was too small to effectively oppose large-scale British and Loyalist activity for a time, enlistments rose following the Patriot victory known as Huck's Defeat on July 12. By late July he had several hundred men and decided it was time to take action. His primary target to attack was the British outpost at Rocky Mount. Sumter had learned on July 20 from a spy that the defenses might be susceptible to small arms fire, a clear benefit since Sumter lacked any sort of
field artillery Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support army, armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, short range, long range, and extremely long range target engagement. Until the ear ...
. (To Sumter's detriment, the spy was probably a double agent, and Turnbull shortly thereafter began strengthening Rocky Mount's defenses until they were proof against musketry.) On July 28, Sumter broke camp and moved his company, numbering about 600 men, down to Land's Ford, a major crossing point of the Catawba. There he met Major William Davie, who was leading a company of
dragoon Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat wi ...
s, and additional smaller militia companies. They decided that Davie would lead a diversionary attack against another outpost while Sumter would assault Rocky Mount.


Battle

The action began early on July 30. (Sources disagree on when Sumter arrived at Rocky Mount, but Davie's action appears to have taken place on July 31.) Davie and his dragoons rode to the British outpost at Hanging Rock (south of present-day Heath Springs, South Carolina), where they surprised a company of Loyalists camped outside the fortifications, inflicting casualties and seizing 60 horses. The action happened so quickly that the British forces inside the fortifications were unable to respond. Sumter's attack went less well. Turnbull's work on the defenses at Rocky Mount paid off, and Sumter's men were unable to penetrate the defenses. After several hours of fruitless battle, they tried setting fire to the works, but this was frustrated by a torrential downpour that ended the battle.


Aftermath

Sumter's forces suffered relatively modest casualties, and Sumter went on to successfully attack Hanging Rock a few days later.


See also

* American Revolutionary War ยง War in the South. Places ' Battle of Rocky Mount ' in overall sequence and strategic context.


References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Rocky Mount Conflicts in 1780 Battles involving the United States Battles involving Great Britain Rocky Mount Rocky Mount 1780 in South Carolina