As Americans get ready to celebrate Independence Day, Florida Daily talked with Mark Maloy, a historian who specializes in the American Revolution, including his new book on the British attacks on Charleston, South Carolina. Florida Daily also asked Maloy about the overlooked role of East Florida in the Revolution.
Mark Maloy writes for the blog Emerging Revolutionary War. He holds an undergraduate degree in History from the College of William and Mary and a graduate degree in History from George Mason University. He has worked at numerous public historic sites and archaeological digs for the past fifteen years. He has written two books on the Revolutionary War: Victory or Death: The Battles of Trenton and Princeton. and To the Last Extremity: The Battles for Charleston.
Florida Daily: The two British attacks on Charleston–unsuccessfully in 1776 and then successfully four years later–were some of the most important moments of the Revolutionary War but they have often been overshadowed by other battles. Why is that?
Mark Maloy; The American Revolutionary War history in Charleston has often been overshadowed by the Revolutionary War history in places like Boston and Philadelphia. Part of this was likely the result of Charleston and South Carolina’s role in the American Civil War. Charleston Harbor became more well-known (and still is) for being the site of the first shots of that later war. Another major reason is Charleston (and most of the southern campaigns) lack the indispensable man of the Revolution, George Washington. Washington became synonymous with the War for Independence, so places and battles he was directly involved with have been better remembered. The people of Charleston, though, still remember the victory at Sullivan’s Island and they continue to hold ceremonies annually in the city. In fact, the symbol of the palmetto tree has continued to be a potent reminder of the city’s Revolutionary War history and graces the state flag to this day. The 1780 Siege of Charleston is still often forgotten, primarily due to the fact it was a terrible defeat for the Patriot forces.
Florida Daily: Charleston and East Florida were tied together under the British during the 1760s and 1770s with the likes of Henry Laurens and James Grant working closely together. But Charleston and East Florida took two different paths during the Revolution. Why do you think that was the case?
Mark Maloy: Most people forget that Great Britain had more than 13 North American colonies during the Revolutionary War. Many of those colonies, including Canada, the Floridas, and the Caribbean island colonies, remained loyal to the British Crown during the war. Even though East Florida was not far from South Carolina, the colony had a much smaller population. This small colony was more dependent on Great Britain, not only economically, but also for protection from the numerous Indian tribes nearby and had been bartered between Spain and Great Britain during the 18th century which created a different social and political environment. Thus, as other American colonies looked to independence, East Florida remained loyal to Great Britain.
Florida Daily: Sir Henry Clinton led both of the British attacks on Charleston. What changes did Clinton, a notoriously difficult man to work with, make in 1776 and 1780?
Mark Maloy: Sir Henry Clinton wanted to make sure he did not repeat history when he returned to Charleston in 1780. Rather than engage the palmetto log constructed Fort Moultrie in a long drawn out naval battle, Clinton, in 1780, opted to land his massive army to the south of the city and march them overland to trap the Patriots on the Charleston peninsula. The 1780 campaign required close coordination between the British Army and the Royal Navy. In 1776 the two did not work together very well at all. In 1780, though Clinton was difficult to work with, the two worked together better than they had four years earlier.
Florida Daily: On the American side, William Moultrie usually gets the credit for repelling the British attack in 1776 instead of Charles Lee. Do you think Moultrie deserves that credit?
Mark Maloy: Yes, Moultrie deserves the credit. Charles Lee was well respected among both the British and Patriots as one of the best military minds in the war. When Lee arrived in Charleston in June of 1776, he was contemptuous of the Patriot defenses and did not want Moultrie to make a stand on Sullivan’s Island. He went as far as to describe the fort as a “slaughter pen.” Moultrie, though, was adamant that the Patriots could repulse an attempt to take the position. Lee, on the morning of the battle, was about to replace Moultrie with another Continental officer, but the battle began before the change could be made. Moultrie, alongside his men, made a gallant stand and were rewarded with victory. Moultrie was rewarded with a promotion and still is regarded to this day as the hero of Sullivan’s Island.
Florida Daily: What mistakes did Benjamin Lincoln and the other American generals make when they tried to defend Charleston in 1780?
