Battle of James Island

The Battle of James Island was a minor engagement on November 14, 1782, just outside Charleston, South Carolina, between American and British forces. British troops were on the move attempting to evacuate.^[1] In an effort to encourage the British evacuation, American forces led by Tadeusz Kościuszko attempted to ambush British troops under William Dansey who were cutting wood; however, reinforcements were quickly brought to the British side and Kościuszko's soldiers, numbering 70 men, were forced to retreat.^[2]

The British, after receiving reinforcements, numbered more than 300 soldiers and vastly outnumbered the Americans.^[2] Several Americans were killed, including Captain William Wilmont, the last Continental Army soldier killed in action in the Carolinas.^[2][3] In addition to Wilmont, William Smith, an Black slave who assisted American troops during the battle, was taken captive by Dansey's forces and subsequently died in captivity.^[1] As the skirmish finished, the remaining American troops retreated. The British would soon withdraw from the region, marking the end of the American Revolutionary War.