Blackstock

A Savage War of Posts

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

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.

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. 

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.

Tarleton's cavalry attack was repulsed by intense American fire

Change of Command

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.

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.

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.

Cold and Stalemate at Whitemarsh

This week marked the anniversary of Whitemarsh: the final part of the third year of the American fight for independence. For several cold winter days, rebels and redcoats marched and counter-marched as General George Washington aimed to lure British General Howe into an end-of-year disaster.

Background

General William Howe

General William Howe's Philadelphia campaign of 1777 was one of move, lose, move, lose for George Washington and the Continental Army. Despite that, Howe and the British high command remained frustrated because the rebel army and its general continued to remain a force they would need to reckon with if winter quarters were to be enjoyed in peace and comfort. 

Despite his failed surprise attack on Germantown on 4 October, Washington remained unbeaten. He maneuvered his forces from post to post, ultimately settling in at a place called Whitemarsh, about 13 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Both Howe and Washington knew that an unbeaten American force in the field remained a psychological as well as a real threat to British success. 

So in early December, Howe decided to make one last attempt to destroy Washington's army before the onset of winter and began preparations for the attack on the rebel forces rumored to be in the process of moving to a new camp. But Washington's intelligence network, led by Major John Clark, became aware of British plans to surprise the Americans, possibly through a Quaker housewife, Lydia Darragh. Because of the timely, accurate intelligence, regardless of the source, the Continental Army was ready.

Lydia Darragh was a Phila. nurse
and the housewife said to have warned
Washington of British plans

Ready for Action

Undaunted by weeks of retreat, Washington and his men prepared for battle. Washington faced pressure from Congress due to defeats at Brandywine and Germantown and aimed to make amends before the campaign ended. He always pictured a Breed's Hill-style fight where his troops would break British lines with heavy fire from fortified positions. For their part, his men were eager for a chance to vent their frustrations on the 'lobsters.' 

The Americans had ample time to strengthen their defenses, so despite being cold, exhausted, and hungry, they were ready to act and seek retribution. Washington positioned them on high ground—another Breed's Hill scenario seemed possible. Meanwhile, Howe planned to give the rebels the fight they craved. The British hoped for a swift, decisive victory over the struggling rebels before winter arrived, as he too faced troubles of his own.

And Vindication

A British Army capitulated at Saratoga in October—an army many believed Howe was obliged to help. Defeating Washington would be a sweet victory. Both Howe and Washington were overshadowed by the recent devastating British surrender at Saratoga. Howe for not doing more to support Gen. John Burgoyne, the defeated British commander, during the ill-fated invasion from Canada. Washington himself was criticized by some in Congress and the Army who questioned his leadership.

British surrender at Saratoga had
both Washington and Howe in its shadow

The Action

The British and Hessians left Philadelphia at midnight on a bitterly cold December 4th, with 14,000 troops. Howe moved his men in two columns. One, led by Lord Cornwallis, headed up Germantown Pike. The second, commanded by Hessian General Knyphausen, marched toward the American left. Just before dawn on December 5th, they arrived at Chestnut Hill, where they encountered about 15,000 Americans ready for action. 

Attempting to provoke a fight, Washington sent the Pennsylvania militia toward Howe's left. The militia was repelled after a short but intense fight. This led to days of maneuvering by Howe's forces, who attempted to find an opening in Washington's defenses through various feints and marches. The Continentals and militia responded well. Washington's men were prepared and managed to prevent any potential breakthrough. 

Frustrated, the British burned homes and farms, fueling resistance among a populace that was almost subdued by the British advance. Howe launched a final effort to turn the American left flank on December 7th. He advanced forces along Edge Hill, a ridge running parallel to the American lines. But the Americans, including militia and Virginia riflemen under Dan Morgan, responded. After intense fighting, the Americans were again pushed back, but the British retreated. 

This started a long day of small, sharp, yet inconclusive skirmishes throughout the wooded ridge, with no clear outcome. Frustrated at neither breaching the American defenses nor luring them into an open battle, Howe decided to withdraw. He led his army back to Philadelphia. Washington also felt frustrated, as his hope of luring Howe into a second Breed's Hill never materialized. The casualties for Whitemarsh were 90 Americans killed or wounded, and 60 British killed or wounded.

Howe at Whitemarsh

A Winter of Stalemate

Whitemarsh marked the end of the long and eventful campaigns of 1777. Howe and his army are secure in comfortable winter quarters in Philadelphia. A few days later, on December 11, Washington leads his army into the cold comfort of winter quarters at Valley Forge. The uneventful battle at Whitemarsh is unremarkable on its face. But in retrospect, the inconclusive series of skirmishes set the stage for the famous winter at Valley Forge that marked the birth of a professional American Army. As for Sir William Howe, his request for relief was approved, and he would leave the Army the following spring.

