The Battle of Lenud's Ferry was a battle of the American Revolutionary War

American Revolutionary War

The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...

 that was fought on May 6, 1780 in present-day Berkeley County, South Carolina

Berkeley County, South Carolina

Berkeley County is a county in the U.S. state of South Carolina. In 2000, its population was 142,651. The 2005 Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 151,673. Its county seat is Moncks Corner....

. The Loyalist

Loyalist (American Revolution)

Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...

 British Legion, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton

Banastre Tarleton

General Sir Banastre Tarleton, 1st Baronet, GCB was a British soldier and politician.He is today probably best remembered for his military service during the American War of Independence. He became the focal point of a propaganda campaign claiming that he had fired upon surrendering Continental...

, surprised and scattered a company of Patriot

Patriot (American Revolution)

Patriots is a name often used to describe the colonists of the British Thirteen United Colonies who rebelled against British control during the American Revolution. It was their leading figures who, in July 1776, declared the United States of America an independent nation...

 militia at Lenud's Ferry, a crossing point on the Santee River

Santee River

The Santee River is a river in South Carolina in the United States, long. The Santee and its tributaries provide the principal drainage and navigation for the central coastal plain of South Carolina, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean approximately from its farthest headwater on the Catawba River...

.

Background

General Sir Henry Clinton arrived before Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...

 in late March 1780, and began siege preparations as the opening move in British plan to gain control over North

North Carolina

North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...

 and South Carolina

South Carolina

South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...

. The city was defended by Continental Army

Continental Army

The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...

 troops under the command of General Benjamin Lincoln

Benjamin Lincoln

Benjamin Lincoln was an American army officer. He served as a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War...

.

As part of his plan to cut off Lincoln's avenues of escape from Charleston, Clinton sent out troops under Lord Cornwallis

Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis

Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis KG , styled Viscount Brome between 1753 and 1762 and known as The Earl Cornwallis between 1762 and 1792, was a British Army officer and colonial administrator...

 to identify places to impede or block potential Continental Army

Continental Army

The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...

 movements north of the city. Cornwallis stationed himself near the forks of the Wando River

Wando River

The Wando River is a tidewater river in the coastal area of South Carolina. It begins in the town of Awendaw and empties into the Cooper River at Charleston Harbor. Its drainage area is . -External links:...

, and sent out patrols to watch the area.

Lieutenant Colonel William Washington

William Washington

William Washington , was an officer of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, who held a final rank of Brigadier General in the newly created United States after the war...

's company of Patriot

Patriot (American Revolution)

Patriots is a name often used to describe the colonists of the British Thirteen United Colonies who rebelled against British control during the American Revolution. It was their leading figures who, in July 1776, declared the United States of America an independent nation...

 cavalry had been scattered by Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton

Banastre Tarleton

General Sir Banastre Tarleton, 1st Baronet, GCB was a British soldier and politician.He is today probably best remembered for his military service during the American War of Independence. He became the focal point of a propaganda campaign claiming that he had fired upon surrendering Continental...

 and the British Legion at Monck's Corner

Battle of Monck's Corner

The Battle of Monck's Corner was fought on April 14, 1780, outside the city of Charleston, South Carolina, which was under siege by British forces under the command of General Sir Henry Clinton in the American Revolutionary War. The British Legion, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Banastre...

 in mid-April. These troops regrouped several weeks later north of the Santee River

Santee River

The Santee River is a river in South Carolina in the United States, long. The Santee and its tributaries provide the principal drainage and navigation for the central coastal plain of South Carolina, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean approximately from its farthest headwater on the Catawba River...

, where they came under the command of Colonel Anthony Walton White

Anthony Walton White

Anthony Walton White was a cavalry officer in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.-Early life:Anthony W. White was the son of Anthony White...

, who had recently arrived with a company of dragoon

Dragoon

The word dragoon originally meant mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills. However, usage altered over time and during the 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel...

s from Virginia

Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...

. White and about 100 of his 350 men crossed the Santee on a probe to the south on May 5. They captured 18 British soldiers about four miles (6.4 km) north of Awendaw Creek, and returned to the Santee at Lenud's Ferry with their prisoners.

Tarleton happened to be on a patrol with 150 dragoons heading toward Lenud's Ferry when he learned from a local Loyalist of the Patriot movements.

Battle

Making all haste, Tarleton raced to the crossing. White had stopped at the ferry to rest, many horses were unbridled, and the men were completely unprepared when Tarleton approached. Brushing past the guards, his cavalry raced into the camp and began cutting men down with sabers. A significant number of men were cut down, and others, including White and Washington, only escaped by jumping in the river and swimming away. Tarleton captured 67 men and 100 horses, at the cost of two men and 4 horses.

Aftermath

Cornwallis claimed that this action "totalled demolished their Cavalry". The battle showed that the British had control over the northern escape routes from the city of Charleston. Lincoln surrendered the city and his army, more than 5,000 men, on May 12.