Battle of Camden

This is a description of what happened before, after, and during, the Battle of Camden.

Battle of Camden

The Battle of Camden, fought on August 16, 1780, was one of the most devastating Patriot defeats of the American Revolutionary War. It took place during Britain's Southern Campaign, when British forces were attempting to gain control of the southern colonies.

The defeat badly weakened the Patriot army in the South and ended the field command of General Horatio Gates, who had previously gained fame at the Battle of Saratoga.

British Gain Momentum in the Southern Theater

In 1780, the British shifted their military strategy toward the southern colonies. Under Generals Henry Clinton and Charles Cornwallis, British forces had captured Savannah, Georgia, and recently taken Charleston, South Carolina, along with thousands of Patriot soldiers.

These victories gave Britain considerable momentum in the South and threatened the Patriot war effort throughout the Carolinas.

Horatio Gates Takes Command

In late July 1780, the Continental Congress gave command of a new southern army to Horatio Gates, who had gained fame following the American victory at Saratoga.

Gates assembled his army near Charlotte, North Carolina, and ordered a force of Continental soldiers and militia to march toward British positions in South Carolina. Many of his soldiers, however, were exhausted, sick, poorly supplied, or inexperienced.

British General Charles Cornwallis soon learned of Gates's movements and marched north from Charleston with more than 2,000 British troops to confront him.

The Battle Begins

The two armies encountered one another near Camden, South Carolina, and the battle began shortly after dawn on August 16, 1780.

British troops attacked the American left, which consisted largely of inexperienced militia. After receiving heavy volleys of musket fire and facing a British bayonet charge, many of the militia broke ranks and fled.

The retreat quickly spread through much of the Patriot army. Gates himself eventually left the battlefield, and the American force collapsed.

The defeat was disastrous. Hundreds of Patriot soldiers were killed or wounded, and many more were captured. The British also seized American artillery, wagons, supplies, and equipment.

Disaster for the Patriots

The defeat at Camden severely weakened Patriot military operations in the Southern Theater and badly damaged the reputation of Horatio Gates.

Gates was eventually replaced by Nathanael Greene, who reorganized the southern army and helped rebuild Patriot resistance throughout the Carolinas.

Why it mattered: Camden was one of the most serious American defeats of the war, but the Patriot cause in the South recovered under Nathanael Greene and other commanders.

Battles and Events of the Revolutionary War

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