The FReeper Foxhole Remembers The Battle of Camden (8/16/1780) - Sep. 23rd, 2003

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[SAMWolf]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.

...................................................................................... ...........................................

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The Battle of Camden

Background: The British Campaign

British Lt. General Sir Henry Clinton had arrived in South Carolina in March and had undertaken a deliberate approach to the city of Charleston, South Carolina. He had been a part of the failed attack on Charleston in June 1776. On that occasion, the British had chosen a naval approach and attacked Fort Sullivan. Clinton had learned from that mistake and this time slowly isolated the city by land. On April 14, at the Battle of Monck's Corner, Lt. Colonel Banastre Tarleton cut off the last line of communication for Maj. General Benjamin Lincoln, Continental commander of Charleston.

On May 12, 1780, General Lincoln surrendered Charleston. Five thousand Continental soldiers became prisoners of war and enormous stores of munitions were lost. After the victory, General Clinton sailed north back to New York City leaving Lt. General Charles Cornwallis in command. Clinton's orders to Cornwallis were simple: he was to hold the port cities of Charleston and Savannah, Georgia firmly under British control. He could carry on operations in the backcountry any way he wished, as long as he maintained control of those two cities.


Plan of the Battle of Camden, 16 August 1780

On May 29, 1780, at Waxhaws, Lt. Colonel Tarleton caught up with a small Continental force retreating to North Carolina. Colonel Abraham Buford had turned back after learning that General Lincoln had surrendered. With that defeat, the lone remaining Continental force in the South was at Deep River, North Carolina. Maj. General Baron De Kalb and over a thousand Maryland and Delaware Continentals had left Morristown, New Jersey on April 16 with orders from General George Washington to reinforce General Lincoln. They had made it to North Carolina, when word of Charleston's surrender reached them. De Kalb had halted and made camp, while awaiting new orders from Washington.

Background: Horatio Gates - The Hero of Saratoga

Even before General Lincoln surrendered Charleston, the Continental Congress had chosen his replacement as Continental Commander of the Southern Department. General Washington had recommended Maj. General Nathanael Greene for the command, but Congress instead chose Maj. General Horatio Gates. Gates had been lobbying Southern congressmen through a stream of letters, he began lobbying southern congressmen. On May 7, the Continental Congress chose Gates to replace General Lincoln. On June 13, Gates received word of his appointment and left for the South immediately. On July 25, 1780, Gates arrived at the Deep River camp and took command from General de Kalb.


General Horatio Gates

General Gates immediately ordered that the army be prepared to march at a moment's notice, in spite of the deplorable condition of the force. On July 27, he set out with his army for Camden, South Carolina. Camden was central to controlling the back country of South Carolina because of its crossroads location near the Wateree River and the Catawba (Indian) Trail. Gates had chosen a direct march to Camden through difficult, swampy terrain over the advice of his officers who were familiar with the area. They had recommended a route that would have started out west, then turned south. It was more indirect, but was a route through Patriot-friendly regions, which meant food and supplies. Not only was the route that Gates had chosen more difficult, but it was through unfriendly territory.

Background: Marching Armies

Sometime after July 27, Francis Marion joined Maj. General Horatio Gates' army. Gates now met Marion and his band of militia for the first time and found their appearance so shabby that it was a distraction to the regulars. He took little time in detaching Marion with orders to gather intelligence on the movements of the British. During the march, Gates sent Lt. Colonel William Washington and his cavalry away, because he did not think cavalry would be of use in the South.


Francis Marion

General Gates also weakened his force during this time by sending 400 men, including 100 Maryland regulars to assist Thomas Sumter, who had requested reinforcements to conduct his own raids. It appears that Gates' original strategy was to use Marion and Sumter to cut off Camden's supply lines from the south. This action would leave Camden vulnerable and force the British to evacuate their garrison without a fight.


Colonel Lord Rawdon

General Gates had counted on Lt. General Charles Earl Cornwallis remaining in Charleston. Camden was held by a garrison of about 700 men under Lt. Colonel Lord Rawdon. However, on August 9, General Cornwallis received word from Lord Rawdon of General Gates' approach and he immediately set out for Camden, arriving on August 13. Meanwhile, Gates had found the going difficult and anticipated supplies had not turned up along the route. The men had ended up eating green apples and peaches.


