4
Eutaw Springs and the Ambiguity of Victory
byThe Battle of Eutaw Springs, South Carolina, on September 8, 1781 was the last major open-field battle of the Revolutionary War and perhaps its…
Francis Marion
4
5
Emily Geiger’s Fabulous Ride
byFabulous: adj. 1) wonderful; 2) existing only in fable. Emily Geiger is celebrated in numerous books and articles, memorialized on monuments, and portrayed in videos.[1]…
2
Leading Like the Swamp Fox: The Leadership Lessons of Francis Marion
byBOOK REVIEW: Leading Like the Swamp Fox: The Leadership Lessons of Francis Marion by Kevin Dougherty and Steven D. Smith (Philadelphia: Casemate Publishers, 2022) The…
2
General Nathanael Greene—Intelligence Manager
byIt is well known that George Washington was Nathanael Greene’s mentor in many ways, but luckily for many of us he did not completely…
6
The Mysterious March of Horatio Gates
byFollowing the American surrender at Charleston on May 12, 1780, the Continental Army’s “Southern Department” was in disarray. Taken prisoner that day were 245…
This Week on Dispatches: Jeff Dacus on the “Tower of Victory” at the Siege of Fort Watson
byOn this week’s Dispatches host Brady Crytzer interviews JAR contributor Jeff Dacus on how Light Horse Harry Lee and Francis Marion were able to successfully capture…
1
Tower of Victory
byAs far back as the eleventh century B.C. attackers confronted by fortified cities and towns, castles, and forts, used siege towers to elevate their…
The Slings and Arrows of Outrageous Misfortune: The Fall of Fort Motte
byThe Revolutionary War in the Carolinas after the fall of Charleston was a great arena of war with hundreds of small battlefields. Some were…
2
George Farragut: The Epitome of an American Colonial
byJordi Ferragut Mesquida, better known by his anglicized name George Farragut, was the only known Spanish volunteer who fought under the American flag in…
2
Decoding British ciphers used in the South, 1780-81
byDuring the southern campaigns the British used two kinds of cipher, each kind being markedly different from the other. The First Kind of Cipher: The…
2
Cornwallis’s Refitment at Winnsborough and the Start of the Winter Campaign, November–January 1780–81
byAs November 1780 begins, we find Cornwallis continuing to wait at Winnsborough, South Carolina, in the hope of being joined by Major Gen. Alexander…
5
Major James Wemyss: Second Most Hated British Officer in the South
byNo British officer was more reviled by Patriots in the South during the American Revolution than Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton. Based partly on fact…
1
Thomas Sumter’s Dog Days Expedition
byAs Nathanael Greene retreated from Ninety Six in late June 1781, following his unsuccessful siege there, Thomas Sumter was eager to campaign in lower…
10
Sumter’s Rounds: The Ill-Fated Campaign of Thomas Sumter, February–March 1781
byIn February 1781, Thomas Sumter emerged from his three-month convalescence to begin his next campaign in the South Carolina interior. Having been wounded seriously…
9
Top 10 Patriot Militia Commanders of the Revolutionary War
byHaving recently discovered Journal of the American Revolution, I have spent many hours reading through the archive. I particularly enjoy reading the discussions that…
2
Fanning Outfoxes Marion
byWhen news of Lord Cornwallis’s surrender at Yorktown on October 19, 1781 arrived in southeastern North Carolina well into November, the war there did…
11
Top 10 Partisans of the Southern Campaigns
byThe focus of my studies on the American Revolution is the militia activities in the southern campaigns. In this context, I believe the term…
5
Francis Marion Meets His Match: Benjamin Thompson Defeats the “Swamp Fox”
byDuring 1780 and 1781, Brigadier General Francis Marion earned a reputation as the “Swamp Fox,” a virtually unbeatable partisan commander who foiled British efforts…
4
Francis Marion at the Battle of Eutaw Springs
bySeptember 8, 1781 Francis Marion is best known for his leadership in the partisan war of 1780-1781, during which he and his volunteer militia…