St. James Church, Goose Creek open house and lecture by Charleston Museum Executive Director, Carl Borick

The British capture of Charleston, South Carolina, in May 1780 appeared to be a major blow to
the American cause for independence. In addition to 6,000 soldiers, the British had also taken
the most important city in the South and most members of South Carolina’s government, except
for Governor John Rutledge. Yet, when the British moved into the Backcountry, they
experienced staunch resistance that hindered their efforts to control the state and eventually
forestalled their operations outside its boundaries. Join The Charleston Museum’s Director, Carl
Borick, as he discusses his new book Backcountry Resistance: South Carolina's Militia and the
Fight for American Independence.
Without a government in place to support them, how were Backcountry militiamen able to
effectively fight against the enemy? By examining accounts left by these soldiers, Backcountry
Resistance attempts to answer that question by exploring how they were raised, armed, and fed,
and what specifically motivated them to resist. It also looks at the role played by those who
remained at home.

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