How 550 Loyalists held America’s longest Revolutionary War siege and waited for reinforcements never came

The Longest American Siege of 1781

Deep in the South Carolina backcountry sits Ninety Six National Historic Site, where you can walk the earthen remains of an eight-pointed Star Fort that witnessed the longest siege of the Revolutionary War.

The small museum displays artifacts and paintings from the 28-day battle that unfolded here in 1781.

This remote outpost became the scene of a desperate struggle between American patriots and British loyalists, featuring innovative siege tactics, daring night raids, and a climactic assault that would help determine the fate of the Southern colonies.

Here’s the remarkable story of how Nathanael Greene’s Continental Army tried to crack this heavily fortified stronghold.

Greene Goes After the Last British Backcountry Fort

After taking British outposts across South Carolina in spring 1781, General Nathanael Greene turned his focus to Ninety Six.

On May 22, he showed up with 1,000 Continental troops to face 550 Loyalists led by Lieutenant Colonel John Cruger.

The British turned the frontier settlement into a tough fort with tall walls, a deep moat, and sharp wooden stakes. At the center stood the Star Fort, an eight-pointed dirt structure with 18-foot walls.

Greene spent his first day looking for weak spots his men could attack.

Polish Engineer Takes Over the Tricky Siege Work

Colonel Thaddeus Kosciuszko started running siege operations on May 23.

The Polish military man used his European training to mark zigzag trenches that would bring American forces closer to the fort. His men started digging the first trench about 220 yards from the Star Fort.

The hard red clay soil made progress very slow. Soldiers broke tools trying to dig through the baked earth.

Work crews soon switched to night shifts to avoid deadly fire from British shooters who targeted anyone they spotted during the day.

Loyalists Fight Back with Bold Night Raids

Cruger wouldn’t just sit behind his walls while Americans dug closer. He sent out raiders at night to mess up the siege work.

These sudden attacks caught American diggers off guard, often leaving them with stolen tools and scattered work crews.

The Loyalist fighters knew every bit of the nearby land, letting them slip in and out of American lines almost freely. Greene posted more guards around his workers, but this slowed progress even more.

The nightly raids kept American troops jumpy, never knowing when the British might strike.

Americans Dig Within Gun Range of the Fort

By June 3, Kosciuszko’s trenches reached within 30 yards of the Star Fort. At this close range, both sides could clearly see each other.

British fighters shot at any movement in the American lines. The small cannons on the fort walls pounded the trenches.

American soldiers dug with one hand while holding guns with the other. The trenches now came so close that men on both sides yelled insults across the shrinking gap.

Greene watched his growing losses with worry.

Tall Wooden Tower Gives Americans a View From Above

Greene used a trick that worked at Fort Watson earlier that spring. Starting June 4, his men built a 30-foot wooden Maham Tower just out of gun range.

The tall structure had a protected platform where American sharpshooters could fire down into the Star Fort. When finished on June 10, it gave Americans their first clear look inside the British fort.

Cruger quickly told his men to pile sandbags higher on the fort walls. Both sides kept coming up with new ideas to outdo each other.

British Spy Brings Bad News to Both Sides

On June 11, a messenger dressed as a Patriot fighter slipped through American lines. He brought Cruger important news: Lord Rawdon was coming from Charleston with 2,000 British troops.

Greene got the same news through his own spies. The American general now faced a tough choice.

He had about a week before Rawdon’s larger force arrived.

His officers argued about whether to keep the slow siege work or risk everything on an attack right away.

Last-Chance Attack Plan Targets Both British Spots

Between June 12 and 17, Greene created a risky two-part attack plan.

He would send his main force against the Star Fort while a smaller group hit the nearby Stockade Fort. The plan called for attack teams to tear down the sandbag walls that protected British fighters.

Sharpshooters in the Maham Tower would provide cover during the attack.

Greene picked Lieutenant Colonel Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee to lead the Stockade Fort attack while Lieutenant Colonel Richard Campbell would lead the main attack on the Star Fort.

Dawn Attack Shows Early Success for American Forces

American troops launched their attack at dawn on June 18. The smaller force quickly took the Stockade Fort, giving Greene an early win.

At the Star Fort, Campbell’s men pushed through the outer barriers of sharp stakes. Working under heavy fire, they began tearing down the sandbag walls that Cruger had built.

For a brief moment, it seemed Greene’s gamble might work. American troops pushed forward with bayonets, trying to breach the main walls.

Close Combat Turns Against Greene’s Men

Cruger personally led two counter-attacks that rushed out from hidden gates in the fort walls. His Loyalist troops hit the American flanks with bayonets and clubbed guns.

The fighting got brutal as men fought up close. Several American officers fell in the savage combat, breaking the chain of command.

The British pushed forward, forcing the attackers back toward their trenches.

American soldiers who had gotten through the outer defenses found themselves trapped and surrounded.

Greene Pulls Back After the Bloodiest Fighting

By afternoon on June 18, Greene ordered a full retreat. His forces lost around 150 men while the British lost fewer than 100.

American troops left their siege equipment and the Maham Tower as they withdrew. The failed attack ended the 28-day siege, the longest of the Revolutionary War.

Greene gathered his wounded and retreated toward Charlotte, North Carolina.

Cruger’s smaller force had held off repeated American attacks through good planning, skill, and sheer toughness.

Victory Turns Hollow as British Leave Their Prize

Lord Rawdon’s relief force reached Ninety Six on June 21, just two days after Greene left. Despite winning the battle, British commanders soon realized they couldn’t hold the remote outpost.

With American forces controlling the nearby countryside, supplying the fort would be impossible. On July 1, Rawdon ordered everyone to leave Ninety Six.

The British destroyed the fort, burned the town, and marched the Loyalist families to Charleston. Greene’s bigger plan worked despite losing the battle.

The British gave up their last major backcountry fort in South Carolina.

Visiting Ninety Six National Historic Site

Ninety Six National Historic Site in South Carolina lets you explore where a key Revolutionary War siege happened in 1781. It’s free to visit and open Wednesday through Sunday from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

Start at the visitor center with the 20-minute "Ninety-Six: Crossroads" video to learn about the battles. You can rent an audio tour to guide yourself around the grounds at your own pace.

When you get hungry, there’s a picnic area near the parking lot where you can take a break.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

Read more from this brand:

• Best weekend road trips from major US cities this summer
• This tiny 17th-century Nordic outpost controlled three future US states before Dutch conquest erased it forever
• How three astronauts beat Soviet Russia to the moon with less computing power than a phone