Mark Maloy: Similar to George Washington at the Battle of Long Island, Benjamin Lincoln and the American army were in a difficult situation from the beginning in attempting to defend a city on the water. By attempting to defend Charleston, Lincoln limited his options to defeat the British, giving the initiative to Clinton on how the campaign would unfold. With limited men and resources, he was unable to check the British advance on the march to the city. By the time the British began building trenches on the Charleston neck, the Americans could only hope for a frontal assault which could be repulsed and incur heavy enemy losses. Instead, Clinton led a 42-day siege. Near the end, there were discussions of Lincoln’s army making an attempt to evacuate and fight another day, but the citizens of Charleston did not want to be abandoned. Some civilian leaders even threatened that if the army attempted to leave, they would open the gates to the British immediately. In hindsight, it would have made sense for Lincoln to abandon the city and keep the fight up in the Backcountry, which the area north and west of Charleston was referred to in the 18th century. However, as history shows, even as the British captured the American army at Charleston, they soon discovered that they were still unable to quell the rebellion in the Backcountry.
Florida Daily: One of Lee’s chief lieutenants during his command of the Southern Department was Robert Howe, a politician and planter from North Carolina. After Lee headed north to join George Washington’s army, Howe repeatedly tried and failed to invade East Florida. Why did Howe and American forces fail to take St. Augustine?
Mark Maloy: There were a few failed attempts to capture St. Augustine during the Revolutionary War. Part of the reason was the natural difficulty of advancing into Florida through the swamps with all the diseases that wreaked havoc on the American expeditions. There was also a lack of support in terms of adequate men and provisions. Infighting and squabbling between Howe and other American officers didn’t help when planning and initiating these expeditions. The British also did a better job of maintaining and cultivating relationships with the various Indian tribes, which added advance warning of American intentions, threats on the civilian populace, and the continual fear of surprise attacks. St. Augustine remained in British hands for the duration of the war.
Florida Daily: What do you see as the largest impacts of the two battles of Charleston? How did they impact the rest of the war?
Mark Maloy: The Battle of Sullivan’s Island had a huge impact in keeping the British forces out of South Carolina for almost three years. The 1780 Siege of Charleston, though a major defeat for the Patriots, was the first domino to fall in a line in the southern campaigns that ultimately led to the American victory at Yorktown. Britain could capture all of America’s major cities (Boston, Philadelphia, New York, Charleston), but they discovered that to win the war they needed to quell the rebellion in the countryside. It was the effort to do that which resulted in their ultimate defeat.
Florida Daily: After the fall of Charleston, some of the most prominent American leaders in South Carolina–Christopher Gadsden, signers of the Declaration of Independence like Thomas Heyward, Jr., Arthur Middleton, and Edward Rutledge—were held prisoner in St. Augustine. Why did the British move these patriots to East Florida? Was it the right decision or should they have been kept in Charleston?
Mark Maloy: The British were attempting to keep these powerful civilian Patriot leaders from influencing the population in Charleston. They moved these political prisoners to St. Augustine, but the move backfired on the British. The move caused an outcry among the public and in newspapers as it appeared the British were punishing these Patriot leaders in a punitive way. Ultimately the effort failed as even without these Patriot leaders in Charleston, there was still only limited support from the Loyalist population.
Florida Daily: As we celebrate Independence Day, what lessons can Americans take away from your new book?
Mark Maloy: Charleston and all the Southeast, including Florida, played an important role in the Revolutionary War. On battlefields and in buildings across the area, thousands fought, bled, and died. Without their efforts and sacrifices, we would not have the country we know and love today. We should remember these people and the places where they lived, fought, and died all year long, but especially when we celebrate the Declaration of Independence every July 4. I think the most tragic story in my book is the fate of the thousands of Continental soldiers who were captured by the British and placed on prison ships in Charleston Harbor. About 800 men perished on those ships of disease and malnutrition, their bodies tossed into the harbor. They could have defected and joined the British army to escape, but they didn’t. For them, freedom was not an abstraction. They willingly sacrificed “to the last extremity” so that we could benefit in this country from the blessings of liberty.
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