This Labor Day weekend, I had the pleasure of traveling back in time to circa September 1780, when the Carolina region of the Waxhaws to Charlotte was cracking with musket fire and battles against tyranny and shouts of liberty. Charlotte and the Carolina backcountry was dubbed as a hornets nest, as local loyalists battled impassioned local patriots. In the year 1780 more skirmishes happened in the Carolinas than any state combined.
Held at the Museum of the Waxhaws, The Battle of Charlotte Living History Weekend truly transported visitors to 1780 life at a Revolutionary War camp. Living historians representing a number of period trades shared stories about daily life during the war. Camp followers, including women who prepared food, sold goods, and nursed the wounded, were a key part of the experience. I also spoke with a surgeon who explained the medical practices of the day and an herbalist who shared how herbs were used for healing.
My personal highlights included a fascinating conversation with an 18th-century surveyor about the tedious and dangerous role of surveying land in the backcountry. I also enjoyed hearing the Native American perspective from Lumbee Indians, who provided information on native trade, like beaver pelts, and how native crops helped feed America and the world.
The weekend also featured a number of outstanding lectures. Both Lord Cornwallis and Patriot Leader Colonel Davie gave talks, and popular reenactor Robert Ryals kicked off Sunday with a riveting program on the wartime experiences of Reverend Martin. Other awesome lectures included talks by historian Michael Burgess and Patti Proctor, who shared stories of women in the backcountry.
Woman in the Backcountry:
In the backcountry, women were often on the front lines, aiding the Patriot cause. Andrew Jackson’s mother, Elizabeth Jackson, was an active Patriot who nursed the wounded after the Battle of the Waxhaws. She even helped secure the release of her sons, Andrew and Robert, from a British prison.
Sadly, Elizabeth and two of her sons paid the ultimate price for liberty. Hugh, her eldest son, died from heat exhaustion after the Battle of Stono Ferry, and Robert died of smallpox while imprisoned. Elizabeth herself lost her life to “ship’s fever” (likely cholera or typhoid) while nursing sick Patriot prisoners in Charleston.
Another highlight was a book talk with the amazing children’s author Libby Carty McNamee. Her middle-reader books, like Susannah’s Midnight Ride and Dolley Madison and the War of 1812, do an excellent job of bringing history to life. As someone who has read all of her books, I highly recommend them to history lovers of all ages.
The main event on both Saturday and Sunday was the crackle of gunpowder and smoke, as dozens of reenactors representing their respective British and Patriot regiments reenacted scenes from the Battle of Charlotte, including a riveting reenactment of the Battle of the Bees on Sunday afternoon. The dedication of the reenactors to realistically portraying their historical counterparts was truly impressive. They were also gracious in answering questions about military life, from the types of muskets they used to how their militias were organized.
The Battle of Charlotte Living History Weekend was a true community partnership. The event was hosted by The Museum of the Waxhaws, with support from area businesses, nonprofits, and historical associations like the DAR and the Marvin Historical Society.
While at ‘Camp,’ revolutionaries and visitors alike could explore the Museum of the Waxhaws. This amazing museum tells the story of life in the Waxhaws region, from early Native American cultures, including the now-extinct Waxhaw tribe, to the passage of Spanish explorers like Juan Pardo, and the arrival of early Scots-Irish settlers, such as future President Andrew Jackson’s family. Many of these early settlers traveled down the Great Wagon Road from Pennsylvania into the Carolinas. Waxhaw, NC, was located along that route and was known as ‘The Garden of the Waxhaws.’ The museum also featured a special exhibit on the Battle of Charlotte, an often-overlooked but important engagement that was a turning point in the Southern Campaign. Learn more about Camp Life here.
To learn more about the region’s hidden history, you can follow Waxhaws History on Facebook and YouTube.
The Marvin Historical Society, a wonderful nonprofit in the greater Waxhaw area, was another key community partner. Their mission is to research and preserve the dynamic local history of Marvin, a small community with deep roots dating back to the Colonial era and beyond. It is a place where past and present truly collide, and I look forward to sharing more about its history in future posts.
Digging into History: In order to appreciate the Revolutionary weekend it is important to dig into the history of The Battle of Charlotte and the area’s role in the southern campaign (1780-81).
The Road to the Battle of Charlotte:
In early 1780, the Revolutionary War in the north was at a stalemate, with both sides unable to carve out a path to victory. Each side was faced with adversity, from disease and freezing temperatures to supply issues and more. General Henry Clinton, Commander-in-Chief of the British forces, and his subordinate, General Cornwallis, decided to develop a new “Southern Strategy.” While Charleston, South Carolina, was a patriot stronghold that had previously rebuffed a British attack during the Battle of Sullivan’s Island earlier in the war (June 1776), Clinton believed that the majority of the Carolina backcountry had loyalist leanings. He believed that if they could get past the patriot-held Charleston, the British could rally support from loyalists in the Carolinas. They would then train loyalist militias to manage military outposts and maintain control of the region. With the loyalists in control of the Carolinas, Cornwallis and his troops would then continue north into Virginia and eventually suffocate Washington’s troops by attacking on multiple fronts.
