List of Revolutionary War Battles for 1782

Peace discussions between the Americans and the British opened in Paris in April 1782. Richard Oswald, a wealthy merchant, represented the British government. The statesmen Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay negotiated for the United States.

The surrender of General Charles Cornwallis to General Washington at Yorktown had effectively ended the American Revolutionary War but it did not stop all fighting. Battles continued to erupt in isolated spots without major casualties but in Britain and, in the United States capital of Philadelphia, it was considered as ended.

The Congress instructed the American delegates to consult with the French before they took any action but the Americans disregarded the instructions and concluded a preliminary peace treaty with Great Britain on Nov. 30, 1782.

January of 1782

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January 7, 1782 at Gholson's Farm, North Carolina

In December of the previous year, Col. Elijah Isaacs had sacked Loyalist Col. David Fanning's base camp at Cox's Mill then moved westward, with Fanning capturing any stragglers. Col. Isaacs was well aware of Col. Fanning's presence and he placed covering forces behind to ambush the pursuing Loyalists.

Col. Fanning was not fooled and in turn he hunted those men down, killing two and wounding many others. He continued after that and managed to kill two more of Col. Isaacs's men.

As a company commander in the Chatham County Regiment of Militia, Capt. Charles Gholson was one of the Patriots being pursued by Col. Fanning. Capt. Gholson's company stopped at a Loyalists house and began plundering the property when Col. Fanning found them. Capt. Gholson immediately fled, but one of his men was captured. Col. Fanning hanged the prisoner and continued chasing Capt. Gholson, but was unable to catch the Patriot.

In retaliation, Col. Fanning rode to Capt. Gholson's home and burned the farm. The Loyalists burned two more houses near Gholson's farm. As a final touch, Col. Fanning executed "a man who had been very anxious" to have some of his Loyalists executed.

During his return to his base camp at Cox's Mill in Randolph County - just west of Chatham County, Col. Fanning captured John Thompson, a "Rebel magistrate." He forced Thompson to take a message to Acting Governor Alexander Martin - if the Patriots did not cease their harrassment of the Loyalists he would retaliate in kind with more executions.
Conclusion: British Victory

February of 1782

February, 1782 near North Carolina Coast, North Carolina

The Savage was a British frigate bound from Savannah to New York. She encountered a North Carolina sloop bound for Rhode Island and quickly captured the Patriot ship. It was carrying a cargo of indigo, spirits of turpentine, pitch, and tar.

Near the same location a Loyalist ship, the Orphan's Frigate, spotted a sloop and a brigantine of 14 guns. Both were from the West Indies. The Orphan's Frigate ran both ships onto shore.

Shortly afterwards, the Orphan's Frigate took another North Carolina sloop and unloaded her naval stores, then burned it.
Conclusion: British Victory

February 11, 1782 at Deep River, North Carolina

Loyalist Col. David Fanning and Capt. Charles Gholson finally skirmish, with no losses on either side. Truce made.
Conclusion: Draw

February 19, 1782 at Strawberry Ferry, South Carolina

Massachusetts Loyalist Col. Benjamin Thompson, posted in Charlestown, somehow learned of the problems between Lt. Col. Peter Horry and Lt. Col. Hezekiah Maham after Brigadier General Francis Marion went to the Fourth General Assembly in Jacksonborough and gave command of the brigade to Lt. Col. Peter Horry.
Col. Thompson assembled all of the available cavalry currently on duty in Charlestown and a sizeable group of infantry, then he divided his men into three groups. The first group marched through Goose Creek to Moncks Corner where they crossed Biggin Creek, then moved southward towards Childsbury and crossed the Wadboo Bridge on the way to the east side of Strawberry Ferry.

On February 19, this detachment of mostly British Regulars captured a Patriot Lieutenant with six (6) men and a large number of livestock.

The second group of Col. Thompson's force crossed the Cooper River at Strawberry Ferry that night after the Patriots were captured.

The third group of Col. Thompson's forcve, including about 50 cavalry and 300 infantry, were reported to Lt. Col. Peter Horry by his scouts as being at Guerin's Bridge on the night of February 19th, moving towards Horry's position at Wambaw Creek.

On February 20, Lt. Col. Peter Horry and Col. Benjamin Thompson both later noted the capture of a Patriot guard detail and a large number of livestock at Strawberry Ferry. Also in his letter to Brigadier General Francis Marion, Lt. Col. Horry reported the large force seen at Guerin's Bridge.
Conclusion: British Victory

February 24, 1782 at Savannah River, South Carolina

Col. Edward Barnwell, with the Beaufort District Regiment, was sent to prevent British from seizing rice from plantations along the lower Savannah River. He was attacked and defeated by Maj. Andrew Deveaux.
Conclusion: British Victory

February 25, 1782 at Wambaw Creek Bridge, South Carolina

Gen. Francis Marion attacks a large British force, under Col. Benjamin Thompson, at Wambaw Creek Bridge. The attack is repulsed with a loss of 20 killed and 12 prisoners.
Conclusion: British Victory

February 25, 1782 at Edenton, North Carolina

Towards the latter part of February, a schooner arrived from Charlestown under a flag of truce. Several Loyalist merchants were on board who had formerly lived in North Carolina. These merchants expected that they would be allowed back home and they had brought a cargo of goods valued at around £80,000.