Stalemate at Whitemarsh was the last action
before George Washington led his army to
a place called Valley Forge

The Surgeon Counterinsurgent

The cause of the American Revolution was a conflict between two motives: one for independence from Britain and its monarchy, and the other for continued allegiance to that same monarchy as part of the larger British "empire" that grew in the 18th century. The Loyalists often get a bad reputation. They were not evil, misguided, or any more treacherous than the patriots overall. They were simply traditional folks who saw greater benefits in remaining under the crown than in rejecting it. In the long lead-up to the War for Independence, many tried to steer the politics of their respective colonies toward resolving their grievances.

Political agitation caused some to  remain ambivalent

But by the outbreak of actual hostilities, Loyalists were forced to go underground (keep their sympathies secret) or assert royal prerogative through action. New Jersey was the most divided of all the states in this regard. Many influential Loyalists had participated in the various committees, associations, and even Congress to guide the disaffected toward a political solution. But once the challenge was made, they began to slip away quietly or suddenly to action.

Loyalists organized for the day the British would arrive

One such "First Loyalist" was a little-known doctor from Teaneck, New Jersey, in divided Bergen County, named Abraham Van Buskirk. Van Buskirk was a notable figure in the region. The Van Buskirk family was an old Dutch family that had lived there for many years. His father, Lawrence Van Buskirk, operated a successful stagecoach service. By the time of the war, the elder Van Buskirk had passed the enterprise, called The Flying Machine, to his son Andrew, who managed the stage to the Hoboken Ferry. He also ran a tavern in New Bridge.

Doctor Abraham occasionally helped out, usually making the run to Paulus Hook. Van Buskirk and his family were well established in the area. His travels on the stage and familiarity with the region would later prove useful. Abraham Van Buskirk and many other prominent New Jersey Dutch failed in their political efforts to keep the colony aligned with the crown. Additionally, they secretly took other measures as the cloud of war gathered over the troubled Royal Colony.

Despite his Tory leanings, Van Buskirk became an officer in the county militia. However, many local patriots were skeptical and saw him as a Loyalist. He had been associated with the patriot cause early on, having been elected as a moderate to the county committee and provincial congress. Van Buskirk managed to dodge accusations so skillfully that he appeared more like a patriot. But he was a man of principles; he broke ranks with the patriots over the issue of outright independence for the thirteen colonies, refusing to swear the oath of abjuration, renouncing his loyalty to the Crown, and resigning from the provincial congress. Yet, in his practical Dutch way, Van Buskirk and his fellow secret Loyalists would only openly declare if the British showed up in loco. Fortunately for them, and unfortunately for the patriots, they did not have to wait long.

Cornwallis's Invasion of the Jerseys

During late summer and into the fall of 1776, the people of Jersey waited anxiously as the British, under Lord William Howe, systematically drove Washington and his Continental Army from Staten Island, Long Island, and the Island of New York (Manhattan). After an inconclusive battle at White Plains (in Westchester), Washington moved most of his forces across the North (Hudson) River to the "safety" of the Jerseys.

In November, British General Lord Cornwallis led a force of 5,000 men up the palisades overlooking the Hudson River and forced the Continental Army into a hasty retreat toward Pennsylvania. Now was Van Buskirk's moment! On November 22, the British crossed the Hackensack River and captured the city. Swarms of Hessians dazzled or terrified residents, depending on their allegiance. The Volunteer Loyalists gathered in town. He and his men could openly declare and organize their unit, the 4th Battalion, New Jersey Volunteers. Van Buskirk, the citizen, soon proved himself as a capable military leader, guiding his unit with a steady hand and determined efficiency.

Loyalist Infantry

The War for Independence was fought fiercely at the local level, especially between Loyalists and rebels. Some of the most intense fighting took place in the Hackensack Valley. To support British efforts to control Jersey, Van Buskirk began sending his men on raids across Bergen County and later patrolling key areas like Bergen Neck and Staten Island. Van Buskirk's patrols captured prisoners for questioning or exchange. They foraged from the local people’s resources, just like the patriots did. They engaged in numerous skirmishes with the hated rebel militia and sometimes with Continental troops. Van Buskirk quickly became a terror to Hackensack Valley patriots and any Continental units passing through the area.

After Washington's surprise victory at Trenton, many British units left New Jersey, but a few stayed near Paulhus Hook and Bergen. From there, Van Buskirk's companies launched more raids into the so-called "neutral ground" of the valley. They played a part in the "Winter War" (or Forage War), helping to safeguard farmers trying to supply goods to the British forces concentrated in New York. Throughout 1777, Van Buskirk effectively waged unconventional warfare from his base at Bergen Point, sending operatives as far as the New York border to capture patriots for interrogation and retaliation.

