The Battle of James Island was a minor engagement on November 14, 1782, just outside Charleston, South Carolina, between American and British forces. British troops were on the move attempting to evacuate.[1] In an effort to encourage the British evacuation, American forces led by Tadeusz Kościuszko attempted to ambush British troops under William Dansey who were cutting wood; however, reinforcements were quickly brought to the British side and Kościuszko's soldiers, numbering 70 men, were forced to retreat.[2]
The British, after receiving reinforcements, numbered more than 300 soldiers and vastly outnumbered the Americans.[2] Several Americans were killed, including Captain William Wilmont, the last Continental Army soldier killed in action in the Carolinas.[2][3] In addition to Wilmont, William Smith, a Black slave who assisted American troops during the battle, was taken captive by Dansey's forces and subsequently died in captivity.[1] As the skirmish finished, the remaining American troops retreated. The British would soon withdraw from the region, marking the end of the American Revolutionary War.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "The Charleston Museum | News and Events » Battle of Dills Bluff" (in en). https://www.charlestonmuseum.org/news-events/battle-of-dills-bluff/.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "List of Revolutionary War Battles, Raids & Skirmishes for 1782 • American Revolutionary War" (in en-US). 19 November 2017. https://revolutionarywar.us/year-1782/#.WwXnqC-ZP-Z.
- ↑ "The American Revolution in South Carolina - James Island". http://www.carolana.com/SC/Revolution/revolution_james_island_2.html.
The original article can be found at Battle of James Island and the edit history here.