For the latter part of the American War of Independence, the British focused on taking control of the South. They captured Savannah and Charleston and launched a campaign to crush rebels in the Carolinas and Virginia. George Washington responded to the threat by entrusting Nathanael Greene with command the American army in the South. Greene would benefit from the support of partisans such as Francis Marion, Thomas Sumter and Andrew Pickens. Professor Edgar chronicles Greene’s race to the Dan River, which drew British general Cornwallis out of the Carolinas and eventually led him to Yorktown and surrender.
Part 1 of 8: The South’s Pivotal Role in the Revolutionary War (6:20)
Part 2 of 8: British Capture of Savannah and the Siege of Charleston (6:29)
Part 3 of 8: The Distinction Between Loyalists and Patriots (5:48)
Part 4 of 8: The South’s Motivation for Fighting the Revolutionary War (8:29)
Part 5 of 8: Battle of Camden, Francis Marion and Guerrilla Warfare (8:28)
Part 6 of 8: The Road to King’s Mountain (9:37)
Part 7 of 8: Battle of Cowpens (5:21)
Part 8 of 8: From the Race to the Dan to Cornwallis at Yorktown (6:54)