The American Revolution in Orangeburg District South Carolina

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Orange, Orangeburg District, South Carolina
Surnames/tags: Orangeburg District Residents in Revolutionary War Fighting Men South Carolina

Project in Progress......

A closer look at the area, ripe with immigrant ancestral families who fought once again to be free.

In July on the hottest of summer days the Battle Of Orangeburgh took place. July 10-12 saw upwards of 1,200 men gathered on the British side of the battle. Stewart combined with Lord Rawdon's men met up and joined forces against the backwoods farmers of Orangeburgh, South Carolina. I am sure Stewart was feeling confident in his efforts when they finally met as he had foiled an attempt by Marion to engage on July seventh when Marion circled around Rawdon's men and tried to cut off Stewart in his forward march to meet up with Rawdon. Rawdon had marched his men at night to avoid the extreme heat. Dispite this he lost at least fifty men due to heat exhaustion according to Marion. Stewart's men numbered by Marion's count as 300 infantry and 50 Calvary troops.

Having failed to stop Stewart from reaching Orangburgh the attempt was a small victory as Colonel Peter Horry did capture three wagons containing rum and wine. Marion tried for two days to lure them out of Orangburgh according to Marion's records. Tarleton says: Lord Rawdon was joined the day after he arrived by Colonel Stewart. Lord Rawdon was very dissappointed to find Col Stewart not accompanied by a platoon of calvary which was needed.

On July 12th with most of the South Carolina Forces with him Greene was joined by Sumter and Marion at Turkey Hill about 4 miles (6.44 km) north of Orangeburg, Turkey Hill being a small branch of the Edisto River. Accompanied by Lee and Washington's Dragoons Greene entered Orangeburgh to see how many troops Stewart and Rawdon had. He returned to Turkey Hill waiting until 6PM and moved to Middleton's Plantation where a counsel of war was held and then the units once again went their separate ways. Green had been unsuccessful at drawing the British out of Orangeburgh and the British Colonel Cruger and his troops were only one day away. So, the colonist troops led by Colonel Greene marched towards McCord's Ferry some 15 miles (ca. 24 km) away.

Notes

Engagment of the Troops: Authorized June 6, 1775 in the South Carolina Provincial Troops as the South Carolina Regiment of Horse (Rangers). Organized in summer 1775 at Ninety-Six Courthouse to consist of nine companies from western South Carolina. Redesignated November 12, 1775 as the 3rd South Carolina Regiment. Adopted July 24, 1776 into the Continental Army and assigned to the Southern Department. Captain Ezekiel Polk's Independent Company (organized in summer 1775 in western South Carolina) concurrently redesignated as the 10th Company, 3rd South Carolina Regiment.

Assigned November 23, 1776 to the 1st South Carolina Brigade, an element of the Southern Department. Relieved August 26, 1778 from the 1st South Carolina Brigade and assigned to the 2nd South Carolina Brigade, an element of the Southern Department. Relieved January 3, 1779 from the 2nd South Carolina Brigade.

Assigned February 1, 1779 to the South Carolina Brigade, an element of the Southern Department. Reorganized February 11, 1780 to consist of nine companies. Captured May 12, 1780 at Charleston by the British Army. Disbanded January 1, 1781.

Engagements:

Charleston 1775-1776 Southern Highlands Savannah Charleston 1780

Detachments additionally served in the following:

Cherokees 1776 Florida 1778

The regiment was established by the South Carolina Provincial Congress in June 1775 as mounted riflemen who used horses for transportation but dismounted to fight on foot. It consisted of a lieutenant colonel commandant, a major, nine captains, eighteen lieutenants, a surgeon, a paymaster, an adjutant, and a quartermaster, and with each of its nine companies having two sergeants, a drummer, and fifty privates. The regiment was placed on the Continental Establishment in September 1776 as mounted riflemen, and in October its complement increased to 600 men in twelve companies, with the commanding officer, the major, and the senior captain, all being promoted one grade.

The regiment was recruited in the back country and on the frontiers, and normally served in multi-company detachments, one of which took over Fort Charlotte in July 1775. Another detachment was bloodied in the fighting at Ninety Six in November 1775 and in the "Snow Campaign," which followed.

In June 1776, the whole regiment defended the eastern end of Sullivan's Island when the British attempted an amphibious assault during the naval attack on the fort, which was later named Fort Moultrie.

• Commander:
• Original Officers:
• June 6, 1775
• Lt. Col./Col. William Thomson
• Maj. James Mayson
• Known Lt. Colonels:
• Known Majors:
• William Cattell
• William Henderson
• James Mayson

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• William Cattell
• Lewis Golsan, Jr.
• Hugh Middleton
• Thomas Pearman
• John Purvis
• ? Speers
• Samuel Wise

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• Known Regimental Adjutants:
• John Eason
• John Knapp
• Merry McGuire
• John Purvis

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• Known Quarter Masters:
• Peter Avent
• Alexander Coventry
• Moses Deistoe
• David Hamilton
• Robert Johnson
• John Knapp
• Robert Owens

--- Joseph Yancey Miscellaneous Players: John Chesnut - Paymaster Joseph Clay - Deputy Paymaster John James Haig - Paymaster Oliver Hart - Surgeon's Mate James Martin - Doctor Alexander Rodgers - Surgeon Known Captains: Nathaniel Abney John Allen Robert Anderson Robert C. Baillie Jefferson Baker Jesse Baker Francis Boykin Richard Brown John Caldwell William Caldwell Samuel Carr James Coachman Harman Davis John Donaldson John Earle Robert Ellison Henry Ervin Thomas Farrow William Fitzpatrick Gabriel A. Fridign Uriah Goodwin John Goodwyn Robert Goodwyn William Goodwyn Field Harris John Harrison Derrill Hart Charles Heatley William Heatley, Jr. John Hennington John Herrington David Hopkins John Lewis Peyer Imhoff Eli Kershaw Moses Kirkland George Liddell George Logan Robert Lyle Thomas Marshall ? Maskall James McCall ? McClintick Daniel McDuff Hugh Middleton Andrew Miller Ezekiel Polk John Purvis Edward Richardson James Robeson Arthur Simkins Francis Sinquefield John Carraway Smith ? Speed Francis Taylor Thomas Taylor Oliver Towles Felix Warley James Warley Joseph Warley William Wilson Richard Winn Samuel Wise Thomas Woodward Known Lieutenants - Captain Unknown: William Abney Robert Carnibi Baillie ? Beames Patrick Cain Allen Cameron James Cantey James Coachman Edward Connor Isaac Cowther Issac Crouther John Davis ? Deal Henry W. DeSaussure Daniel Duff David Edmanson William Edmonds David Edmunds John Ellison Abraham Felder DeSaussure Fitzpatrick William Fitzpatrick John Garlie Thomas Glass Uriah Goodwin John Goodwyn William Goodwyn Alexander Harrington ? Hart Charles Heatley William Heatley Benjamin Hodge John Lewis Peyer Imhoff Richard Jones Robert Lang George Liddell John Lisle, Sr. Thomas Marshall ? Maskall Charles McGinny Merry McGuire John Meloy Hugh Middleton

Benjamin Newsom James Roberson James Robeson

William Taggard

Frederick Von Platter

Richard Winn

Peter Avent

Benjamin Clark

Benjamin Newsom

Bazell Brown William Brown

Samuel Craft

John Gill, Jr. Thomas Gill

Edward McCoy

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James Alexander John Alexander Robert Alexander Samuel Alexander Thomas Alexander

James Bonds

John Brenaugh William Brewer Bazell Brown Stephen Brown William Brown

John Butler Jonathan Butler

Benjamin Newsom