On the following day, the 30th[Mar 1780], Sir Henry Clinton ordered
the light infantry and yagers, supported by the grenadiers
and the other corps and regiments, to gain the road and
to move toward the town.2 This they did, and met with
no opposition for ten miles of their march; but as they
approached Gibbes's farm, about two miles from the town,
their advance, about ten or twelve o'clock, met Colonel
Laurens, who skirmished with them the rest of the day,
being reenforced in the evening by Major Lowe, with
ninety men and two field-pieces. This skirmish took
place in view of both armies and of many ladies of Charles-
town, who came out to the works, and who continued to
do so even after the firing from the town had begun, and
would, with all the composure imaginable, watch the cannonading of the enemy.1 In this first encounter of the
siege Captain Bowman, of Hogan's North Carolina
brigade, was killed,2 and Major Hyrne8 and seven privates
were wounded. On the British side the Earl of
Caithness, aide-de-camp to the Commander-in-chief, was
wounded, with several men. About dark Colonel Laurens
and his party fell back into the lines. General Mclntosh
pronounced the whole affair a mere point of honor without
advantage!
2 Tarleton's Memoirs, 9. 1 Moultrie's Memoirs, vol. II, 62; Mclntosh, So. Ca. in the Revolution (Simms), 104.
30 March. [skirmishes] Fuller’s Plantation (opposite from Drayton’s house), and Road to Charlestown.
(Charleston County, S.C.) With the light troops leading the advance, the British moved down the Dorchester road
headed for Charlestown. As they approached the city, Laurens’ Continental light infantry kept up a steady
skirmishing fire from behind trees and at a distance. This lasted for about half an hour, during which time Lord
Caithness, an aide to Clinton, and one of the jägers were wounded. Laurens retired then behind the fleches,
from where he requested additional reinforcements. Some artillery arrived to Laurens’ support, however Lincoln
had sent countermanding orders for these to withdraw, yet which orders had not yet arrived. Laurens, by this
time had left the fleches, which were subsequently occupied by some jägers. He then ordered a swift bayonet
counterattack. With three bayoneted, the outnumbered Hessians were driven from the redoubt. However, the
British light infantry were brought forward, and they in turn forced Laurens back. Artillery of both sides then
exchanged fire for a while, with relatively little effect by either side. As assessed by Borick, the Americans
suffered Maj. Edmund Hyrne wounded, along with 7 privates, and a Captain Bowman of the N.C. line slain. The
British lost the 3 Hessians in the counterattack, one of whom was killed, these in addition to Lord Caithness and
the jäger wounded earlier on. With the onset of nightfall, Laurens retired into the city, while most of the British
army camped at Gibbes’ Plantation, two miles from Charleston, at which location the British subsequently had
their supplies landed.313
313
DSC [(DeSaussure) An Account of the Siege of
Charleston], BGD [(Bass) The Green Dragoon: The Lives of
Banastre Tarleton and Mary Robinson] p. 73, BSC [Borick’s A Gallant Defense: The Siege of
Charleston, 1780] pp. 104-106.
-- Lowndes' Grove Plantation House. The Grove Plantation was developed about the middle of the 18th century by John Gibbes. His plantation house with its large garden of exotic plants was destroyed during the Siege of Charleston by the British in 1780. lt stood some distance to the southwest of the present house, which was built before 1790 by George Abbott Hall.
This map shows a slightly different location, but if you look closely, you may find other errors in this map.
Mar 1780 listing:
3/20/1780 near Charlestown. Draw. 3/30/1780 Gibbe's Plantation(Peaceful Retreat Plantation, Gibbes' Farm) ["Peaceful Retreat" was Robert Gibbes Plantation on John's Island, different action, different time]. Shown as a draw.
3/7 - 5/12/1780 Seige of Charlestown
Apr 1780 listing:
4/4/1780 Charlestown. Draw
4/4/1780 Battery Number 6, Charlestown. Insufficient data.
4/13/1780 Charlestown. Draw.
4/20/1780 Charlestown. Draw.
4/24/1780 Sortie from Charlestown. American victory.
5/12/1780 Surrender of Charlestown. British victory.
