Considerable fighting occurred in the South early in the war, but it was mostly indecisive until 1778, while the focus was on the northern campaigns. In 1779, with the results of fighting in the North failing to resolve the conflict, the British turned their attention to securing the South, where they felt strong loyalist support would aid them. They took Savannah and later captured and burned Norfolk and Portsmouth. (Norfolk was the most heavily damaged American city in the war.) When the city of Charleston fell on May 12, 1780, a garrison of 5,400 Patriots surrendered, the worst defeat of the war for the Americans.
Meanwhile, on June 21, 1779, Spain declared war on Great Britain, though it refused to recognize American independence for fear of losing territory to the Americans. (Spain's fears were eventually played out after independence was secured.) Although unsuccessful in gaining recognition from Spain, American Minister John Jay was able to borrow a small sum of money. About the same time, Congress authorized John Adams to explore negotiations for a settlement of the war. Aiding the American cause were the actions of naval hero John Paul Jones, who conducted raids along the coast of the British Isles and eventually defeated the HMS Serapis from his vessel, the Bonhomme Richard, named for Benjamin Franklin.
Supported by the cavalry of Colonel Banastre Tarleton, a fierce and ruthless fighter, General Cornwallis routed an American army at Camden, South Carolina, on August 16, 1780. Washington sent General Nathanael Greene to the South to replace General Gates, whose behavior on the battlefield at Camden had been grossly incompetent, as Cornwallis invaded North Carolina. On October 7 a force of 1,100 loyalists were defeated at Kings Mountain by frontiersmen under Colonels Isaac Shelby and William Campbell.
World History
