Battle of Camden
The Battle of Camden, fought on August 16, 1780, was a significant engagement during the American Revolutionary War, occurring in South Carolina between American forces led by General Horatio Gates and British troops commanded by Lord Charles Cornwallis. Despite having a numerical advantage, the American forces faced serious challenges, including fatigue from long marches, inadequate supplies that caused illness, and issues with command structure, which left them poorly prepared for the confrontation. The battle took place seven miles north of Camden, where the British initiated the attack.
The American contingent included a limited number of trained Continental soldiers, and when faced with the British assault, many militia members from Virginia and North Carolina panicked and fled the battlefield. The Delaware and Maryland Continentals, under the command of Baron De Kalb, attempted to hold their position but were ultimately overwhelmed by superior British numbers. The aftermath of the battle was devastating for the Americans, with only about 1,000 troops evading death or capture compared to the British casualties of 331, marking it as one of the most significant defeats for the American forces in the war. The battle's outcome had lasting implications for the American campaign in the southern theater.
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Battle of Camden
Type of action: Ground battle in the American Revolution
Date: August 16, 1780
Location: Camden, South Carolina
Combatants: 3,052 Americans vs. 2,240 British
Principal commanders:American, General Horatio Gates (1728–1806); British, General Lord Charles Cornwallis (1738–1805)
Result: British attack routs American forces
In July, 1780, General Horatio Gates decided to advance against the British forces under Lord Charles Cornwallis in South Carolina. Arriving at Camden on August 16, the same day as the troops of Cornwallis, Gates was determined to take the town of Camden from the British, and the battle was joined seven miles north of the town. Although the American forces outnumbered those of the British, several factors severely handicapped the colonials. American troops were exhausted by long marches, weakened by the laxative effect of their ill-chosen supplies, and poorly commanded. In addition, fewer than 900 troops were trained Continental soldiers. The British attacked first, and the Virginia and North Carolina militia quickly threw down their arms and fled. Only the 600 Delaware and Maryland Continentals under Baron De Kalb stood their ground, but 2,000 British attackers eventually overwhelmed them. The Americans chaotically fled to North Carolina, with Gates at the forefront of the fleeing survivors.
Significance
Only about 1,000 Americans survived death or capture, compared with 331 deaths suffered by the British. The cowardice of Gates and the size of American losses combined to make for the worst defeat of the Americans during the Revolutionary War.
Bibliography
Barefoot, Daniel W. Touring South Carolina’s Revolutionary War Sites. Touring the Backroads Series. Winston-Salem, N.C.: John F. Blair, 1999.
Landers, H. L. The Battle of Camden, South Carolina: Historical Statements. 1929. Reprint. Camden, S.C.: Kershaw County Historical Society, 1997.
Liberty: The American Revolution. Documentary. Middlemarch Films, 1997.
Pancake, John S. This Destructive War: The British Campaign in the Carolinas, 1780–1782. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 1985.