Lt. General Charles Earl Cornwallis

On August 15, General Gates issued orders for a night approach to Camden. The evening's meal had been topped off with a dessert of molasses that had dire effects on the digestion of the men. At the same time, General Cornwallis had ordered a night march in preparation for an early morning attack on Gates at Rugeley's Mill. As Gates' Continental force marched south on the evening of the 15th, men often broke ranks as the molasses took its stomach churning effect.

At about 2:00 A.M. on August 16, 1780, General Gates' Continental force General Cornwallis' British force literally ran into each other on the Waxhaws road about ten miles from Camden. The forward cavalry screens of Continental Colonel Charles Armand and Lt. Colonel Tarleton clashed and skirmished in the dark. The cavalry was pushed back into the marching columns causing confusion until 100 Virginia state troops maintained formation and steadied the Continentals.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning Darksheare.

[SAMWolf]

Yep, it's a small gesture on our part that goes a long way.

I think I can come up with some pencils and pads of paper.

[snippy_about_it]

Want the job as Foxhole Bouncer?

ha! ha! ha!

You're good.

[SAMWolf]

This just in.

The Recall Election is on again. The 3 clowns were overruled.

[Darksheare]

Hmm..

[snippy_about_it]

The 3 clowns were overruled.

Woo-hoo, the People prevail!!!!


for now...

[Darksheare]

Morning.
The silliness is right about on time, on arrival, and on schedule.

I, however, must by needs deny knowledge of how the potted palmtree ended up in the swimming pool.
/ joke.

I think know why I had a headache last night.
We now have rain here.
Lost of it.
And it is somewhat nippy outside too.

[Valin]

I think I can come up with some pencils and pads of paper.

Diamond Jim SAMWolf! :-)

[SAMWolf]

Our Military Today
Marines Handover Najaf

Spanish soldiers read their mail after a ceremony on September 23, 2003 to hand over responsibility for the Iraqi holy city of Najaf from U.S. Marines to a Spanish-led brigade inside a Polish-led multinational division. The Marines had been responsible for the region since April, soon after the war that ousted Saddam Hussein, and will now return to their base in California. REUTERS/Laszlo Balogh


U.S. marines wave after a ceremony in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf, September 23,2003 in which U.S. Marines handed over responsibility for the area to a Spanish-led force. U.S. Marines handed over on Tuesday to a Spanish-led force in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf, scene of the country's deadliest postwar bomb attack which killed more than 80 people including a top Shi'ite cleric. REUTERS/Laszlo Balogh


A U.S. serviceman clenches his fist in joy after a ceremony in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf, September 23,2003 in which U..S. U.S. Marines handed over on Tuesday to a Spanish-led force in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf, scene of the country's deadliest postwar bomb attack which killed more than 80 people including a top Shi'ite cleric. REUTERS/Laszlo Balogh


Polish Major General Andrzej Tyszkiewicz (L) talks to Spanish Brigadier General Alfredo Cardona at a ceremony on September 23, 2003 to hand over responsibility for the Iraqi holy city of Najaf from U.S. Marines to a Spanish-led brigade inside a Polish-led multinational division. The Marines had been responsible for the region since April, soon after the war that ousted Saddam Hussein, and will now return to their base in California. REUTERS/Laszlo Balogh


A U.S. soldier holds an American flag while Spanish soldiers talk in the background at camp Babylon in Najaf, on Tuesday Sept. 23, 2003 during a ceremony where the 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment handed over power of the Najaf province to the Plus Ultra Spanish Brigade. (AP Photo/Karel Prinsloo)


A U.S. soldier walks past Iraqi women at camp Babylon in Najaf, on Tuesday Sept. 23, 2003 where the 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment handed over power of the Najaf province to the Plus Ultra Spanish Brigade. (AP Photo/Karel Prinsloo)

[SAMWolf]

LOL! Best I can do right now. 2 kids in college put a real crimp in your lifestyle. :-(

[SAMWolf]

A TRIBUTE TO GENERAL DE KALB

In recalling the heroes of Camden the American mind will dwell upon Gist and Smallwood and the other brave leaders of the Continental troops, but to none of those who survived the conflict will such honors be accorded as are due General de Kalb. His memory is immortalized by the manner of his death. He gained glory that General Gates would gladly have acquired at the same cost. He survived his 11 wounds until the third day, dying on the 19th of August, attended by his devoted aide-de-camp and friend, Le Chevalier du Buysson. General de Kalb's dying command to his aide was to deliver a message to Generals Smallwood and Gist, presenting his affectionate compliments to all the officers and men of his division and expressing the greatest satisfaction in the testimony given by the British Army of the bravery of his troops. He was proud of the firm opposition to superior force made by his division when abandoned by the rest of the Army. The gallant behavior of the Delaware regiment and the companies of Artillery attached to the brigades afforded him infinite pleasure -

"and the exemplary conduct of the whole division gave him an endearing sense of the merit of the troops he had the honor to command."