In theory, this plan sounded sound. However, the Carolina backcountry was more deeply divided and had stronger patriot sentiment than Clinton and Cornwallis realized. Those who had been neutral leaned toward the patriot side after witnessing the bloodshed at places like the Battle of the Waxhaws.
We learned about The Battle of the Waxhaws in an earlier post, which relayed a thrilling reenactment weekend. This tragic and pivotal early conflict in South Carolina occurred on May 29, 1780, when British Lt. Colonel Banastre Tarleton’s loyalist militia, the Green Dragoons, mercilessly killed 113 Virginia Continentals. The battle became known as Buford’s Massacre because Tarleton’s men ignored the patriots’ multiple requests for quarter (surrender), instead killing them mercilessly with musket fire and bayonets. This brutal event ignited a fire of civil war in the Carolina backcountry. Read about my Battle of Waxhaws reenactment adventure here.
In the coming months, neighbors would fight neighbors as loyalist and patriot militias clashed for crown and country. The British, in an attempt to instill fear and force submission, frequently raided local farms for supplies.
Women like Martha Bratton, who lived in Brattonsville, South Carolina, earned a reputation as a brave patriot on several occasions. She first demonstrated her courage when she blew up patriot gunpowder hidden on her property rather than allowing it to fall into British hands.
Her husband, William, a Colonel in the Continental Army, was a key target of the British, who were determined to destroy patriot strongholds in the Carolinas. One evening in June 1780, troops from the British Legion arrived at Martha’s doorstep demanding to know his whereabouts. When she refused to cooperate, a soldier held a sharpened hook to her neck. Devoted to her husband and her country, she maintained that she did not know his location and insisted that the troops leave. An officer, admiring her bravery, intervened and ordered the soldier to back down.
Later, when Martha learned that the notoriously surly Captain Christian Huck was on his way to the Bratton and Williamson farms near York, South Carolina, she dispatched their young enslaved person, Watt, to warn the militia. The militia, led by her husband, Colonel William Bratton, attacked Huck’s forces by surprise on July 12, 1780. Huck’s death in this decisive skirmish, known as Huck’s Defeat, helped rally the Patriot militia and served as a crucial example of the fierce fighting in the Carolina backcountry.
This was just one of many raids and skirmishes that created a climate of terror in the region. When Cornwallis occupied Charlotte in September 1780, he faced such fierce resistance from the locals that he famously dubbed the city a “hornet’s nest.” The irony is that Charlotte still proudly bears the nickname “The Queen City,” named after King George III’s wife, Queen Charlotte.
The Tide Turns in the South
It was near Charlotte and the Waxhaws that the tide of war began to shift toward a Patriot victory. September 1780 to October 1780 proved to be pivotal months in the beginning of the end for General Cornwallis, as several simultaneous events turned the tide against the British.
From September 11 to 24, 1780, Lord Cornwallis assembled his troops along Waxhaw Creek just within the South Carolina border, preparing to invade North Carolina. Patriot forces under Major General Jethro Sumner and Brigadier General William Davidson were camped along McAlpine Creek, only a few miles from present-day Waxhaw. On September 24, Cornwallis marched his 2,000-man army into North Carolina, arriving at Charlotte around noon on September 26, 1780.
The patriot forces, under Brigadier General William Davidson and Major General Jethro Sumner camped along McAlpine Creek, near present day Providence Road, a busy thoroughfare currently between Waxhaw and Charlotte. There is a roadside marker denoting the patriot campsite.
Recognizing that his small force was no match for the overwhelming size of the British army, Davidson made a strategic decision to preserve his troops. He ordered the majority of his men to retreat to the Patriot supply depot in Salisbury but sent a smaller, more mobile detachment under Colonel William R. Davie to Charlotte. This strategic decision would help keep Cornwallis engaged long enough for the majority of the patriot forces to reach safety and regroup. It also shows the tenacity and bravery of William R. Davie, a man who would later become the father of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and advocate for public education. Davie is actually buried in the Old Waxhaw Presbyterian Church about forty minutes south of Charlotte near Lancaster South Carolina.
In 1780, Charlotte was a small town of only about twenty houses, built on two streets with a courthouse at its center. Today, the battle site is shrouded by the city’s tallest skyscrapers, with only a historical marker to commemorate the event. The main thoroughfare, Tryon Street, named after former Royal Governor Lord William Tryon, is a reminder of the city’s colonial roots.