In September 1777, the British commander in New York, General Clinton, launched a three-pronged, 2,000-man assault into New Jersey. Van Buskirk's men participated eagerly, landing at Elizabeth Town and moving quickly north, where they performed well during an engagement at Passaic. In August of that year, American General John Sullivan started an attack on British and Loyalist forces on Staten Island. Abraham Van Buskirk's battalion was part of Brigadier General Cortland Skinner's Loyalist Brigade.

Patrick Ferguson

In May 1779, Van Buskirk supported a British raid on Closter with the aim of reaching Paramus. Captain Patrick Ferguson, who would later gain fame for King's Mountain, played a key role in the operation. Later that year, Van Buskirk foiled local patriots in another way by escaping Light Horse Harry Lee's raid on Paulhus Hook, where he was among the intended targets. Van Buskirk's intelligence network was now well-established in that part of New Jersey, and it made a real difference.

The winter of 1779-80 was exceptionally cold. Van Buskirk's 4th New Jersey was based on Staten Island. Conditions would soon warm up. On January 14, American General Lord Stirling attempted a raid against Van Buskirk but was ultimately unsuccessful. Undeterred, Van Buskirk launched a counter-attack on January 25, capturing 50 prisoners despite the severe cold affecting both sides. In April of that year, Van Buskirk played a leading role in the Battle of Hooperstown.

In September 1781, Van Buskirk led his battalion during the turncoat Benedict Arnold's infamous burning of New London and the siege at Fort Griswold, where the surrendering fort commander, Colonel Ledyard, was infamously stabbed and many of his men were bayoneted to death. The last action of the war in the North somewhat symbolizes the true nature of the desperate struggle for America.

Benedict Arnold: British general

The action in Connecticut in 1781 was one of the last major engagements in the North. Following the lengthy negotiations after Yorktown in October 1781, the war returned to a state of "low intensity." One can imagine Van Buskirk played his part skillfully until the end. After the war, Van Buskirk's fate was no different from that of many other Loyalists whose dreams were shattered and whose homes were destroyed or seized by vengeful rebels. Someone as dedicated to the crown as Van Buskirk had few options. As a result, the surgeon, businessman, politician, and soldier joined many other Loyalists who emigrated to Nova Scotia. There, he settled in Shelburne, where he died in 1791.

The Liberty Pole

Liberty Pole as Symbol

For many colonists, the patriot cause in fighting for independence from Great Britain represented liberty. Patriots believed that representation in government, economic freedom, and personal liberties defined true freedom. However, this view was not shared by everyone. The fight for American liberty involved an ideological struggle between neighbors and brothers, and in some regions, just as many people loyal to the King as there were patriots. Many doubted which side was right or wrong. These individuals were undecided at first. 

Unfortunately, just as today, some people were indifferent, and many shifted their loyalties from patriot to Loyalist depending on who controlled the area. Not everyone believed the best way to achieve individual freedom was to establish a new government. Many colonists thought that, as Englishmen, the King would protect their rights, and anything else was considered treason. To some, the Liberty Pole symbolized freedom; to others, it represented treason. Stark differences.

Liberty Tree: Boston

But the Liberty Pole actually started as a Liberty Tree. The original Liberty Tree was a large elm tree in the South End of Boston. Angry Boston citizens first used it around 1765 as a rallying point during the Stamp Act crisis, when the British Parliament was threatening a tax on paper goods like legal documents and newspapers. 

The Sons of Liberty, an organization founded in Boston by Samuel Adams to protest British taxes, saw their membership grow quickly across the colonies. As the movement spread from Boston, the Sons of Liberty continued the practice of gathering under a large tree, which was present in many village greens, and these came to be called Liberty Trees. 

Their goal was to shape public opinion and coordinate patriotic actions against Britain. In towns without a sufficiently large tree, patriots sometimes erected tall poles to symbolize a Liberty Tree. These became known as Liberty Poles. Most Liberty Poles were set up in town squares, the centers of civic life, often as tall as 100 feet. These squares served not only as gathering places but also as symbols of resistance to British rule.

Erecting a Liberty Pole G, Goshen, New York

In New York City, where some of the earliest battles of the Revolutionary War eventually took place, there was an ongoing fight over the Liberty Pole. In May 1766, when news spread that the Stamp Act had been repealed, the Sons of Liberty celebrated by erecting a Liberty Pole. It became a rallying point for large meetings and a symbol of the American struggle. In June, two regiments of British soldiers arrived in New York City and were housed in the upper barracks. These troops cut down the liberty pole on August 10th. A second and third pole were erected and also taken down. A fourth pole was raised and encased in iron to prevent it from being cut down again.

