Americans Surrender at Charleston

Summary

In the American Revolutionary War, British strategy shifted southward after northern setbacks. General Sir Henry Clinton led a large force that besieged Charleston, South Carolina, beginning in late March 1780. Major General Benjamin Lincoln commanded the American defenders, who were trapped by land and sea with limited reinforcements. After weeks of bombardment and failed negotiations, Lincoln surrendered on May 12, 1780, yielding over 5,000 troops. The British captured substantial artillery and supplies in one of the largest American capitulations of the conflict.