General Washington, in writing to Du Buysson in eulogy of De Kalb, said:

"The manner in which he died fully justified the opinion which I ever entertained of him, and will endear his memory to the country."

The death of Baron de Kalb was deeply lamented in Maryland, and his memory is honored in that State. As a testimonial of their respect and gratitude the legislature passed an act granting the right of citizenship to his sons.


RESOLUTIONS PASSED BY CONGRESS

Congress on the 14th day of October, 1780, passed the following resolutions:

Resolved, That a monument be erected to the memory of the late Major General the Baron de Kalb, in the city of Annapolis, in the State of Maryland, with the following inscription:

SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF THE BARON DE KALB
KNIGHT OF THE ROYAL ORDER OF
MILITARY MERIT,
BRIGADIER OF THE ARMY OF FRANCE
AND MAJOR GENERAL IN THE SERVICE
OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
HAVING SERVED WITH HONOR AND REPUTATION
FOR THREE YEARS,
HE GAVE A LAST & GLORIOUS PROOF OF HIS ATTACHMENT
TO THE LIBERTIES OF MANKIND
AND THE CAUSE OF AMERICA
IN THE ACTION NEAR CAMDEN IN THE STATE OF SO. CAROLINA
ON THE 16TH OF AUGUST 1780
WHERE LEADING ON THE TROOPS OF
THE DELAWARE & MARYLAND LINES AGAINST
SUPERIOR NUMBERS
AND ANIMATING THEM BY HIS EXAMPLE
TO DEEDS OF VALOUR
HE WAS PIERCED WITH MANY WOUNDS
AND ON THE 19 FOLLOWING EXPIRED
IN THE 48 YEAR OF HIS AGE,
THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
IN GRATITUDE TO HIS ZEAL, SERVICES AND MERIT
HAVE ERECTED THIS MONUMENT.

Resolved, That the thanks of Congress be given to Generals Smallwood and Gist, and to the officers and soldiers of the Maryland and Delaware lines; the different corps of artillery; Colonel Porterfield's and Major Armstrong's corps of light infantry, and Colonel Armand's cavalry; for their bravery and good conduct, displayed in the action of the 16th of August last, near Camden, in the State of South Carolina.

Resolved, That the thanks of Congress be given to such of the Militia officers and soldiers who distinguished themselves by their valour on that occasion.

For more than a century no action was taken to erect the monument in De Kalb's memory. It was not until February 19, 1883, that Congress appropriated a sum of money for this purpose.

[Valin]

That'll teach you to keep you pants on!

[SAMWolf]

LOL! But it's so much fun!

[Valin]

On some air bases the Air Force is on one side of the field and civilian aircraft use the other side of the field, with the control tower in the middle. One day the tower received a call from an aircraft asking, "What time is it?"

The tower responded, "Who is calling?"

The aircraft replied, "What difference does it make?"

The tower replied "It makes a lot of difference. If it is an American Airlines Flight, it is 3 o'clock.
If it is Air Force, it is 1500 hours.
If it is a Navy aircraft, it is 6 bells.
If it is an Army aircraft, the big hand is on the 12 and the little hand is on the 3.
If it is a Marine Corps aircraft, it's Thursday afternoon."

[Valin]

There No Free Lunch!








Unfortunately

[SAMWolf]

There No Free Lunch!

Boy ain't that the truth.

[colorado tanker]

The strangest thing happened this morning. As I read the story of General Gates, a political general with poor judgment, the image of General Wesley Clark came to mind. Couldn't shake it.

[colorado tanker]

Thanks for sharing the funny stories. I find the SR-71 a fascinating airplane - I wish that or a replacement were still flying.

[SAMWolf]

Coincidence?

[SAMWolf]

Snippy and I got to see an SR-71 at the McMinnville Air Museum, impressive plane.