A Savage War of Posts
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| Gen Thomas Sumter |
The William Blackstock farm became the site of one of those "small" but violent clashes that shaped the complex mosaic of the American Revolution in the South. The farm, which includes several tobacco barns, sits just off the Tyger River on the western edge of Union County, South Carolina. This remote farm provided the setting for one of American General Thomas Sumter's most significant battles.
In November 1780, Georgia militia under Elijah Clark and John Twiggs reinforced Sumter, whose forces threatened Loyalist outposts north of the famed bastion at Ninety-Six. Sensing that a threat to Ninety-Six could make it impossible to hold, the British commander in the South, Lord Cornwallis, ordered famed cavalry leader Banastre Tarleton to break off contact with Francis (Swamp Fox) Marion's militia along the Pee Dee River.
Tarleton hurried to his new mission, hoping to trap Sumter's forces between himself and the British at Ninety-Six. Luckily, a British deserter warned Sumter, who quickly retreated to avoid the trap. Not to be outdone, the aggressive Tarleton chased after the rebel force, determined to catch them before they could escape. To do this, he led his cavalry, leaving infantry and artillery to follow behind.
A Defense Well Prepared
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| Elijah Clarke |
Sumter's force reached the Tyger River at dusk on November 20th. The clever Sumter realized he had "good ground" and decided to establish defensive positions to frustrate his pursuers with a strong defense of the farm. The famous "Gamecock" deployed his 1,000 men in defensive positions.
They didn't have to wait long before Tarleton's Legion—190 dragoons and 80 mounted infantry of the British 63rd Regiment—was spotted moving toward them. Recognizing that the rest of Tarleton's force was far behind, Sumter chose to surprise the leading troops with an attack. He left his center to defend the high ground, taking cover behind five log cabins and a rail fence.
Elijah Clark was sent with his 80 Georgians around Tarleton's right flank to block the advancing British forces. Meanwhile, Sumter led the main charge with 400 militia against 80 dismounted 63rd Regiment soldiers who had positioned themselves to the right of the British advance.
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| Sketch of the battlefield |
A Back and Forth Struggle
Sumter's plans disintegrated when the British 63rd repelled his militia, who retreated back through the houses anchoring the center. Not to be discouraged, Sumter sent a force of mounted infantry under Colonel Lacey with orders to strike the British dragoons on the left. Lacey's men surprised the dragoons, who were admiring the work of the 63rd. Lacey's first volley caused 20 casualties among the troopers. However, they quickly recovered and drove off Lacey's men.
Eager to defeat the rebels, the 80 men of the 63rd attacked the center. A bayonet charge led by Major John Money attempted to push back the rebels, but the 63rd advanced too close to the farm buildings and came under fire from Colonel Henry Hampton's men within, who, as usual, aimed "at the epaulets and stripes." Money and two of his lieutenants were killed, and, according to an officer of Fraser's Highlanders, a third of the privates as well.
Meanwhile, other partisans maneuvered around their right flank to attack Tarleton's dragoons, who were in their saddles but only watching the action. Now that Hampton's South Carolina riflemen and some of the Georgia sharpshooters held the line to check the British, Sumter's men began to rally around them. The British infantry was trapped under the muskets and rifles of an enraged patriot force.
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| Banastre Tarleton |
Seeing their plight, Tarleton led a desperate charge at the American center. The reckless uphill cavalry charge against riflemen firing from cover was not successful. One report described so many dragoons being knocked from their horses that the road to the ford was blocked by their bodies, fallen chargers, the wounded, still targets, struggling to get back over their stricken comrades and kicking, screaming horses. Despite this chaos, the British forces retreated in good order.
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| Tarleton's cavalry attack was repulsed by intense American fire |
Change of Command
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| John Twiggs |
Not without his own bravado, Sumter rode to the center of his line as the British dragoons were driven back. As they retreated, members of the 63rd fired a volley at him and his officers. Sumter was severely wounded, hit in the arm and the back, and had to give up command to John Twiggs.
Knowing he wouldn’t have any more success that day, Tarleton pulled back and waited for reinforcements, hoping to launch another attack the next day. Fearing that troops from Ninety-Six might join with Tarleton to overpower them, the Americans retreated. To fool the British scouts, Twiggs left campfires burning and withdrew under cover of night.
Tarleton claimed victory on the battlefield the next day. But he probably felt the frustration as he had to bury the dead from both sides. The cost was uneven: British casualties included 92 killed and between 75-100 wounded. American casualties were 3 killed, 4 wounded, and 50 captured.
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| View of American defenses |
After the Battle
The engagement at Blackstock Farm is little known and nearly forgotten for many years. Tarleton boasted of his victory and the dispatching of the hated Sumter. Yet his regulars failed to drive the rebel militia from the field and suffered an unacceptable loss ratio. Moreover, Sumter would return to action in a few months. Meanwhile, his wound opened the door for General George Washington to appoint the New England fighting Quaker Nathanael Greene as the overall commander of the Southern Department.
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| Nathanael Greene |
The Battlefield Today
The Blackstock Plantation, formerly a series of tobacco barns, lies in a hilly, wooded area. In the eighteenth century, much of the land of the battlefield was cleared but has since become overgrown with small pines and brush. No above-ground evidence remains of Blackstock’s barn or house, which were located near the area marked by the historical marker designating the battle site. There are also no modern buildings in the battlefield area. The site covers 54 acres and features walking trails just south of the Tyger River.
