Richard Richardson was a colonel

Colonel

Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...

 of the Camden

Camden

- Australia :* Camden, New South Wales** Camden Council ** Electoral district of Camden- England :* London Borough of Camden** Camden Town, an area in the borough* Camden School for Girls- United States :* Camden, Alabama* Camden, Arkansas...

 Regiment of 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...

 Militia

Militia

The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...

 during 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...

. He was promoted to Brigadier General

Brigadier General

Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...

 in 1778, and died in 1780.

Biography

Richardson served in the militia since 1757, and was a veteran of the Cherokee War

Cherokee War

Cherokee War can refer to:*The Anglo-Cherokee War from 1758 to 1761, sometimes known as the "First Cherokee War"*The Cherokee War of 1776, sometimes known as the "Second Cherokee War," which was part of the western American Revolution...

. He was a member of the South Carolina assembly, as well as an officer of 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...

. Richardson led the Snow Campaign

Snow Campaign

The Snow Campaign was the first major battle of the American Revolutionary War in the southern campaign. An American army of 3,000 troops under Colonel Richard Richardson invaded British territory in South Carolina, taking over their camp at the Reedy River....

 of November-December 1775, in which he flushed the British and Tories out of the Appalachian Mountains. At the Siege of Charleston

Battle of Sullivan's Island

The Battle of Sullivan's Island or the Battle of Fort Sullivan was fought on June 28, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, also known as the American War of Independence. It took place near Charleston, South Carolina, during the first British attempt to capture the city from American rebels...

 in 1776, he aided in beating off the British fleet under Peter Parker. In 1780, he lived to fight in the Siege of 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...

, but was taken prisoner after the surrender of the American forces there, and died soon after.