1780: The South
Stalemate prevails in Quebec and New York. The British can hold Quebec city but can't drive the American and their French commander from Montreal. The British hold New York but cannot leave. Washington commands the Hudson and the road to Philadelphia but can't storm New York without the support of the French fleet. Both sides look for a way to break the stalemate. The British believe they've found one in a discarded strategy from earlier in the war. Cornwallis will take the war south "to the most loyal region of these rebellious colonies".
Mar-May: Leaving Knyphausen to command the garrison in New York, Cornwallis lands some 12,000 soldiers and marines south of Charleston, South Carolina and begins to methodically reduce the defenses. By May he has forced the American general Benjamin Lincoln to withdraw his forces northward. This can be described as the first true success for British arms since the occupation of New York.
Jun: Battle of Camden
Horatio Gates takes command of a reinforced southern army. His army is made up entirely of Continentals. 1,000 men in addition to those from Charleston bringing his infantry to over 4,000. Gates also has the support of the Connecticut light horse, 500 horsemen of reputation and property. Gates choose his the field of battle well hemmed in by swampy land on either side, their will be no flanking movement.
Cornwallis having only half the forces he is faced with must decide whether to attack himself or attempt too lure Gates into attacking his force. He doesn't have to wait as Gates seeing that his force greatly outnumbers that of his opponent decided too take the initiative by sending forward his left wing.
Cornwallis not willing to be driven from the field by a rebel army sends his right forward to meet the thrust. The armies grapple with each other. Attack after attack is met by counter-attack after counter-attack. As the day went on the British gave as good as they got but the numerical superiority of the American forces began too tell. Only the timely arrival of reinforcements(including artillery)and the dwindling daylight saved the southern British army from complete destruction.
When daylight breaks neither army is anywhere to be seen though Gates still holds a numerical advantage he is aware of the superiority artillery that Cornwallis can wield could easily nullify his advantage. Cornwallis has himself suffered huge casualties in a pitched battle with a rebel army, even as partisans continue to sap his strength through hit and run raids and disease begins to take its toll on his forces. Cornwallis decides too withdraw to Charleston.