Shortly after she arrived in the port of Edenton, Capt. Cornelius Schermerhorn seized her with his Virginia privateer Grand Turk.
Conclusion: American Victory

March of 1782

March ??, 1782 at Lower Settlements, Ohio

Brig. Gen. Andrew Pickens, in an effort to prevent Indian raids on frontier settlements, made a cautious advance into Cherokee territory in present-day Oconee County with Col. Elijah Clarke (GA).
Conclusion: American Victory

March, 1782 at Forks of the Yadkin, South Carolina

A Capt. Johnson had been captured in January of 1781 and then paroled by the British. He returned to his home near the Forks of the Yadkin and honored his parole.

Loyalist Col. John Elrod and two men named Still and Robbins were returning to their homes after the evacuation of Wilmington. They ran into Capt. Johnson, who was carrying a rifle because he was hunting with a friend, Robert Tucker. Col. Elrod knew that Johnson was on parole and told him that he should not be carrying a rifle. He then struck him on the head with the flat of his sword, breaking the sword in two.

Mr. Still shot Capt. Johnson in the head. The Loyalists were going to shoot Robert Tucker, but he grabbed the Loyalist's rifle and the shot passed over his head. He ran to the nearest Patriot house and sounded the alarm. Robbins knew that they would be hunted down so he left the others and was never heard from again.

A troop of mounted men led by Major Thomas Dougan was raised to pursue the murderers. Major Dougan knew it was Col. Elrod, so he and his men rode to the Loyalist's house. He sent in a scout who found both Col. Elrod and Mr. Still both asleep.

Capt. Joseph Clark and a man named Jack Veach were going to burst open the door and seize the men, but before they reached the door Veach drew back and refused to go any farther. Both returned to their group.

Capt. Clark then went with a man named Grogan, but Grogan also refused to enter the house. Finally, Capt. Clark called out for any man to follow him and after seizing a fence rail he charged the door and hit it so hard that it was knocked off its hinges. He grabbed one of the men in the bed and pulled him to the fire and said, "I have got ahold of you Mr. Still." Still denied that was his name, but Capt. Clarke hit his head on the fireplace until he finally admitted it.

The Patriots held a court-martial and sentenced them both to death. In the morning they walked the two prisoners about a half mile from the house, tied them to trees, and shot them. Mr. Still tried to escape, and he couldn't be quiet until a bullet finally silenced him. Col. John Elrod was calm, and he left a few messages for some of this friends, then he was executed.
Conclusion: American Victory

March, 1782 at Fuller's Plantation, South Carolina

A British armed vessel anchored opposite of Fuller's Plantation near the Ashley River Ferry. Lt. Foster of Lee's Legion (VA) was conducting a scouting party in the area and determined that the vessel was about to send out men to plunder the plantation. Lt. Foster sent his eighteen men in the marsh near the landing and waited for the British vessel to approach.

This they soon did, the sailors each with bags for their anticipated plunder. They also carried poles with slipknots fixed to each end for securing pigs and poultry. They did not suspect a trap until they were staring down the muzzles of Lt. Foster's muskets. Even though the British were armed they surrendered without a shot being fired.

Lt. Col. John Laurens paroled the prisoners and sent them back under a flag of truce to Charlestown. This was done deliberately to show the town that those who might plunder could easily be captured.
Conclusion: American Victory

March 4, 1782 at Morrisania, New York

A raid conducted by Continentals under Lt. Col. Williams against Morrisania nets 52 prisoners and incurs 25 casualties.
Conclusion: American Victory

March 4, 1782 at Beaufort, South Carolina

Loyalist Maj. Andrew Deveaux aboard two galleys and one sloop seized the town of Beaufort and held it for over three weeks.
Conclusion: British Victory

March 8, 1782 at Gnaddenhutten, Ohio

Vengeful Pennsylvania militia, under Col. David Williamson, corral and massacre 96 peaceful Christian Delaware Indians with blunt instruments at Gnaddenhutten. On the following day, additional Moravian Indians are forcibly moved to the settlements and similarly slaughtered.
The Pennsylvania Assembly subsequently condemns the act as "disgraceful to humanity".
Conclusion: American Victory

March 11, 1782 at Balfour's Plantation, North Carolina

Andrew Balfour was a justice of the peace in Randolph County and a Colonel of the Randolph County Regiment of Militia. He had tried to kill Col. David Fanning on several occasions, and his men had also captured and hanged several of Col. Fanning's men.
After Col. Balfour attacked two of Fanning's captains (Capt. Walker and Capt. Currie) on March 7, the Loyalist commander decided to go after him and to kill every Patriot he could find. Col. Fanning raised twenty-five men on the night of March 10th and they rode the "Deep River Raid" against Patriots in Randolph County "in order to give them a small scourge."

He and his raiders first rode to Col. Balfour's plantation. When they arrived, the Loyalists immediately opened fire. Absalom Autry fired at Col. Balfour and the shot broke his arm. Col. Balfour made his way back into the house to protect his daughter and his sister. The Loyalists rushed the house and pulled Col. Balfour away from the women, then riddled his body with bullets. Even Col. Fanning fired his pistol into Balfour's head. The women were kicked and beaten until they fled to the home of a neighbor.