The first British troops to enter Charlotte were the fierce British Legion, commanded by the notorious “Bloody Ban, The Butcher,” Banastre Tarleton. However, just before the battle began, Tarleton was sidelined with yellow fever, leaving the attack to his second-in-command, Major George Hanger.
The American force consisted of 150 cavalry and infantry from Mecklenburg, Lincoln, and Rowan counties, commanded by Major William R. Davie and Captain Lewis Graham. Davie strategically positioned two advance companies just 80 yards south of the courthouse.
The British Legion horsemen, led by Major Hanger, led the column. When they came within musket range of the courthouse, the Americans fired a volley that forced the British to fall back. Twice more, the British attacked and were repulsed. The delay so angered Lord Cornwallis that he appeared on the front line to admonish the Legion for putting its reputation at risk.
As the main body of the British army approached, Davie’s small force was overwhelmingly outnumbered and had no choice but to retreat. He managed an organized withdrawal, and for miles his soldiers skirmished with the British cavalry. Near the “Cross Roads” (present-day Eastway Drive), Captain Graham was severely wounded, while Lieutenant George Locke of Rowan County was killed farther down the road. Despite these losses, Davie succeeded in protecting his remaining foot soldiers.
Cornwallis was initially pleased with his invasion of North Carolina, he wrongly assumed the local population would welcome him as a liberator. He set up his headquarters in Colonel Thomas Polk’s house and issued a celebratory proclamation. However, the Battle of Charlotte proved to be indicative of the region’s fierce resistance. The Battle of Charlotte had galvanized the resolve of the Scots-Irish Presbyterians to defy the British occupiers at every turn. Within just 16 days, the entire situation was reversed, and Cornwallis was forced to retreat back to South Carolina. According to tradition, the frustrated Cornwallis referred to Charlotte and Mecklenburg County as a “hornet’s nest of rebellion.”
The Battle of the Bees at McIntyre’s Farm
One of the most exhilarating moments during the Battle of Charlotte Revolutionary Weekend was a re-enactment of an important skirmish on October 3, 1780, now known as “The Battle of the Bees.”
In the days following Cornwallis’s occupation of Charlotte, British supplies were running low. To replenish them, Cornwallis sent Major John Doyle on a foraging mission with 450 soldiers and 40 wagons. As they traveled, a small group of just 13 Patriots led by Captain James Thompson secretly followed them.
When the British stopped at McIntyre’s farm, their foraging devolved into chaos. While some soldiers plundered the farm, others chased chickens, and a beehive was accidentally knocked over. As the disorganized British soldiers tried to escape the angry bees, the Patriots, hidden from view, opened fire. They shot the British captain and several others in the first volley.
The surprise attack, combined with the Patriots’ accurate fire and shifting positions, made the British believe they were facing a much larger force. Convinced they were outnumbered, Doyle ordered a retreat. The Patriots continued to fire, blocking the road by killing the horses pulling the wagons. Many years later, a historian estimated that eight British soldiers were killed and 12 were wounded.
This small but significant engagement, known as the Battle of McIntyre’s Farm, was one of several clashes between Cornwallis and local Patriots. The original farmhouse, which bore bullet holes from the battle for more than 150 years, was demolished in 1941. Today, a historical site marks the location of the battle.
Frustrated by the persistent resistance of Patriots in Charlotte, Cornwallis complained to his subordinate, Lieutenant Colonel Nisbet Balfour, on October 3, that “this County of Mecklenburg is the most rebellious and inveterate that I have met with in this country, not excepting any part of the Jerseys.
The Queen City to King’s Mountain
Ironically, as Cornwallis began his march into North Carolina, a pivotal counter-offensive against the British was already taking shape. A force of over 400 men mustered in Abingdon, beginning a trek toward what would become a turning point of the Southern Campaign: the Battle of King’s Mountain in October 1780.
Two of Cornwallis’s subordinates, Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton and Major Patrick Ferguson, were particularly hated in the region for their brutal tactics. They sought to strike fear into the colonists and force their submission. Tarleton’s savage actions at the Waxhaws, whether intentional or not, earned him the nickname “The Butcher.” Patriots rallied behind the cry, “Give them Tarleton’s Quarter!” Ferguson, for his part, threatened to “go over the mountains and lay waste to all the patriots’ farmland and see them hanged.” Instead of intimidating the colonists, the raids and violent threats from these Loyalist leaders only angered them, prompting many to join the Patriot cause.
