South Carolina and the American Revolution: A Battlefield History (Paperback)

~ (Author), John Keegan (Foreword) "ON THE EVE of the American Revolution, the royal colony of South Carolina seemed an unlikely candidate for revolt against Great Britain..." (more)
Key Phrases: partisan war, loyalist units, loyalist militia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Ninety Six (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

An estimated one-third of all combat actions in the American Revolution took place in South Carolina. From the partisan clashes of the backcountry's war for the hearts and minds of settlers to bloody encounters with Native Americans on the frontier, more battles were fought in South Carolina than any other of the original thirteen states. The state also had more than its share of pitched battles between Continental troops and British regulars. In South Carolina and the American Revolution: A Battlefield History, John W. Gordon illustrates how these encounters, fought between 1775 and 1783, were critical to winning the struggle that secured Americas independence from Great Britain.According to Gordon, when the war reached stalemate in other zones and the South became its final theater, South Carolina was the decisive battleground. Recounting the clashes in the state, Gordon identifies three sources of attack: the powerful British fleet and seaborne forces of the British regulars; the Cherokees in the west; and, internally, a loyalist population numerous enough to support British efforts towards reconquest. From the successful defense of Fort Sullivan (the palmetto-log fort at the mouth of Charleston harbor), capture and occupation of Charleston in 1780, to later battles at King's Mountain and Cowpens, this chronicle reveals how troops in South Carolina frustrated a campaign for restoration of royal authority and set British troops on the road to ultimate defeat at Yorktown. Despite their successes in 1780 and 1781, the British found themselves with a difficult military problem--having to wage a conventional war against American regular forces while also mounting a counterinsurgency against the partisan bands of Francis Marion, Andrew Pickens, and Thomas Sumter. In this comprehensive assessment of one southern state's battlegrounds, Gordon examines how military policy in its strategic, operational, and tactical dimensions set the stage for American success in the Revolution.

From the Inside Flap

"Gordon has provided historians and American Revolution enthusiasts with a wonderful guide to the battles fought in South Carolina. His prose is clear and concise, and his arguments are well-defined and supported."--Journal of Military History

"Gordon's treatment of the American Revolution in South Carolina succeeds on several levels. . . . For those who want the detail, it is here. For those who want to understand the context, that is also here."--South Carolina Historical Magazine

"Gordon's book on the war in South Carolina is a welcome addition to the literature on the American Revolution. It offers both an excellent survey of this conflict and is also a useful work of reference, its full bibliography and footnotes making it a good starting point for further research into an important and interesting episode in American history."--Army Historical Research

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Product Details

• Paperback: 238 pages
• Publisher: University of South Carolina Press (February 7, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570036616
• ISBN-13: 978-1570036613
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #694,073 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Closer Study of the Southern Campaign, November 3, 2006

By	Monty Rainey (New Braunfels, TX) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Despite having its' origin in Massachusetts, its first major victory in New York (along with numerous defeats), the many traipses across New Jersey, and its conclusion in Virginia, more Revolutionary combat actions occurred in South Carolina than in any other state. Often, when Americans think of the Revolution, visions of minute men at Lexington and Concord, Washington crossing the Delaware, or even the first victory at Saratoga come to mind. With his book, SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, John W. Gordon seeks to change all that and bring to the forefront, the importance of the campaigns and skirmishes that kept South Carolina in turmoil for nearly eight years.

Even in the southern campaign, knowledge is often limited to the major events such as Cowpens and the siege of Charleston. Gordon lends meticulous insight and detail to countless lesser known events of the south. Closely examined here are details concerning the three fronts of attack in South Carolina; British Naval forces in the east, Cherokee Indians in the west, and Tory loyalists throughout the state.

If you are a southern campaign enthusiast, I believe this book gives the best overall insight to the South Carolina battles of all the endless array of books previously written on the subject. Gordon writes with a fluidity often missing from battlefield narratives. The book flows extremely well and even learned students of the southern campaign will gain an abundance of information from this fine work.

This is far more than simply a reference guide to South Carolina battles, though it serves that purpose well also. Gordon goes on to present his arguments in rich detail and substantiate those arguments with well defined critical factual elements. As you would expect from a book of this magnitude, there is also a wonderful bibliography and footnotes for enhanced further study.

Monty Rainey
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11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The deadly South Carolina battles from 1775 to 1783, June 12, 2003

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: South Carolina and the American Revolution: A Battlefield History (Hardcover)

South Carolina And The American Revolution: A Battlefield History by John W. Gordon (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Quantico, Virginia) is a sharply written, encounter-by-encounter look at the deadly South Carolina battles from 1775 to 1783, many of which were crucial to winning America's independence from Great Britain. Troop movements, black-and-white illustrations, meticulous historical details enhance South Carolina And The American Revolution, a prized and recommended addition to American Revolutionary War Studies in general, and South Carolina State History reading lists in particular.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book, September 19, 2003

By	Mr. Mickey J. Wind (douglaston, ny United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: South Carolina and the American Revolution: A Battlefield History (Hardcover)

This book is an excellent source for anyone who likes to study the Revolution in general and the war in South Carolina in Specifics.

He covers all major and many smaller battles that occurred from 1775-1783. He also mentions loyalists and shows that they were more than a small force in the state. Which is gratifying for us who study Loyalists as the main focus.

If you like good military history, but do not mind several minor errors, this is a fine book for you. This book does not get much into the politics and stays on course with the soldiers who fought for and against Independence.