Col. Fanning and his men then rode to the house of William Milliken, who lived on Bear Creek, about two miles south of Johnsonville. Milliken was not at home so the Loyalists burned all of his buildings. Milliken's wife, Jane, carried a feather bed out of the house, but the Loyalists threw it back into the flames. Col. Fanning then forced Milliken's son to guide them to John Collins's house. He too was not at home, so they burned his house.

The Loyalists then headed to the house of Col. John Collier. Collier was also an NC Senator and a Colonel for Randolph County and he knew that Col. Fanning was in the area. He had placed a young man named Benjamin Fincher on guard near his house. Fanning had his men to approach Fincher as if they were friends. When they were close, two of Fanning's men fired their muskets into Fincher's chest, but by some miracle both bullets simply bounced off. The stunned Fincher ran away.

Col. Collier heard the shooting and ran out of the house. He was almost killed, but escaped with three bullet holes in his shirt. Col. Fanning then burned his house and outbuildings.

Fanning continued this raid by riding to the house of Capt. John Bryant of the Randolph County Regiment of Militia, who lived near New Market. Col. Fanning talked both of Bryant's daughters into taking him to their father. He told Bryant to come out and to give himself up, offering his parole if the would so so. Bryant refused, yelling from the house "Damn you and your parole, too. I have had one, and I will never take another."

Fanning ordered the house to be set on fire. Bryant asked Fanning to have mercy on his wife and children. Fanning replied that he would show mercy if he came out with his hands up. Bryant came out and said, "Here Damn you, here I am." Fanning's men shot him. One bullet went into his head and he fell back onto his wife. As Bryant's wife tried to raise him up, another Loyalist stepped up and shot him in the eye.

Since he had killed the man he was after, Col. Fanning spared Bryant's wife and did not burn the house. He was weary from a long night's killing spree and he "lay down in the cradle, and after rocking himself there very comfortably for some time," rose and continued his raid.
Conclusion: British Victory

March 13, 1782 at Randolph County Court House, North Carolina

Early in the morning of March 13, Col. David Fanning rode to the Randolph County Court House. Elections were scheduled for this day and he hoped to capture all of the Patriot leaders. Warned that he was coming, the leaders did not show up and the election did not occur.

Col. Fanning moved on, putting the torch to the property of known Patriot officers within 40 miles. The Loyalists rode to Major Thomas Dougan's plantation on Deep River. Dougan was not at home, but his property was destroyed.

Upon leaving that location, Fanning's men caught Lt. Col. Archibald Murphy of the Caswell County Regiment of Militia with several Loyalists in a wagon being taken to Salisbury to be hanged. Col. Fanning asked the condemned men what should be done with Lt. Col. Murphy - and he was immediately taken to a tree and hanged.

Within 15 minutes, a force of about 300 Patriots, led by Capt. Joseph Clark, rode towards them. Capt. Clark pursued, but the Loyalists had better horses and they could not be caught. It rained during this pursuit, so none of the weapons would work anyway. One of Fanning's men, John Dugan, stayed behind to rob Lt. Col. Murphy's corpse. Capt. Clark caught up to him and wounded Dugan. He convinced Capt. Clark that he was dying, and as soon as the Patriots left he jumped up and ran away.
Conclusion: British Victory

March 15, 1782 at Middleton Plantation, South Carolina

Brig. Gen. Francis Marion led his Patriots in a raid near this famous plantation.
Conclusion: American Victory

March 19, 1782 at Charleston County, South Carolina

Lt. Col. Henry Lee returned to Virginia and left command of his Legion to Major Michael Rudolph. Major Rudolph concealed a group of men, including Lt. Ballard Smith and Sgt. DuCoin, under vegetables in a supply boat and set out down the Ashley River, ostensibly on the way to market in Charlestown. He was dressed as a farmer and had four men dressed as slave boatmen.

His boat was hailed by a sentry aboard a British galley patrolling the river at 10 p.m. Major Rudolph drew alongside and his men jumped aboard the galley, killing the sentry and three or four others. He captured the captain and 28 sailors. The rest escaped overboard. Major Rudolph's Patriots took what suited them then burned the galley and returned upstream in their small boat.
Conclusion: American Victory

April of 1782

April 4, 1782 at Beaufort, North Carolina

Col. Enoch Ward and his Carteret County Militia encountered Loyalists aboard ships looking for foraging supplies.
Conclusion: Inconclusive Victory

April 23, 1782 at Chatham County, North Carolina

For seven years, David Fanning had been at war, fighting or hiding the entire duration. By 1782, the end of British influence was near. He later wrote "I concluded within myself that it was Better for me to try and settle myself being weary of the disagreeable mode of Living I had Bourne with for some Considerable time."

He was engaged to marry the sixteen-year-old Sarah Carr, the sister of one of his officers, Capt. William Carr. Capt. William Carr and Capt. William Hooker both decided to get married the same day as their commanding officer. Col. Fanning designed a uniform for the special occasion that was "Linen frocks died Black, with Red Cuffs do Ellbows and shoulder cape also, and Belted with Scarlet, which was a total Disguise to the Rebels which the red was all fringed with Large white fringe."