First Liberty Pole in New York City

Liberty Pole as Place

And that place would be New Jersey, in a time long ago: before the Sopranos, Bridgegate, or even the Turnpike. In present-day Englewood, New Jersey, there stands a pole erected in 1964. It is believed to be at or near the site of an earlier pole erected almost 200 years earlier to celebrate the repeal of the Stamp Act. This event was more than symbolic, as it served as a catalyst for further action in the defense of liberty in the Hackensack Valley, a hub of political agitation and warfare. The "English Neighborhood" (which included today's City of Englewood) in New Jersey was part of the larger Patriot and Loyalist conflict in the state. Even the name, "English Neighborhood," reveals the division among the people in the valley. The Dutch settlers named it to highlight its position as the settlement closest to the foreign English in Manhattan, then called the Island of New York.

Even before the fighting started, neighbors disagreed on issues of religion and government. The spot in the "English Neighborhood," known to all the colonists (including George Washington) as Liberty Pole, would become a key symbol of liberty. But on November 20th, 1776, the Liberty Pole witnessed a time of great despair. The valley was a strategic crossroads connecting New York City, Long Island, the west, the Hudson Highlands, and the south. 

Along with the waters of the Hackensack, the Kings Highway ran north-south before turning west. At this junction stood a tavern that became the focus of much social, economic, and political activity. In 1776, the inn’s owner, a passionate patriot, followed the example of the Liberty Boys in New York by erecting a Liberty Pole topped with a gold Liberty Cap to celebrate the repeal of the Stamp Act. Known as the Liberty Pole Tavern, the inn was a center of activity, and the surrounding area was also called Liberty Pole.

Watching the Hudson from Fort Lee

Although no major battles occurred here, events crucial to the American cause took place in Englewood. On the night of November 20, 1776, British General Lord Cornwallis crossed the Hudson River with nine thousand men to what is now Alpine, aiming to capture the rebel forces at Fort Lee, commanded by Nathaniel Greene. General Washington, aware of the plan, led his army from Fort Lee down the King's Highway to the Liberty Pole Tavern, then veered onto what is now Teaneck Road toward New Bridge, where he managed to cross the Hackensack River. 

By summer 1776, the fight for independence with real armies pushed closer to the English Neighborhood. The British drove George Washington's army from Long Island and lower New York across the North (Hudson) River. For a time, Washington made his headquarters in Hackensack, trying to organize a defense against a British attack up the Hudson River. He ordered the arming of forts on both sides of the river, Fort Washington and Fort Lee. On November 16, 1776, the British captured Fort Washington in upper Manhattan, leaving Fort Lee unsupported and allowing the Royal Navy free movement up and down the river. The fall of Fort Lee as a defensive outpost was imminent. 

Washington realized he would be vulnerable to a British attack and faced the decision to move his declining force of 2,000 men across the Hackensack—by ferry or via the one bridge located in River Edge at New Bridge. During this crisis, Washington was criticized, and his army’s morale was low. Recognizing Washington's predicament, British Commander Lord Howe permitted Lord Charles Cornwallis to launch an amphibious attack on New Jersey, just miles north of Fort Lee. 

They moved on the night of November 19, 1776. The next day, Washington learned of the British invasion and quickly rode to Liberty Pole. There, he planned to meet General Greene, the commander of Fort Lee, and his men, who were evacuating the fort. The British were about 2 miles away in Tenafly. Most of the soldiers marched together (down what is now Grand Avenue in Leonia) until reaching Liberty Pole and Washington. Amid the chaos of the retreat, some soldiers were ordered to secure the

Cornwallis moves across the North River (Hudson)  to the Jerseys

As the exhausted American army withdrew from the Jerseys, the area around Liberty Pole entered a different kind of warfare—one that symbolized the fight for independence even more than the pitched battles described in most accounts. It became a war of political intrigue, espionage, sabotage, and small skirmishes. Raids were carried out. Loyalties were questioned, as many of the Dutch were at best ambivalent about the struggle. Spies operated and were caught. Chaos and disorder spread throughout the area around Liberty Pole. 

The conflict simmered continuously, flaring up into brief, fierce bursts of action whenever the armies returned. Liberty Pole became the site of a notable skirmish later in the war. In 1779, a tired but resilient band of troops under the famed General "Light-Horse Harry" Lee courageously defended against Tory attacks as a Patriot force returned from a successful raid on the Paulhus Hook, what is now Jersey City. The raid on the Hook was only partly successful, but Lee's boldness and his successful retreat across the Hackensack River earned praise from General Washington and gratitude from Congress.

Light Horse Harry Lee's rear guard fought
bravely at Liberty Pole

In 1780, Washington’s Army was in the Hudson Highlands, and the forward lines around Tappan drew the attention of spies from both sides, Tory bands, militias, Continentals foraging, and various bandits. A British pardon lured American deserters from the Highlands, giving British intelligence a wealth of information. In one recorded act of reprisal, a raiding party of American militia marched down the valley to Liberty Pole and captured several deserters. These examples illustrate the type of fighting that took place around the pole and throughout the valley during the long fight for America's independence.