Revival History

The Patriot cause in South Carolina looked bleak in July 1780 . On May 12, following a two-month siege, the British had captured Charleston, forcing American General Benjamin Lincoln to surrender his entire army—one of the worst American defeats of the war and the largest surrender of American forces until 1862.  Once they had control of Charleston the British swept across the rest of the state. Their previous policy that had allowed citizens to remain neutral was revoked—anyone who didn’t take an oath of loyalty to the crown was now regarded a traitor and subject to hanging and confiscation of their property. Tarleton’s notorious and hated cavalry ranged across the state, searching out disloyal citizens and earning a reputation for cruelty. One of his officers, Captain Christian Huck, was dispatched with a body of cavalry and Loyalist militia to subdue the Patriots in the northern upcountry. Huck was a German-born Loyalist from Pennsylvania, a violent and profane man with a grudge...

 The Patriot cause in South Carolina looked bleak in July 1780. On May 12, following a two-month siege, the British had captured Charleston, forcing American General Benjamin Lincoln to surrender his entire army—one of the worst American defeats of the war and the largest surrender of American forces until 1862.  Once they had control of Charleston the British swept across the rest of the state. Their previous policy that had allowed citizens to remain neutral was revoked—anyone who didn’t take an oath of loyalty to the crown was now regarded a traitor and subject to hanging and confiscation of their property. Tarleton’s notorious and hated cavalry ranged across the state, searching out disloyal citizens and earning a reputation for cruelty. One of his officers, Captain Christian Huck, was dispatched with a body of cavalry and Loyalist militia to subdue the Patriots in the northern upcountry. Huck was a German-born Loyalist from Pennsylvania, a violent and profane man with a g...