The happy occasion, however, included considerable tragedy. As Carr and Hooker rode to get their fiancées, a Patriot militia patrol rode up and attacked them. Carr was able to escape, but they killed Hooker on the spot.

Col. David Fanning had been riding to the wedding location in Chatham County when he learned about his man's death. He learned where the Patriots were located and he rode there with five men. They surrounded William Dowdy's house and he yelled for the Patriots to come outside.

All came out except for William Dowdy, who knew that he was about to be shot. He jumped from the house and ran into the nearby woods. Fanning's men fired and wounded him in the shoulder. Col. Fanning rode up to Dowdy and then fired both of his pistols into his chest, killing him instantly.

He paroled the rest of the Patriots and rode away. David Fanning and William Carr went on with their weddings that day and then "Kept two Days merriment." Afterwards, the Loyalists went back into hiding.
Conclusion: British Victory

April 24, 1782 at Dorchester, South Carolina

American forces, under Capt. Ferdinand O'Neal, were on patrol near Dorchester, when they spotted a body of Loyalist cavalry within the village of Dorchester. The Americans waged a fierce and unsuccessful skirmish with the British troops, losing nine captives.
Conclusion: British Victory

May of 1782

May, 1782 at Deep River, North Carolina

Andrew Hunter was a well-known Patriot who lived on the Little River in Randolph County. He was outspoken on American independence and he had made some disparaging remarks about Col. David Fanning and his Loyalists. When Col. Fanning heard about these he swore he would end Hunter's life. Although Col. Fanning had captured Andrew Hunter several times before, the Patriot was somehow able to escape each time.

Sometime after Fanning's wedding, Andrew Hunter and his neighbor John Latham were riding a cart to market to pick up a load of salt. They saw Col. Fanning approaching and Hunter covered himself up in the back of the cart. When he arrived, Col. Fanning asked Latham where he was going. Latham replied that he was going up the Pee Dee to the market.

Col. Fanning asked if he had anything to eat in the back of his cart. Latham told him that he only had a little food and hoped that the Loyalists would not take it. Fanning swore and said that he would have the food and soon found Andrew Hunter under the covering. He told Hunter to get out - because he didn't have long to live.

Col. Fanning's men wanted to eat first before they killed Andrew Hunter. They threw a rope at Hunter's feet and told him that this was the rope he would hang with. The Loyalists stacked their arms and began to grind coffee. Fanning noticed that Hunter was very near the stacked guns and reprimanded the men for their lack of security.

While Fanning was chastising his own men, Hunter leaped on the back of Fanning's horse, Bay Doe. The mare would not move. When Fanning ordered his men to shoot Hunter, the mare ran off at full speed at the first shot. Since he did not want his horse shot he ordered the men to make sure to only hit Hunter. One shot hit Bay Doe in the shoulder and a second shot hit Hunter in the shoulder, but he barely noticed it.

Andrew Hunter rode to the house of a man named Nathaniel Steed, who sent for a doctor. Hunter recovered within a few days. Hunter had not only stolen Col. Fanning's horse, but in the bargain he got two pistols that Major James H. Craig had given to Fanning when he gave him his colonel's commission. Fanning was outraged and determined that if he could not get Hunter then he would extract vengeance on Hunter's family.

Fanning and his men rode to Hunter's house and plundered it. They took the pregnant Mrs. Hunter and all of his slaves and hid them in the nearby woods. Fanning then sent a message to Hunter with an offer to return his wife and slaves if he would send back the horse and pistols. Hunter told him that the horse had been sent west to get medical help, and then he asked Fanning if he would leave his wife behind to tend to his wound.

Fanning knew that time was running out and that he would need to soon leave before the many Patriot patrols would finally find him. He left Hunter's wife behind, but he took one of the horses and all of Hunter's slaves. Fanning then took his sixteen-year-old bride and the newly-gotten slaves with him to South Carolina.
Conclusion: British Victory

May 1, 1782 at Lorick's Ferry, South Carolina

Capt. William Butler was the son of Capt. James Butler, Sr. who had been killed at Cloud's Creek by Major William "Bloody Bill" Cunningham on November 17, 1781. He found out that Major Cunningham was in the area and set out on a raid for pure revenge.
With Capt. Butler were men who had lost brothers, fathers, and neighbors to Major Cunningham during his "Bloody Scout." He needed to find out exactly where Major Cunningham was so he sent his brother Thomas to the house of Joseph Cunningham, a relative of Major Cunningham. In the dark, Thomas identified himself as one of Major Cunningham's men and asked where the raider's camp was located. Joseph Cunningham's wife fell for the trick and told him. Capt. William Butler appeared, put a pistol to Joseph Cunningham's head, and forced him to lead his Patriots to the camp.

Capt. Butler ordered his thirty (30) men to surround the camp and to attempt to take Major Cunningham alive. At daylight, twenty (20) Loyalists started drying their blankets around a fire and saw Capt. Butler approach. They mistook him for Major Cunningham, since the two men apparently looked a lot alike. When Capt. Butler was close enough he charged.

