Siege of Fort Motte facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Siege of Fort Motte
Part of the American Revolutionary War
Mrs. Motte Directing Generals Marion and Lee to Burn Her Mansion, by John Blake White (painted before 1859)
Date May 8–12, 1781 Location Fort Motte, South Carolina 33°45′39″N 80°40′11″W / 33.76084°N 80.66965°W / 33.76084; -80.66965 Result American victory
Belligerents
Great Britain Loyalists	United States
Commanders and leaders
Daniel McPherson	Francis Marion Henry Lee
Strength
About 140	About 450
Casualties and losses
all captured	2 wounded

The Siege of Fort Motte was an important event during the American Revolutionary War. It happened in May 1781 in South Carolina. American forces, called Patriots, wanted to capture a key British supply post. This post was known as Fort Motte.

The American leaders were General Francis "Swamp Fox" Marion and Lt. Colonel "Light Horse" Harry Lee. They led their soldiers to attack the fort. Fort Motte was actually a large plantation house that the British had turned into a fort. It was important because it was located where the Congaree and Wateree rivers met. About 175 British soldiers were defending the fort.

Marion and Lee learned that a British general, Lord Rawdon, was coming to help the fort. So, the Americans attacked on May 8, hoping to capture it quickly. Two days later, they asked the British to give up, but the British commander, Lt. Daniel McPherson, refused.

The Americans then decided to burn the main house to force the British out. Mrs. Motte, the owner of the house, was a Patriot. She agreed to the plan and even offered her own arrows to help start the fire. On May 12, 1781, American soldiers shot flaming arrows onto the roof of the mansion. The British tried to put out the fire but were stopped by American gunfire. By one o'clock that afternoon, the British surrendered. The Americans quickly put out the fires to save the house.

Why Fort Motte Was Important

In 1781, the British had a plan to win the American Revolutionary War by focusing on the southern colonies. After a battle in March 1781, the British General Lord Cornwallis moved his army to Wilmington, North Carolina, to get more supplies.

The American General Nathanael Greene then decided to move his army south. His goal was to take back control of South Carolina and Georgia. These areas had fewer British soldiers, making them easier targets for the Americans.

General Greene sent Colonel Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee to join forces with Colonel Francis Marion. Marion was a skilled militia leader known as the "Swamp Fox." Lee and Marion met on April 14. Their first target was Fort Watson, a small fort that they captured after a short attack.

After Fort Watson, Lee and Marion set their sights on Fort Motte. This fort was a very important British supply center and communication point. It was located near where the Congaree and Wateree rivers joined. The British had taken over a plantation called Mount Joseph, which belonged to a woman named Rebecca Brewton Motte. They built strong defenses around the mansion, including walls, trenches, and obstacles made of cut trees. About 175 British and German soldiers defended the fort.

The Attack on Fort Motte

When Lee and Marion arrived on May 8, they quickly surrounded Fort Motte. The main building was a large two-story house. About 140 British and German soldiers were inside, led by Captain Lt. McPherson. Before the Americans arrived, Mrs. Motte had been forced to leave her home. She moved to a smaller house nearby.

The American commanders, Marion and Lee, knew they had to capture the fort quickly. Other British forces were nearby and might come to help. At a previous siege, the Americans had built a tall tower to shoot into the fort. But this idea would not work at Fort Motte.

So, the idea came up to set the buildings inside the fort on fire. Mrs. Motte, who supported the American cause, agreed to this plan. She even gave the Americans arrows to help them start the fire. On May 12, the Americans shot flaming arrows onto the roof of the main house. When the British soldiers tried to go onto the roof to put out the flames, the Americans fired at them with their cannons, forcing them back inside.

The British soldiers soon realized they could not put out the fire. They had no choice but to surrender. The Americans quickly moved in to put out the fires before the entire house was destroyed.

What Happened Next

After the British soldiers surrendered, they were allowed to leave and return to Charleston. Before they left, Mrs. Motte, along with the American and British officers, shared a meal together.

After the siege, General Marion moved on to the port of Georgetown. The British soldiers there left without fighting. General Greene then ordered Colonel Lee to help capture Augusta, Georgia. The capture of Fort Motte was an important victory for the Americans in the Southern theater of the war.

Images for kids

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  Mrs. Motte Directing Generals Marion and Lee to Burn Her Mansion, by John Blake White (painted before 1859)