Battle of Mobley's Meeting House
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Mobley's Meeting House (also sometimes called Gibson's Meeting House) was an engagement that occurred during the American Revolutionary War
in the Mobley Settlement, Fairfield County, South Carolina during the southern campaign of Lord Cornwallis
.
On 8 June 1780, a small body of Whig
militia led by Colonel William Bratton surprised a gathering point of Tory
militia at Mobley's Meeting House, about 6 miles (9.7 km) west of present-day Winnsboro
. Many of the Tories tried to escape by descending a steep embankment; this attempt led to more casualties than were caused by the actual firefight. A few Tories holed up in a blockhouse
but were flushed out and defeated.
The battle was one a string of small victories by Whig militia that raised morale and support for their cause after the Continental Army
suffered major defeats at Charleston
and Waxhaws in May 1780, and preceded more organized resistance led by militia leaders like Thomas Sumter
and Francis Marion
.
" to regain control of its rebellious provinces in the American Revolutionary War
went well, with successful amphibious operations against Savannah, Georgia
and Charleston, South Carolina
, and a routing of the few remaining Continental Army
troops in South Carolina
in the May 29, 1780 Battle of Waxhaws. The British, in complete control of both South Carolina and Georgia
, established outposts in the interior of both states to recruit Tories
and to suppress Whig
dissent.
One of these outposts was established at Rocky Mount, near the confluence of Rocky Creek and the Catawba River
, south of present-day Great Falls, South Carolina
. This outpost was garrisoned by a regiment of New York Volunteers
under the command of Lieutenant Colonel
George Turnbull
. Another outpost was established at Shirer's Ferry, near the Dutch Fork
area on the east bank of the Broad River
, which was used as a rallying point for Tory militia.
Richard Winn
, a prominent Whig leader in the area, began to rally supporter to his side. By June 7 he had rallied a force of between one and two hundred men in the New Acquisition District (roughly York County, South Carolina
). Its principal commanders were Colonel William Bratton, who had been leading Whig militia since the war began in 1775, as well as Colonels Edward Lacey, John McClure, Samuel Watson, Cooper, and William Hill. This group was composed in large part of the Whig forces that had just the day before routed and scattered a Tory gathering at Beckhamville, South Carolina
. Colonel Bratton was elected overall field commander for the engagement, which rode for Mobley's that day, arriving in the early morning hours. They found that the camp, although it had a fortified blockhouse and the meetinghouse itself was of sturdy construction, was not particularly alert against possible attack, and planned a surprise attack.
. According to Whig reports, they suffered no casualties in the brief battles, while the Tories suffered a few each killed and captured.
(the Green Coat Tories) under Captain Christian Huck in reprisal. Huck's force went on a minor rampage, destroying Richard Winn's plantation, the home and parsonage of the Reverend John Simpson
, and attacking a small company of Whigs that had been left to defend the ironworks
of Colonel William Hill. After the destruction of the ironworks, Whigs continued to muster, leading to the rise of Thomas Sumter
as a significant militia leader, and took their vengeance on Huck in July. A similar gathering of Tories in nearby North Carolina was scattered in the June 20 Battle of Ramsour's Mill
.
and Fishing Creek
only two months later, on 16 and 18 August 1780. Only on 7 October 1780 did a decisive Whig victory at Kings Mountain
begin to turn the tide.
on the waters of the Little River. A marker has been placed nearby, on SSR 18 at a point approximately 1.5 miles (2 km) west of the site. At one time, there was a road or pathway that went past the meeting house, but it is inaccessible today.
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...
in the Mobley Settlement, Fairfield County, South Carolina during the southern campaign of 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...
.
On 8 June 1780, a small body of Whig
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 led by Colonel William Bratton surprised a gathering point of Tory
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...
militia at Mobley's Meeting House, about 6 miles (9.7 km) west of present-day Winnsboro
Winnsboro, South Carolina
Winnsboro is a town in Fairfield County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 3,599 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Fairfield County. Winnsboro is part of the Columbia, South Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area....
. Many of the Tories tried to escape by descending a steep embankment; this attempt led to more casualties than were caused by the actual firefight. A few Tories holed up in a blockhouse
Blockhouse
In military science, a blockhouse is a small, isolated fort in the form of a single building. It serves as a defensive strong point against any enemy that does not possess siege equipment or, in modern times, artillery...
but were flushed out and defeated.