The Loyalists had a pre-arranged plan of escape and took off in every direction. Major Cunningham leapt to his horse and raced for the Saluda River. Capt. Butler pursued, with Major Cunningham tried to fire his pistol, then tried to use his sword, but it was yanked from him by a passing bush. Capt. Butler only had a sword and could not narrow the gap between him and his prey. Major Cunningham reached the Saluda River and his horse swam to safety.

Capt. Butler's men pursued the other Loyalists and caught up with them at the Saluda River. The Patriots fired on them and killed a few, but Capt. Butler ordered his men to cease the slaughter. Cunningham made his way to Charlestown, but he was never able to raise another band of militia for the Loyalists.
Conclusion: American Victory

May 25, 1782 at Saltketchers, South Carolina

Along the Salkehatchie River was an active community of Loyalist settlers that were led by Capt. Tenison Cheshir, Capt. Jones, and Capt. Oldfield. There had been a truce there between the Patriots and the Loyalists since late Spring, but this truce was broken when Capt. William Goodwyn and eighteen (18) men of the Camden District Regiment of Militia attempted to kidnap Capt. Tenison Cheshire and bring him to Major General Nathanael Greene's camp.
Conclusion: Inconclusive

June of 1782

June, 1782 at Tennessee and North Carolina

In early 1782, with the British army confined to their singular possession in the two Carolinas at Charlestown in South Carolina, the Militias of the two states could now turn their attention to solving their Loyalist and Cherokee problems, which were linked in the backcountry of both states. Large number of Loyalists had fled their homes in both Carolinas, Georgia, and Virginia and took refuge among the Chickamaugas and Cherokees. Here, the Loyalists began inciting the Indians to renew hostilities due to many recent encroachments by Patriot settlers on Indian lands. Soon, the Cherokees protested very loudly; loud enough that Acting Governor Alexander Martin wrote a letter on February 11, 1782 to the leaders of Washington County, and it was addressed to Col. John Sevier:

"Sir, I am distressed with the repeated complaints of the Indians respecting the daily incursions of our people on their lands beyond the French Broad River. I beg you, Sir, to prevent the injuries these savages justly complain of, who are constantly imploring the protection of the State, and appealing to its justice in vain. By interposing your inflluence on these, our unruly citizens, I think will have sufficient weight, without going to extremities disgraceful to them and disagreeable to the State. You will, therefore, please to warn these intruders off the lands reserved for the Indians by the late Act of the Assembly; that they remove immediately, at least by the middle of March, otherwise they will be drove off. If you find them still refractory at the above time, you will draw forth a body of your Militia on horseback, and pull down the cabins and drive them off, laying aside every consideration of ther entreaties to the contrary. You will please to give me the earliest of your proceedings."

In June of 1782, Col. John Sevier assembled 200 men at the Great Island on the Holston River. Here he waited in vain for supplies that never arrived. He soon gathered what provisions he could and he marched directly upon Echota. Here he held a conference with Old Tassel and the Ottari chieftains, and so won their good will that they laid aside their grievances and also gave him an escort, John Watts, soon to be their head chieftain. Col. Sevier set his sights on the Lookout towns on the Tennessee River and the Chickamaugas.

On the eighth day after departing from the Nolichucky River, he came to their towns, and laid one after another of them in ashes. The Patriots took the "Eschota Towns," then went to the towns on the Hiwassee River and burned those towns and destroyed the crops. From there, they marched to some towns on Shoemake Creek, which empties into the East Tennessee River, and here they burned these towns and also destroyed their crops. The Indians fled as before to their hiding places along the river, where they mistakenly thought the Patriots would not follow. Col. Sevier caught them at Lookout Mountain on September 20, 1782.

In the meantime, Brigadier General Charles McDowell and his Morgan District Brigade of Militia from Burke, Lincoln, Rutherford, Surry, and Wilkes counties also began to assemble in June of 1782. Those from Lincoln County gathered at Ramseur's Mill. It was not until around the first of August when the expedition linked up with Col. Joseph McDowell and his Burke County Regiment at the head of the Catawba River. Here they marched across the Blue Ridge and met with the Rutherford County men under Lt. Col. James Miller and Major Richard Singleton. This merged group now followed essentially the same path that Brigadier General Griffith Rutherford took in 1776, only this time they proceeded a bit further into Cherokee territory. Meeting little or no resistance, this Patriot force destroyed towns, cut down crops, and then returned home with many prisoners. This group of Militia was mostly discharged in mid-October.
Conclusion: American Victory

June 1, 1782 at Amelia Township, South Carolina, The Battle of Amelia Township

On June 1, a group of Patriot militia were on their way from the Congarees Creek to Maj. Gen. nathanael Greene's camp. A group of Loyalist militia, commanded by Capt. ?? Sharp, immediately attacked them, killing a few and dispersing the rest of the group.
Conclusion: British Victory. Casualties: American: 4k; British: ?

June 4-5, 1782 at Sandusky, Ohio , The Battle of Sandusky

On June 4-5, in a 2-day battle 3 miles northeast of Upper Sandusky, a Patriot militia, commanded by Maj. William Crawford, force of about 500, attacked a group of 300 rangers and Indians. The militia appeared to be winning the battle when British reinforcements arrived. Casualties were light on both sides, but Crawford was taken prisoner and killed by the Indians.
Conclusion: British Victory. Casualties: American: 10+k; British: ?

