South Carolina and the American Revolution: A Battlefield History

I found Dr. Gordon's account of the South Carolina campaign to be well written and a pleasure to read (unlike some military histories). I've had an occasion to study military operational art under Dr. Gordon at the Marine Corps Command and Staff College this past year. He has an keen intellect and a command of military subjects that is rare these days. Not only a scholar, Colonel Gordon is a combat veteran who brings several decades of experience as a Marine Corps officer to the table. Of course none of this would be particularly relevant if this book were the poorly written "breezy account" that a previous reviewer suggested it was. As a military officer I've read more than my fair share of military histories over the past few decades, and I can tell you this is one of the better books I've read. I found Dr. Gordon's assertions that "South Carolina was more a civil war than the one formally called that eighty years later" and "it was fought also to settle old scores or to best rivals" to be of particular interest given our current involvement abroad (every generation likes to think it is facing unprecedented challenges.) Dr. Gordon's account of the Cherokee involvement on the British side and the long term damage it did to the loyalist cause was especially informative. It showed the dangers of making common cause with the wrong allies and the importance of perception when waging a counter-insurgency. My advice - if you are looking for an interesting book on the part played by South Carolina during the revolution...don't skip it.

Despite having its' origin in Massachusetts, its first major victory in New York (along with numerous defeats), the many traipses across New Jersey, and its conclusion in Virginia, more Revolutionary combat actions occurred in South Carolina than in any other state. Often, when Americans think of the Revolution, visions of minute men at Lexington and Concord, Washington crossing the Delaware, or even the first victory at Saratoga come to mind. With his book, SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, John W. Gordon seeks to change all that and bring to the forefront, the importance of the campaigns and skirmishes that kept South Carolina in turmoil for nearly eight years. Even in the southern campaign, knowledge is often limited to the major events such as Cowpens and the siege of Charleston. Gordon lends meticulous insight and detail to countless lesser known events of the south. Closely examined here are details concerning the three fronts of attack in South Carolina; British Naval forces in the east, Cherokee Indians in the west, and Tory loyalists throughout the state. If you are a southern campaign enthusiast, I believe this book gives the best overall insight to the South Carolina battles of all the endless array of books previously written on the subject. Gordon writes with a fluidity often missing from battlefield narratives. The book flows extremely well and even learned students of the southern campaign will gain an abundance of information from this fine work. This is far more than simply a reference guide to South Carolina battles, though it serves that purpose well also. Gordon goes on to present his arguments in rich detail and substantiate those arguments with well defined critical factual elements. As you would expect from a book of this magnitude, there is also a wonderful bibliography and footnotes for enhanced further study. Monty Rainey [...]

Five Star Plus Rating: This is a classic book about one of the most pivotal components of America's Revolutionary War victory. The author's style and knowledge of his subject and Carolina geography makes this one of those books you will find hard to put down before reading it from cover to cover A "hard cover" book, beautifully stitched and bound with gold embossed spine. The 16 illustrations, and 17 maps aid in making this a book you will want to have with you if and when you have an opportunity to visit and travel to Charleston or to the many other South Carolina Revolutionary battle sites. The 13 page Introduction delivers an insight into the mighty British Navy as well as the background and organization of our early militia. The author also provides excellent coverage and content of the naval and maritime operations which played such a key role in the British capture of Charleston by the British in 1780 This history moves in a fast-paced, flowing, linear time-line, pulling the reader forward in anticipation of the next page, or next battle-and there are many. Mr. Gordon provides a wealth of interesting facts related to the many individual battles he so meticulously describes. One little known fact to look for is-- which field commander lost every battle he fought -- but won the war in South Carolina setting the stage for the British defeat and surrender at Yorktown. This is a Five Star Book. !

This book is an excellent source for anyone who likes to study the Revolution in general and the war in South Carolina in Specifics. He covers all major and many smaller battles that occurred from 1775-1783. He also mentions loyalists and shows that they were more than a small force in the state. Which is gratifying for us who study Loyalists as the main focus. If you like good military history, but do not mind several minor errors, this is a fine book for you. This book does not get much into the politics and stays on course with the soldiers who fought for and against Independence.

South Carolina And The American Revolution: A Battlefield History by John W. Gordon (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Quantico, Virginia) is a sharply written, encounter-by-encounter look at the deadly South Carolina battles from 1775 to 1783, many of which were crucial to winning America's independence from Great Britain. Troop movements, black-and-white illustrations, meticulous historical details enhance South Carolina And The American Revolution, a prized and recommended addition to American Revolutionary War Studies in general, and South Carolina State History reading lists in particular.