Eutaw Springs, Battle of , was one of the last major battles of the American Revolution (1775-1783). It took place at Eutaw Springs, South Carolina, in September 1781. American forces under Major General Nathanael Greene attacked a British force led by Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Stewart. The British won the battle but suffered many casualties (soldiers killed, wounded, or missing).
Background.
Beginning in late 1778, the British focused their war strategy on winning the South. In 1779 and 1780, they won key victories in Georgia and South Carolina. The patriots, however, dealt the British stunning defeats at Kings Mountain, South Carolina, in October 1780 and Cowpens, South Carolina, in January 1781.
In March 1781, British troops under Lieutenant General Lord Charles Cornwallis claimed victory over Greene at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in North Carolina. The victory was costly, however, because many British troops were killed or wounded. After the battle, Cornwallis withdrew his weakened army to Virginia. He left Lieutenant Colonel Francis, Lord Rawdon, in command of British and Loyalist forces in the Carolinas. Loyalists were American colonists who were loyal to Britain.
In May and June 1781, Greene’s army of about 2,200 men besieged a British fort at the town of Ninety Six, South Carolina. Greene then marched toward Charleston. Charleston, a major South Carolina port city, was at that time under British control. In July, Colonel Stewart replaced Rawdon as commander of the British and Loyalist troops in the Carolinas.
The battle.
On September 8, Greene’s army approached Eutaw Springs, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northwest of Charleston. Stewart, who had received notice of Greene’s advance early that morning, awaited the Americans’ arrival with about 2,000 troops. At around 8 a.m., Greene’s advance guard surprised a largely unarmed British foraging party digging sweet potatoes nearly 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) from Stewart’s camp. Greene’s men took many prisoners. An alarmed Stewart sent out a force to delay Greene’s advance while the British formed their battle lines. At Eutaw Springs, both sides engaged in fierce combat.
The Americans had success early, and the British lines broke. The patriots overran the British camp and began looting the British tents. According to several reports, many of the Americans stopped to consume food and rum that they had found.
The Americans appeared to have won, but British Major John Marjoribanks (also spelled Majoribanks) led a strong counterattack. He pushed back the disorganized Americans, turning a British defeat into a victory. Marjoribanks, however, was wounded in the battle and died about a month later.
During the course of the Battle of Eutaw Springs, about 85 troops on the British side were killed. About 350 were wounded, and 260 were missing. The Americans suffered about 140 killed, 375 wounded, and 8 missing.
Aftermath.
Greene remained steadfast in the face of defeat. As he had written the previous summer, “We fight, get beat, rise, and fight again.” Stewart’s forces, who had won the battle but suffered many casualties, were forced to withdraw to Charleston.
The Battle of Eutaw Springs was the last major battle of the American Revolution fought in the South. In October, Cornwallis would surrender his large British force at Yorktown, Virginia. British officials then began negotiations to end the war.
Today, most of the Eutaw Springs battlefield is below the waters of Lake Marion. The artificial lake was created around 1940 by the completion of a dam across the Santee River.