June 8, 1782 at Black Lake, South Carolina

Lt. Col. John Baxter (Upper Craven County Regiment of Militia) and his men, assigned to patrol Britton's Neck (between the Great Pee Dee River and the Little Pee Dee River in what is now Marion County), learned that some Loyalists had seized a boatload of rice near the mouth of Black Lake.

When the Patriots arrived on the scene, the Loyalists fled, but afterwards they fired on Lt. Col. Baxter's troops as the latter were proceeding up the lake in canoes to recover the boatload of rice. Robert James, a personal friend of Brigadier General Francis Marion, was wounded in this encounter.
Conclusion: American Victory

June 8, 1782 at Bowling Green, South Carolina

Brigadier General Francis Marion and his Patriots attacked and captured a group of Loyalists under the command of Major Micajah Gainey. After being captured the Loyalist sued for peace and disbanded. Major Gainey and his 500 men pledged their allegiance to South Carolina and the United States.

Major Gainey's followers laid down their guns at Bowling Green. Major Gainey told Brigadier General Marion that he could not relinquish his command to Marion, but would have to do that to Col. Nisbet Balfour, in Charlestown, from whom he received his commission. Once that was done, Major Gainey promised that he would return. This he did. The treaty signed required the Loyalists to join Marion's Brigade for a minimum of six months to obtain a full pardon, and most who agreed served faithfully to the end of the war.

The treaty was good for all Loyalists except for Col. David Fanning of North Carolina, Major Samuel Andrews, and Major William Cunningham. They were to receive no mercy.
Conclusion: AmericanVictory

June 23, 1782 at Three Sisters' Ferry, South Carolina

The primary battle was conducted at Ebenezer, GA on this date. Skirmishing spilled over to the Three Sisters Ferry on both sides of the Savannah River.

A party of Creek Indians, with a British officer at their head, made an attack on Major General Anthony Wayne in the night. They conducted the affair with so much spirit that they got possession of two field pieces that were in the rear. The troops rallied and recovered the two field pieces.

This was a smart action, in which the Patriots fought hand-to-hand with tomahawks, swords, and bayonets. The Indians were routed, losing one of their chiefs and 14 warriors killed. The Patriots took a British standard and a number of horses.

Wayne's men interrupted the intercourse between the Indians and Savannah. A party with a large number of skins were taken. Two were detained as hostages, the remainder were sent home with provisions and a friendly talk. This kind treatment detached the Indians from their friendship with the British.
Conclusion: American Victory

June 23, 1782 at Ebenezer, Georgia, The Battle of Ebenezer

Upper Creek chief Emistisiguo tried to avoid Maj. Gen. Anthony Wayne's Patriot camp at Savannah. He did want to strike at Wayne's pickets on his way into Savannah to let them know that they weren't safe from Indian attacks. He had been supplied with intelligence from his white Loyalists and his black guides.

On June 23, during the night, Emistisiguo surprised Wayne in his camp. After killing a lone sentry, Emistisiguo thought that he only had a small picket to deal with, but the lone sentry managed to fire off a shot before he died. This shot alerted the rest of the Patriot camp of the approach of Emistisiguo's men. The Indians drove the Patriots out of the camp and Capt. Alexander Parker rallied his light infantry behind a nearby house. They were then ordered to make a bayonet charge.

Emistisiguo tried to turn his artillery against the charging infantry, but was soon killed in a fierce hand-to-hand struggle. After seeing their chief killed, the remaining Indians fled the fighting and made their way into Savannah. The Patriots took 12 prisoners, 127 of the Indian's horses, and a considerable number of pelts.
Conclusion: American Victory. Casualties: American: 5k, 7w; British: 18k, 12c

JULY OF 1782

July 1, 1782 at James Island, South Carolina

There were numerous brief skirmishes on James Island between Major General Nathanael Greene's Patriots and Major General Alexander Leslie's British/Provincials all during the month of July 1782.
Conclusion: Inconclusive

July 11, 1782 at Savannah, Georgia, The Evacuation of Savannah

On July 11, the British force evacuated the city of Savannah. They had occupied the city for 2 1/2 years.
Conclusion: American Victory.

July 25, 1782 at Skidway Island, Georgia, The Battle of Skidway Island

On July 25, Lt. Col. James Jackson led his Georgia Legion attacked a small garrison of British Marines on Skidway Island. Jackson overtook the garrison. This was the last recorded in Georgia.
Conclusion: American Victory.

AUGUST OF 1782

August 29, 1782 at Whitehall, South Carolina, The Battle of Whitehall

In August, Capt. G. S. Capers was sent into southeastern Berkeley County with 12 cavalrymen. They discovered 26 Black Dragoons, commanded by Capt. ?? March. Capers charged the British and defeated them.
Conclusion: American Victory. Casualties: American: 2w; British: ?

