Battle of Hanging Rock

Battle of Hanging Rock
Part of American Revolutionary War
Date August 6, 1780 Location Lancaster County, near present-day Heath Springs, South Carolina 34°33′56.4″N 80°39′42.45″W / 34.565667°N 80.6617917°W / 34.565667; -80.6617917Coordinates: 34°33′56.4″N 80°39′42.45″W / 34.565667°N 80.6617917°W / 34.565667; -80.6617917 Result Patriot victory
Belligerents
Loyalist militia	Patriot militia
Commanders and leaders
John Carden	Thomas Sumter
Strength
1,400 provincial troops and militia	800 militia
Casualties and losses
200 killed and wounded	12 killed 41 wounded

The Battle of Hanging Rock (August 6, 1780) was a battle in the American Revolutionary War that occurred between the American Patriots and the British. It was part of a campaign by militia General Thomas Sumter to harass or destroy British outposts in the South Carolina back-country that had been established after the fall of Charleston in May 1780.

Throughout 1779 and early 1780, the British "southern strategy" 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 Loyalists and to suppress Patriot dissent.

One of these outposts was established at Hanging Rock, in present-day Lancaster County south of Heath Springs. The most northerly of the British posts, it was well fortified with more than 1,400 British troops, including the 500 man Prince of Wales American Volunteer Regiment, a Loyalist unit of the British Army, local Loyalist militia, and some dragoons from the British Legion. These forces were under the overall command of Major John Carden.

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