Greene and Cornwallis in the Carolinas

The story of the Revolutionary War in the Northern colonies is well known but the war that raged across the South in 1780–1781—considered by some the “unknown Revolution”—included some of the most important yet least studied engagements. Drawing extensively on their letters, this book follows the campaigns of General Nathanael Greene and Lord Charles Cornwallis as they fought across the Carolinas, and offers a compelling look at their leadership. The theater of war in which the two commanders operated was populated by various ethnic and religious groups and separated geographically, economically and politically into the low country and the simmering backcountry, setting the stage for what was to come.

Jeffrey A. Denman is a retired American history and geography teacher from the Brookline Public Schools in Brookline, Massachusetts. He has written seven articles dealing with the American Revolution, the Civil War, World War II and other topics in American history.

John F. Walsh is a middle school Latin teacher in Burlington, Massachusetts. His past research has focused on British history in the seventeenth century.

Jeffrey A. Denman and John F. Walsh

Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 200
Bibliographic Info: 26 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2020
pISBN: 978-1-4766-6723-2
eISBN: 978-1-4766-3705-1
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments vi
Preface 1
Introduction 3

Part I. Prelude
1. The Backcountry 7
2. British Strategy and the Fall of Charleston 25
3. The Long Road to Kings Mountain 37

Part II. Winning Hearts and Minds
4. Greene Takes Command 59
5. The Long Retreat 77
6. Regaining the Initiative: The Path to Guilford Courthouse 93
7. Greene Invades South Carolina 106

Part III. The Failure of Empire
8. The Tide Ebbs 123
9. “The Play, Sir, Is Over” 137
10. The Men and the Legacy of the Southern Campaign 149

Chapter Notes 163
Bibliography 181
Index 189

• “Follows the campaigns of General Nathanael Greene and Lord Charles Cornwallis as they fought across the Carolinas, and offers a compelling look at their leadership….a deftly scripted work of seminal scholarship..extraordinary…recommended”—Midwest Book Review
• “This volume combines thorough research, an engaging narrative, and thoughtful analysis to provide an excellent account of the American Revolution’s crucial southern campaigns.”—Jim Piecuch, author of The Battle of Camden and Three Peoples, One King
• “There is much to commend here, especially the rich biographical sketches of the combatants and the detailed accounts of the engagements.”—H-Net Reviews