August 29, 1782 at Wadboo, South Carolina, The Battle of Wadboo

On August 29, Maj. Thomas Fraser set out to surprise the Patriot guards at Biggin Bridge and Strawberry Ferry. Fraser thought the the main body of Patriots, commanded by Brig. Gen. Francis Marion, was still in Georgetown. In fact, Marion was back at his post on the southside of the Wadboo River. When Marion learned of the British approach, his cavalry was patrolling down the river looking for the British fleet. Marion gathered a small force, commanded by Capt. Gavin Witherspoon, to find Fraser. Part of the force set up an ambush while the rest went looking for the British force.

Fraser captured some of the Patriot pickets as he approached the houses being used by Marion. Fraser detected Witherspoon in the woods and immediately charged. Witherspoon turned his men back and withdrew.
As the British came to within 30 yards of the ambush site, the Patriots opened fire. Fraser tried to rally his men but they were being cut down from both sides of the road. During the fight, the horses of Marion's ammunition wagon was startled and bolted from the area. Some men tried to catch the wagon but was unsuccessful.

For an hour, Fraser's men looked around the plantation looking for an advantage, but Marion had planned too well. Without the ammunition wagon, Marion didn't have any cartridges and wasn't able to continue the fight. He gave the order to retreat to the Santee River.
Conclusion: British Victory. Casualties: American: ?; British: 4k. 6w

August 29, 1782 at Fair Lawn, South Carolina, The Battle of Fair Lawn

On August 29, at the settlement of Fair Lawn, Brig. Gen. Francis Marion and his small force had set up an ambush for the approaching British. Fair lawn was located on the Cooper River near Charleston. Maj. Thomas Fraser was in command of the 200-man British dragoon force. He was sent from Charleston with the mission of finding marion's force and to kill or capture them upon contact. Marion sent Capt. Gavin Witherspoon and a reconnaissance party out to find Fraser and lead the British into the the ambush site. They did just that. Once Fraser entered the ambush site, Marion ordered his men to open fire. Very quickly, the Americans killed 20 of Fraser's dragoons. The British fought back and captured one of Marion's ammunition wagons. They turned the tide of battle and by losing the ammunition wagon, Marion was forced to withdraw from the area because of a lack of gunpowder.
Conclusion: British Victory. Casualties: American: ?; British: 20k

August 29, 1782 at Whitehall, South Carolina

Brigadier General Francis Marion continued to send out patrols to check on British intentions as the war wound down. Capt. George Sinclair Capers of Col. Hezekiah Maham's cavalry was sent with 12 troopers and they found 26 Black Dragoons led by two black officers - Capt. March and Lt. Mingo.

Capt. Capers charged the enemy and defeated them, freeing three of his neighbors who were in handcuffs as prisoners. Two of his men were wounded. Capt. March may have been wounded in the knee.
Conclusion: American Victory

August 29, 1782 at Capers' Scout, South Carolina

A mounted detachment of Brigadier General Francis Marion’s Patriot troops under the command of Capt. George Sinclair Capers attacked and routed and cut to pieces a detachment of Loyalist Black Dragoons operating out of Charlestown.
Conclusion: American Victory

SEPTEMBER OF 1782

September ??, 1782 at Edisto Island, South Carolina, The Battle of Edisto Island

In September, Col. Edward Lacey and 20 men was ordered to protect Edisto Island from British raiding parties. They captured 2 British ships loaded with provisions. The boats were burned and was soon being pursued by a British landing party. Lacey positioned his men in an advanyagous position and waited for the British. As they approached his position, Lacey ordered his men to open fire. After two volleys, the British stopped their pursuit and retreated.
Conclusion: American Victory.

September 1, 1782 at Bladen County Court House, North Carolina

In September, Capt. Robert Raiford of the North Carolina Continental line burst into the Bladen County Court House at the head of thirty men. He attacked the lawyer, Archibald MacLaine, with his sword for defending a Loyalist who was on trial that day.

The mob beat the court clerk for no apparent reason and then moved the riot out into the street. After electing "field officers," the mob marched around the county apprehending Loyalists without any orders from a higher commanding officer.

A warrant was issued for Raiford's arrest, but he had returned to Major General Greene's army where he had been put in command of the light infantry.
Conclusion: American Victory

September 2, 1782 at Port Royal, South Carolina, The Battle of Port Royal Ferry

On September 2, the British were at Port Royal Ferry, along with the galleys HMS Balfour and HMS Shark. Brig. Gen. ?? Gist had followed the British here and planned to attack them.
Gist opened fire on the ships with his artillery piece. Both ships slipped their cables and tried to escape. The Balfour quickly ran aground, with it's crew spiking the guns and abandoning the ship. The Patriots captured the ship, along with the cargo of beef, rice, and poultry. The Belfour was repaired, outfitted with new guns, and was put into service with the Patriot navy.
Conclusion: American Victory.

September 11-13, 1782 at Fort Henry, Virginia, The Battle of Fort Henry

On September 11-13, a force of 250 Indians and 40 Loyalists started a 3-day siege of Fort Henry. The Patriot force inside the fort withstood the siege and the Indians and Loyalists gave up the attempt to capture the fort. They soon left the area emptyhanded.
This battle has been described as the last "battle" of the war.
Conclusion: American Victory.

