Battle of Hobkirk’s Hill – Wikipedia

The Battle of Hobkirk’s Hill In the American War of Independence, South Carolina, South Carolina, took place in the United States on April 25, 1781 north of the city of Camden.
The battle ended with a victory of the British troops under Lieutenant Colonel Lord Francis Rawdon over major general Nathanael Greenes American army.

After the campaign in the southern states in the spring of 1781, which ended with the British victory in the Battle of Guilford Court House in North Carolina, the British high -commanding officer in the south, Earl Charles Cornwallis, moved north, while the army of the American general Nathanael moved Greene in the direction of South Carolina marched to overwhelm the weak British garrisons there and finally secure this hard -fought state for the rebellious Americans. Greene detached part of his troops to attack British outposts under the guerrilla leader Francis Marion, he himself moved up to the main part of his army on the most important British post in the inland South Carolinas, the city of Camden. Greene was twice superior to the British garrison of Camden under Lord Rawdon, but still stored on Hobkirk’s Hill north of the city to expect reinforcements. Lord Rawdon was informed of the presence of the American army by a defector and immediately mobilized all available troops to surprisingly attack Greene.

General Greenes American Army consisted of a total of around 1,550 men; His four battalions continental troops under Isaac Huger and Otho Williams have now been quite experienced fighters, and a department of the North Carolina-Miliz as well as Robert Kirkwoods and William Washington cavalry were available.

Lord Rawdon was able to fall back on a total of only 800 men; They consist of the remains of a British regular (the 63rd regiment) and three American (2nd, 3rd and 4th American) loyalist battalions, supported by some loyalist scorches and cavalry. Rawdon was even forced to get 150 sick and run -up wounded from the hospital in order to reach at least half of the American number of troops.

General Greene was surprised by the aggressive failure of Rawdons, which he actually wanted to besiege, but his troops still occupy a favorable position on the hill. His guns were covered by his continental troops and only when the British troops had come at a short distance, he exposed this trump card and the British had to accept sensitive losses through artillery fire and were temporarily stopped. Now Greene went to the counterattack and had his continental troops attack; But the British troops kept up and Rawdon used his lean reserves to threaten the Americans on the flanks. A battalion of the continental troops was – probably by a misunderstood command – unsettled and began to withdraw, which the other troops joined, causing the entire American line to collapse and Greenes Army escaped.

General Greenes Plan to conquer Camden had failed thoroughly. He had lost 18 dead, 108 wounded and 138 prisoners, withdrew and collected reinforcements for the next attack on the British. Lord Rawdon, however, realized that the British position in the inland-especially after the loss of 38 deaths and 170 wounded in the battle-could not be held against a reinforced green and against the guerrilla militias; He therefore ordered the withdrawal of all garrisons (e.g. Fort Motte, Augusta, Fort Granby, Fort Ninety-Six) ​​in the easier to defend coastal cities Charleston and Savannah, which was unmolved by his own department, but most of the other bases were from Besieged the Americans and forced to the task one after the other.

William Washington, cousin of George Washington and commander of the American cavalry at Hobkirk’s Hill, had nothing better to do during the battle than to ride the opposing lines around and capture the British medical staff. When the hasty American withdrawal began, he released the captured doctors, rode back and was able to save General Greenes guns from the British.

34.2744444444444 -80.60722222222 Coordinates: 34 ° 16 ′ 28 ″ N , 80 ° 36 ′ 26 ″ IN