The Battles of Fort Watson and Fort Motte, 1781 (e-book) (used book) | bookbook.eu

Description

On May 9, 1781, American General Nathanael Greene and his Continental army were outside of British-held Camden, South Carolina. He was despondent and contemplating resigning his commission, believing he could not force the British out of the fortified village. His compatriot, Francis Marion, standing before Fort Motte forty miles to the south, was also in the same mood, informing Greene that he was frustrated by the militia, and he was going to resign after the fort's capture. The next day, Lord Francis Rawdon, commander of the Camden garrison and all British field forces in South Carolina, abandoned the backcountry village. Marion would capture Fort Motte two days later. In The Battles of Fort Watson and Fort Motte, 1781, historian and archaeologist Steven D. Smith, relates the history of four critical weeks from April 12 until May 12, 1781, in which the tide of the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution turned in favor of the Americans. The book focuses on General Francis Marion and Colonel Henry Lee's capture of two British forts, Fort Watson and Fort Motte, cooperating with Nathanael Greene in the recapture of the South Carolina backcountry. These posts defended the supply line between Charleston and the British occupied villages of Camden and Ninety Six. Although there would be much more fighting to do, once they were lost, the British had to abandon the backcountry or starve. The British would never again be on the offensive and would be slowly forced back into Charleston. The story of the capture of the forts is enhanced and enlightened by the findings of archaeological investigation at the forts, and even mythology, which are seamlessly integrated into the story, providing a unique perspective on our past.