Ferguson’s threat led militiamen to muster from Abingdon, Virginia (September 24), to Sycamore Shoals (September 25-26) and beyond, traveling hundreds of miles across the mountains seeking Ferguson to defend their land. Many of these militiamen were farmers and frontiersmen with only hunting rifles, yet they were able to march to King’s Mountain and defeat Ferguson and his troops. This victory is widely considered the turning point of the war in the South. Sir Henry Clinton referred to the defeat at King’s Mountain as having: “…the worst consequences to the King’s affairs in South Carolina, and unhappily proved the first link of a chain of evils that followed each other in regular succession until they at last ended in the total loss of America.”
Thomas Jefferson said of King’s Mountain: ‘The turn of the tide of our success…’
Major Patrick Ferguson requested reinforcements from General Cornwallis and Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton, who were then stationed in Charlotte to aid him at King’s Mountain. However, both men claimed to be too ill to lead their troops to assist him. This refusal left Ferguson and his Loyalist forces isolated on King’s Mountain, with no support from the main British army.
While Tarleton was suffering from yellow fever, it is believed by some historians that Cornwallis’s reasons for not marching to support Ferguson were strategic. He likely did not want to risk his main army in the rugged backcountry to rescue a subordinate, as the Patriot forces were far larger and more tenacious than he had anticipated.
In the aftermath of King’s Mountain and facing the hornet’s nest of Charlotte, Cornwallis retreated back into South Carolina on October 14th, 1780.
After the defeat at Kings Mountain, Cornwallis retreated from Charlotte back into South Carolina on October 14, 1780. He would return to North Carolina in 1781 and engage in a series of strategic maneuvers known as the “Race to the Dan“ against American General Nathanael Greene’s forces.
The two armies finally met at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in March 1781. While the British technically won the battle, they suffered such heavy casualties that Cornwallis was forced to retreat to Wilmington, North Carolina, to resupply and rest his troops. This was a pyrrhic victory for the British, as their losses crippled their ability to continue their campaign in the Carolinas.
Revolutionary Waxhaws: The Museum of the Waxhaws and the region host numerous Revolutionary War events throughout the year. I recommend following The Museum of the Waxhaws facebook page for the latest events and happenings. America 250 NC and SC 250 are great resources for upcoming Revolutionary War themed events in the Carolinas.
Other regional Revolutionary Museums/Sites to visit:
North Carolina:
- The Charlotte Museum of History
- Liberty Mountain- Play about King’s Mountain in King’s Mountain NC
- The Overmountain Victory Trail runs from VA/TN/NC/SC and follows the route of the Overmountain Men to King’s Mountain.
South Carolina:
Andrew Jackson State Park: Fantastic park near Andrew Jackson’s birthplace and childhood home. Andrew Jackson and his family were deeply involved and effected by the war. He lost his mother and two brothers in the Revolutionary War from both battle, smallpox caught in prison and his mother died from ship’s fever while nursing wounded patriots on a prison ship in Charleston. Andrew was only fourteen and an orphan. No doubt his experiences during the Revolutionary War in the Carolinas shaped his resolved in the War of 1812 to smite the British at New Orleans.
King’s Mountain National Historical Military Park: The battled that turned the tide. Less than an hour from Waxhaw/Charlotte. The park is on the NC/SC state line.
Cowpens: A mustering site for the Overmountain Men prior to King’s Mountain, and later in January 1781 the battle that finally kicked the British out of South Carolina for good. About 30 minutes from King’s Mountain. Near Gaffney SC (go see the Giant Peach too)
Camden Revolutionary War Center: One of the worst defeats of the American Revolution for patriot forces. Cornwallis annihilated American forces under then War hero Horatio Gates
Historic Brattonsville: Home of patriot leader William Bratton and courageous Martha Bratton. Also site of Battle of Huck’s Defeat. A true historical treasure.
Buford’s Massacre Site: Pay your respects to the 113 Patriots to perished in the Battle of the Waxhaws and walk the battle grounds.
Plan Your Visit to Waxhaw:
Waxhaw is a charming town and great day trip from Charlotte or make it a full weekend! Waxhaw doesn’t have any major hotels but you can stay in Pineville, Matthews or Monroe. The downtown is lined with local shops and amazing restaurants like Cork and Ale, Jekyll and Hyde (burgers and steaks), Waxhaw Creamery (delicious hand churned ice cream) and my favorite local coffee spot: Crossroads Coffee. For my complete Waxhaws guide click here.
Fun things to do in Waxhaw: Museum of Waxhaws, Downtown Shops, Hiking Trails in area parks, JAARS center and more.
Thanks for time traveling with us on the America 250 adventure. Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog for upcoming American Nomad travel expeditions. Appreciate your support.
Hi, I’m Adele Lassiter, the travel enthusiast behind American Nomad Traveler. This is where I share my love for history, cool museums, art, and travel tips. When I’m not writing, I’m a singer-songwriter with a passion for Americana music. You can find my new album here: adelelassiter.bandcamp.com
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