The battle was one a string of small victories by Whig militia that raised morale and support for their cause after the 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...
suffered major defeats at Charleston
Siege of Charleston
The Siege of Charleston was one of the major battles which took place towards the end of the American Revolutionary War, after the British began to shift their strategic focus towards the American Southern Colonies. After about six weeks of siege, Continental Army Major General Benjamin Lincoln...
and Waxhaws in May 1780, and preceded more organized resistance led by militia leaders like Thomas Sumter
Thomas Sumter
Thomas Sumter nicknamed the "Carolina Gamecock" , was a hero of the American Revolution and went on to become a longtime member of the Congress of the United States.-Early life:Thomas Sumter was born near Charlottesville in Hanover County, Virginia in 1734...
and Francis Marion
Francis Marion
Francis Marion was a military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. Acting with Continental Army and South Carolina militia commissions, he was a persistent adversary of the British in their occupation of South Carolina in 1780 and 1781, even after the Continental Army was driven...
.
Background
Throughout 1779 and early 1780, the British "southern strategySouthern theater of the American Revolutionary War
The Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War was the central area of operations in North America in the second half of the American Revolutionary War. During the first three years of the conflict, the primary military encounters had been in the north, focused on campaigns around the...
" to regain control of its rebellious provinces in 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...
went well, with successful amphibious operations against Savannah, Georgia
Capture of Savannah
The Battle of Savannah, or sometimes the First Battle of Savannah due to a siege later in the campaign, was an American Revolutionary War battle fought on December 29, 1778 between local American Patriot militia and Continental Army units holding the city and a British invasion force under the...
and Charleston, South Carolina
Siege of Charleston
The Siege of Charleston was one of the major battles which took place towards the end of the American Revolutionary War, after the British began to shift their strategic focus towards the American Southern Colonies. After about six weeks of siege, Continental Army Major General Benjamin Lincoln...
, and a routing of the few remaining 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 in 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...
in the May 29, 1780 Battle of Waxhaws. The British, in complete control of both South Carolina and Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, established outposts in the interior of both states to recruit Tories
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...
and to suppress Whig
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...
dissent.
One of these outposts was established at Rocky Mount, near the confluence of Rocky Creek and the Catawba River
Catawba River
The Catawba River is a tributary of the Wateree River in the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina. The river is approximately 220 miles long...
, south of present-day Great Falls, South Carolina
Great Falls, South Carolina
Great Falls is a town in Chester County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,194 at the 2000 census.-Geography and climate:Great Falls is located at ....
. This outpost was garrisoned by a regiment of New York Volunteers
New York Volunteers
The New York Volunteers was a American Loyalist provincial regiment which was served in the British Army during American War of Independence.It was raised in Halifax, January 1776. Two companies were in the 1776 New York campaign. It was at the raids on Fort Clinton and Fort Montgomery...
under the command of Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
George Turnbull
George Turnbull (soldier)
George Turnbull was a loyalist Lieutenant Colonel in the American Revolutionary War.Turnbull raised and commanded the New York Volunteers in January 1776; this regiment was renumbered in May 1779 as the 3rd American Regiment...
. Another outpost was established at Shirer's Ferry, near the Dutch Fork
Dutch Fork
The Dutch Fork is a region of South Carolina located in Lexington, Newberry, and Richland Counties between the Saluda River and the Broad River where they fork together, forming the Congaree River...
area on the east bank of the Broad River
Broad River (Carolinas)
The Broad River is a principal tributary of the Congaree River, about 150 miles long, in western North Carolina and northern South Carolina in the United States. Via the Congaree, it is part of the watershed of the Santee River, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean...
, which was used as a rallying point for Tory militia.
Prelude
Tories in the area begain raiding and plundering Whig properties, and in early June 1780 established a camp at Mobley's Meeting House, about 12 miles (19.3 km) north of Shirer's Ferry, located on a high embankment on a branch of the Little River in Fairfield District. They were under the general command of Colonel Charles Coleman of Fairfield District, Colonel Joseph Fleuquinyan and Captain William Nichols. This group had plundered many of the possessions of Whigs in the area, in particular members of the Hampton family, and had sent John and Henry Hampton as prisoners to Lord Cornwallis at Camden. Thus laden down with booty, they awaited British assistance.Richard Winn
Richard Winn
Richard Winn was an American merchant, surveyor, and politician from Winnsboro, South Carolina. During the American Revolutionary War he was an officer in the 3rd South Carolina Regiment. After the regiment was captured at Charleston, he served in a militia partisan unit under Thomas Sumter...
, a prominent Whig leader in the area, began to rally supporter to his side. By June 7 he had rallied a force of between one and two hundred men in the New Acquisition District (roughly York County, South Carolina
York County, South Carolina
York County is a county located in the north-central section of the U.S. state of South Carolina. According to the 2010 census, the county's population was 226,073. It is the second largest county in the Charlotte metropolitan area...
). Its principal commanders were Colonel William Bratton, who had been leading Whig militia since the war began in 1775, as well as Colonels Edward Lacey, John McClure, Samuel Watson, Cooper, and William Hill. This group was composed in large part of the Whig forces that had just the day before routed and scattered a Tory gathering at Beckhamville, 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...
