South Carolina – Musgrove Mill

The Musgrove Mill State Historic Site in Clinton, South Carolina preserves and interprets the Battle of Musgrove’s Mill, which took place August 19, 1780 (a month-and-a-half before the Battle at Kings Mountain). The Visitor Center contains an exhibit that explains the battle using a topographical map with red and blue lights showing the Loyalist and Patriot troops’ locations during the battle.

The battle map is under glass and hard to photograph.

This image from the web is slightly clearer than our picture.

THE BATTLE

Patriot militia commanders Isaac Shelby, James Williams and Elijah Clarke with their 200 mounted militiamen intended to attack a Loyalist camp with about 200 troops guarding the ford of the Enoree River at Musgrove’s Mill. They sent out scouts who were spotted by a small Loyalist patrol resulting in a skirmish. Meanwhile the Patriots got word that the 200 Loyalists had been reinforced the previous night by an additional 100 Loyalist militia and 200 Provincial Regulars. That meant the 200 Patriots were actually up against 500 – not good odds. To attack their camp seemed like a dumb idea and to retreat with their wearied horses also seemed like a bad plan. They instantly developed another strategy. They rushed to build a make-shift defensive barrier of logs and brush along a ridge a half mile from the ford. The majority spread out along this 300-yard long, semi-circular line with the horses hidden from view, while about 25 mounted men headed toward the camp to entice the Loyalists back to the Patriots’ line.

1 square ~ 25 men

It worked. The unsuspecting Loyalists fell for the trap.

The fighting resulted in 67 British dead, many wounded, and 70 taken prisoner. The Patriots ended up with 4 dead and 12 wounded.

It wasn’t until at the end of the battle that they learned of the devastating loss for the Colonial troops at Camden just three days previous, but their success here may have fueled their will to fight two months later at Kings Mountain.

THE STATE PARK’S BATTLEFIELD TRAIL

Being a very hot day we opted for just one of the two trails at the State Park: the one through the battle area. Signs described the battle along this mostly wooded path.

The trail also passes a little waterfall called Horseshoe Falls.

We had a nice walk in the woods while we learned about this Revolutionary War battle.