And Then There Were Thirteen with Dr. Henry Lumpkin was an instructional series debuted by SCETV in the mid-1970s. The 20-episode series featured lectures by Dr. Henry Lumpkin of the University of South Carolina Department of History filmed on actual battle sites and campaign areas of the American Revolution in South Carolina.
On the 25th of April, 1781, Lord Francis Rawdon and his mostly loyalist troops defeated Nathanael Greene at Hobkirk’s Hill just outside of Camden. Professor Lumpkin observed that in the strange war in the Southern theater, Greene suffered a tactical defeat, and again gained a strategic victory. Having won the battle, Rawdon abandoned the big British base in Camden, burned his stores, and fell back on Charleston. The strong British bases and lines of communication ran from the big fortifications at Fort Watson, Fort Motte, Fort Granby (now Columbia), and Orangeburg were all in American hands. Only the strong British base at Ninety Six remained.
The professor recounted the battle at Fort Cornwallis at Augusta, Georgia and described how subsequently Greene had his troops march upon Ninety Six. There we learn about the extensive fortifications of the star fort and meet Polish soldier and military engineer Thaddeus Kościuszko. Follow along on the gripping tale of how once again Nathanael Greene lost the battle but won a strategic victory when the British eventually evacuated Ninety Six.
Side Notes
- Lord Francis Rawdon - Rawdon capably commanded and resisted Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene's efforts to eliminate British posts in the interior. On April 25, 1781 Rawdon defeated Greene's army of Continentals and militia with a smaller force at the Battle of Hobkirk's Hill, near Camden. Despite the victory, Rawdon withdrew his men to the safety of Monck's Corner. Greene's strategy of pushing the British back to the safety of Charleston proved effective despite suffering battlefield defeats. In June 1781, Rawdon marched from Charleston with 2,000 soldiers to the assistance of the loyalist outpost at Ninety Six, thereby lifting Greene's siege. Given the vulnerability of the garrison, Rawdon evacuated Ninety Six and withdrew to Charleston with the combined force. And Forts Geffen and Cornwallis guarding Augusta, Georgia.
- Nathanael Greene (1742 - 1786) George Washington trusted Greene immensely, and that trust only grew over the course of the war. Greene’s legacy endures. He is one of the most celebrated generals of the Revolution for his crucial role in wresting the southern theater from the British and securing a revolutionary Patriot victory.
- Thaddeus Kościuszko was a Polish general, military engineer, and revolutionary. He fought in the American Revolutionary War, as well as an uprising in his home. Late in August 1776, Thaddeus Kościuszko stepped off a ship and onto the docks in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After making the acquaintance of Benjamin Franklin and proving his worth by designing blockades and fortresses along the Delaware River, Kościuszko was given the rank of colonel by Congress in October 1776. In December, he designed Fort Mercer in Red Bank, New Jersey. In the summer of 1777, he ordered the troops retreating from Ticonderoga to delay the British by felling trees and moving boulders onto the path, as well as diverting and damming streams to turn the woodland path into a swamp. In the autumn of 1777, Kościuszko’s structures and use of topography contributed to the American victory at Saratoga.
- William Washington - A distant cousin to George Washington, William Washington was a celebrated officer of the Continental Army during the American Revolution. William Washington enjoyed a strong reputation as a military leader. After surrendering at Yorktown, Lord Cornwallis commented that "there could be no more formidable antagonist in a charge, at the head of his cavalry, than Colonel William Washington."
- Thomas Sumter (1734 - 1832) . During the Revolutionary War, Sumter became a prominent commander in the South Carolina militia. In 1776, Sumter, at the head of the 2nd Regiment of Riflemen watch at Charleston during the Battle of Sullivan’s Island but did not participate in the action. A lack of activity eventually prompted him to resign his commission and return home. When Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton’s raiders burned his home, however, he organized a band of partisans to harass the British and their Tory allies. General Charles Lord Cornwallis considered Sumter such an annoyance that he called him one of his “great plagues.”
- Star Fort - Ninety Six When you walk out to the Historic battlefield, you're walking on hallowed ground. The siege trenches are partially reconstructed, but the Star Fort is original. Construction of the Star Fort started in December 1780 and finished in early 1781. It was built by Loyalist soldiers (loyal to the King of England) & slaves from nearby farms and plantations. It wasn't a very popular design because it was hard to build, and couldn't hold many troops, but Loyalist engineer Lt. Henry Haldane decided that an eight-point star fort would be better for the site than a tradition square fort. The star shape allowed musket and cannon fire in all directions.
- Battle of Hobkirk's Hill
- Henry Lumpkin, PhD.
- Thomas Brown (1750-1825) Commanding a regiment of loyalists known as the King’s Rangers, Thomas Brown took part in several important actions in Georgia during the Revolutionary War (1775-83).
- Charles Cornwallis
- History of Ninety Six
- Rugeley's Fort - Rugeley's Mill Battle Facts and Summary - Battlefield Trust.
- Keowee Trail - Walking through the majestic mountain range of upper northwest South Carolina, the glimpse of an old road emerges upon the ground. The old dirt bed dating back to over 310 years, sheds light into the past just as the bright sunshine cascades shadows from tree to tree. Gently sleeping now for many years, possibly dreaming and remembering all of the many travelers who made their way across its path. The old road has witnessed many changes throughout its lifetime. For centuries, the route led many home. It’s mileage began along the shores of Charleston and reached upwards to the walls surrounding a once thriving Cherokee town.
- John Harris Cruger - Commander Ninety Six.
- George Galphin letters. Outgoing correspondence of George Galphin to Benjamin Lincoln written from Dec. 15, 1778 to Jan. 9, 1780. While serving as commissioner of Indian affairs, Galphin occasionally wrote to Benjamin Lincoln, commander of the American army in the Southern department. The purpose of Galphin's four letters was to inform Lincoln of the current situation with the Creek Indians and his efforts to maintain their friendship.
