This excerpt is from a much longer history of the Scotch-Irish Presbyterian resistance in backwoods South Carolina, which gives social and political context for the Battle of Huck’s Defeat. The complete text can be found at: www.yorkcounty.org/brattonsville/1780-Huck.html
. . . The rebels arrived at the Williamson home before daylight on the 12th and made plans for a dawn attack. Dividing their force in two, the rebels placed one group to the north of the house while the other circled around to the east. At daybreak, as the British were just climbing out of their bedrolls, the attack began. Surprised by the suddenness of the attack, the British were thrown into chaos. Twice, the British tried unsuccessfully to mount a counterattack. Dashing from the Williamson house, Huck swung up onto his horse and waving his sword attempted to rally his force to meet the rebel threat. Thomas Carroll, sighting Huck, took aim and shot the Tory leader in the head. The British now lost what organized resistance they had and the fight became a running battle back to the south toward the Bratton house where some of the last fighting took place.
The battle lasted a little over an hour and cost the British 25 to 50 killed, several times that number wounded, and 29 captured. As was custom for both sides during the war in the Backcountry, mercy was not freely given upon successful completion of a battle. Several of those captured were later hung. The only rebel casualty reported was a man by the name of Campbell. On July 15, Lord Cornwallis reported to his superior, Lord Clinton, "the Captain is killed, and only twelve of the legion and as many of the militia escaped."
The battle of Huck's Defeat was not a major affair in military history, but for the rebellion in the Carolina Backcountry it marked a turning point in public opinion. William Hill, in his memoirs, commented on the far ranging magnitude of the victory; "It had the tendency to inspire the Americans with courage & fortitude & to teach them that the enemy was not invincible."
Edward Lacey also commented: "The entire overthrow of Huck's army was the first repulse the British arms had met with in South Carolina, after she was by many considered a subdued province, and proved that the British bayonet was not invincible." The morale of the rebels was greatly enhanced, for this was the first success by the loosely-knit rebels over British forces in the South since the first British attack on Charleston in 1776 and the first check to British advances since the fall of Charleston six weeks earlier. The defeat of Huck brought many new recruits into the rebel camps throughout the region, and at the same time, forced most Tories to either flee or remain quiet. The counties of York and Chester were cleared of any open show of British support. At no other time during the course of the war would another Tory leader attempt to quell this hotbed of rebel activity.
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