September 16, 1782 at Oconee County/ Pickens County, South Carolina

Brigadier General Andrew Pickens and Col. Elijah Clarke (GA) led a force of 414 Patriot Militia into the backcountry destroying several Indian towns and forced the Cherokee to sign a temporary peace treaty that was later ratified in Augusta, GA. September 16 - October 17, 1782
Conclusion: American Victory

September 22, 1782 at Faith Rock, North Carolina

On September 5th, Col. David Fanning left Charlestown, South Carolina to go back to Randolph County, North Carolina to retrieve his favorite horse, Bay Doe, which had been taken from him four months earlier by Andrew Hunter. He had offered to trade five horses to Hunter, but Hunter refused.

For two weeks, he rode through the Pee Dee settlements trying to find his horse, to no avail. On September 22nd he decided it was time to get back to Charlestown. The British there had recently received orders to finally evacuate the South Carolina capital, and Fanning did not want to be left behind.

Riding along the Deep River, Fanning heard that Andrew Hunter had been hiding in South Carolina waiting for him to leave the country. He sent a man to get directions to Hunter's house. One of Hunter's friends fooled the man into thinking that Hunter lived in the opposite direction than he actually did. The friend then rode on to warn Hunter of Fanning's presence.

Fanning was not fooled and he rode in the direction Hunter's friend went. When he saw Fanning pursuing him he jumped off his horse and fired two pistols at the approaching Loyalists. Both misfired and the man took off running across an open field. Fanning later wrote, "I ordered one of my men to fire at him, who shot him through the body, and dispatched his presence from this world."

Fanning rode up to the house the man was heading towards, ready to fight anyone in it. The two men in the house chose not to fight and instead told Fanning that Hunter had learned of his presence and had fled with Bay Doe a half an hour earlier. They also informed him that several Patriots had been sent to kill him and his men. Fanning decided it was not worth being killed or captured and headed back to Charlestown.

Some of his men remained and kept an eye out for Hunter. They came across him riding Bay Doe near Cox's Mill, and chased him and cut off his only escape across Buffalo Ford on the Deep River.

Hunter rode into the woods to lose the Loyalists, but when he came out into the open he saw a giant rock that sloped down into the river at a sixty-degree angle. He waved to Fanning's men and then rode down the steep rock into the river. So amazed were the Loyalists by his courageous escape that none of them fired.

One of Fanning's men remarked, "If he has faith enough to try to escape that way we will not shoot again." The rock has carried its name ever since - Faith Rock, and it is located near Franklinville.

David Fanning returned to Charlestown on September 28th with two other Loyalists, his slave, and two slave children. He boarded the ship New Blessing on November 6, 1782 for St. Augustine and left the Carolinas forever.
Conclusion: American Victory

OCTOBER OF 1782

October ??, 1782 at Saltketcher Swamp, South Carolina, The Battle of Saltketcher Swamp

In October, Capt. John Carter took his Volunteer Scout men to Dean's Swamp. Their mission was to break up an assembly of Loyalists. On their way, at Saltketcher Swamp, they were ambushed by a 25-man group of Loyalists, commanded by Capt. Tenison Cheshire. Despite several casualties, the Patriots were able to drive the Loyalists into the swamp.
Conclusion: American Victory.

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NOVEMBER OF 1782

November 4, 1782 at John's Island, South Carolina, The Battle of John's Island - On November 4, Capt. William Wilmot led a successful attack against a British foraging party in the vicinity of John's Island. Wilmot was killed in the attack. According to some, Wilmot was the last person killed in the Revolutionary War.
Conclusion: American Victory. Casualties: American: 1k; British: ?

November 10, 1782 at Chillicothe, Ohio

Gen. George Rogers Clark leads 1,050 mounted riflemen on a punitive raid against Shawnee villages around present-day Piqua. This concluded the last battle of the Revolutionary War. The Indians lost 10 killed and 10 wounded.
Conclusion: American Victory

November 14, 1782 at James Island, South Carolina , The Battle of James Island

On November 14, in the morning, Col. Count Thaddeus Kosciuszko and his 70+ Patriots engaged the 300 man British escort of a woodcutting party on James Island. British reinforcements were quickly brought up and greatly outnumbered the Patriots.
After an intense fight, the Patriots withdrew from their position. Capt. William Wilmont was the last Continental soldier killed in the Carolinas.
Conclusion: British Victory. Casualties: American: 5k, 5w; British: 2k, 3w

November 14, 1782 at Avant's Ferry, South Carolina

Skirmish, Capt. William Capers vs. unnamed British (or Loyalist) commander.
Conclusion: Inconclusive Victory

DECEMBER OF 1782

December 14, 1782 at Charleston, South Carolina, The Evacuation of Charleston

On December 14, early in the morning, Maj. Gen. Alexander Leslie, commanding the British forces in South Carolina, withdrew his forces from the advanced works on the Charleston peninsula. He marched them down to Gadsden's Wharf. Here, the British force embarked by sea. Along with the soldiers, the British command took with them some 3,380 Loyalists and 5,000 Negro slaves. This evacuation completed the British withdrawal of all troops from the Southern Colonies.
At 11:00 A.M., after the British evacuation, Maj. Gen. Anthony Wayne and his Continental troops occupied the city.
Conclusion: American Victory.