Battle of Wahab's Plantation

Part of the American Revolutionary War

Date	September 21, 1780
Location	present-day Union County, North Carolina 34°51′39″N 80°45′46″W / 34.86084°N 80.76265°W / 34.86084; -80.76265Coordinates: 34°51′39″N 80°45′46″W / 34.86084°N 80.76265°W / 34.86084; -80.76265
Result	Patriot victory

Belligerents

Patriot militia

Great Britain

Loyalists

Commanders and leaders

William R. Davie

George Hanger

Casualties and losses

1 wounded

15 killed
40 wounded

Great Britain

The Battle of Wahab's Plantation was a surprise attack on a Loyalist camp, which included elements of the British Legion commanded by Banastre Tarleton (although at the time of the battle Tarleton had yellow fever and was not in command), by Patriot militia under the command of William R. Davie on September 21, 1780. The owner of the plantation was militia Captain James A. Walkup who served as a guide for Davie prior to the attack. Confusion has arisen over the spelling of the name Wahab as there are many spellings of the surname including, Walkup/Wahab/Wauchope/Waughup. The Loyalists were camped on the west side of the Catawba River while General Charles Cornwallis' army had camped on the east side. Davie opportunistically decided to attack the Loyalist camp, and succeeded in driving them back in complete surprise and with heavy casualties. He retreated before the British regulars arrived. The latter, in revenge for the attack, burned down Captain Walkup's house.

Pursuant to the British "southern strategy" for winning the American Revolutionary War, British forces had captured Charleston, South Carolina early in 1780, and had driven Continental Army forces from South Carolina. Following his successful routing of a second Continental Army at Camden in August 1780, British General Lord Cornwallis paused with his army in the Waxhaws region of northern South Carolina. Believing British and Loyalist forces to be in control of Georgia and South Carolina, he decided to turn north and address the threat posed by the Continental Army remnants in North Carolina. In mid-September he began moving north toward Charlotte, North Carolina.

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