. Colonel Bratton was elected overall field commander for the engagement, which rode for Mobley's that day, arriving in the early morning hours. They found that the camp, although it had a fortified blockhouse and the meetinghouse itself was of sturdy construction, was not particularly alert against possible attack, and planned a surprise attack.
Battle
The attack occurred at daybreak with an assault on the church and blockhouse. The Whig forces attacked from three sides, leaving the fourth uncovered as it was thought that its steep embankment was too hazardous to climb for an attack or to descend in a retreat. However, during the confusion and panic, a number of Tories attempted just that and were injured in the process. Few casualties were noted on either side other than those resulting from falls down the embankment. Much of the plunder was recovered and restored to the owners, and a significant number of prisoners were taken and sent to North CarolinaNorth 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...
. According to Whig reports, they suffered no casualties in the brief battles, while the Tories suffered a few each killed and captured.
Aftermath
After the battle, some of the Whigs immediately left for North Carolina while others stayed in South Carolina and returned to their homes. Colonel Turnbull, the British commander at Rocky Mount, sent the New York VolunteersNew York Volunteers
The New York Volunteers was a American Loyalist provincial regiment which was served in the British Army during American War of Independence.It was raised in Halifax, January 1776. Two companies were in the 1776 New York campaign. It was at the raids on Fort Clinton and Fort Montgomery...
(the Green Coat Tories) under Captain Christian Huck in reprisal. Huck's force went on a minor rampage, destroying Richard Winn's plantation, the home and parsonage of the Reverend John Simpson
John Simpson (Presbyterian)
The Reverend John Simpson , was a Presbyterian minister, Whig leader and Patriot in the American Revolution.-Life:Of Scotch-Irish descent, Simpson married Mary Remer in 1765 in New Jersey...
, and attacking a small company of Whigs that had been left to defend the ironworks
Ironworks
An ironworks or iron works is a building or site where iron is smelted and where heavy iron and/or steel products are made. The term is both singular and plural, i.e...
of Colonel William Hill. After the destruction of the ironworks, Whigs continued to muster, leading to the rise of Thomas Sumter
Thomas Sumter
Thomas Sumter nicknamed the "Carolina Gamecock" , was a hero of the American Revolution and went on to become a longtime member of the Congress of the United States.-Early life:Thomas Sumter was born near Charlottesville in Hanover County, Virginia in 1734...
as a significant militia leader, and took their vengeance on Huck in July. A similar gathering of Tories in nearby North Carolina was scattered in the June 20 Battle of Ramsour's Mill
Battle of Ramsour's Mill
The Battle of Ramsour's Mill took place on June 20, 1780 near present-day Lincolnton, North Carolina, during the British campaign to gain control of the southern colonies in the American Revolutionary War. About 400 American militia defeated 1,300 Loyalist militiamen. The battle did not involve any...
.
Historical relevance
Although minor in scope, this engagement and others like it represented important symbolic victories for the Whigs. Mobley's Meeting House and the Battle of Beckhamville were the first two Whig successes against a string of defeats at Charleston, Monck's Corner, Lenud's Ferry, and Waxhaws. Other setbacks at Brandon's Defeat and Hill's ironworks after the Beckhamville and Mobley's Meeting House successes continued to press the Whigs, but rallies at Huck's Defeat (Williamson's Plantation) and Ramsour's Mill provided strategically small victories that provided the moral and spiritual support to keep the Whigs going through these dark days. British victories were to continue at CamdenBattle of Camden
The Battle of Camden was a major victory for the British in the Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War...
and Fishing Creek
Battle of Fishing Creek
The Battle of Fishing Creek, also called the Battle of Catawba Ford or the War on Sugar Creek, was an American Revolutionary War battle fought on August 18, 1780, between American and British forces including the 71st Foot. It was fought near the junction of Fishing Creek and the Catawba River in...
only two months later, on 16 and 18 August 1780. Only on 7 October 1780 did a decisive Whig victory at Kings Mountain
Battle of Kings Mountain
The Battle of Kings Mountain was a decisive battle between the Patriot and Loyalist militias in the Southern campaign of the American Revolutionary War...
begin to turn the tide.
Legacy
The location of the meeting house is about 6 miles (9.7 km) west of present-day WinnsboroWinnsboro, South Carolina
Winnsboro is a town in Fairfield County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 3,599 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Fairfield County. Winnsboro is part of the Columbia, South Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area....
on the waters of the Little River. A marker has been placed nearby, on SSR 18 at a point approximately 1.5 miles (2 km) west of the site. At one time, there was a road or pathway that went past the meeting house, but it is inaccessible today.
Sources
- Shelton, Kenneth, All That Dare Oppose Them: The Whig Victory at Mobley's Meeting House, June 1780, (2005)