Battle of Blackstock’s

[Liam Moresby]

Hello,
I’m a new member, and thrilled to find this forum.
I’m also an author writing a “historical fiction” tale set in 1789, in the North Carolina, South Carolina region.
A pivotal element of the story involves events just prior to, and including the Battle of Blackstock’s, on November 20, 1780, in present day Union County, SC.
Accounts refer to a smaller engagement on the morning of the 20th, at a ford on the Enoree River.
This engagement is sometimes called a slaughter, and occurred when forward elements of Tarleton’s men encountered a small rear guard force left by Sumter at the river crossing. Some accounts suggest this was instead a group of Loyalist prisoners, mistaken for Patriots. Perhaps the truth is somewhere in between.
But the point of my inquiry concerns the location of the crossing.
I believe it to be Musgrove’s Ford, on the Enoree. (Not to be confused with the Battle of Musgrove Mills, earlier that year on August 18th)
So, did the ambush and slaughter at a crossing on the Enoree River some 5-6 hours before the Battle of Blackstock’s, occur at Musgroves Ford?

Thanks for creating this great site and forum.

[D]

Hello Moresby,

Welcome to RevWarTalk, thanks for visiting.

That is exciting you are writing a piece set in the period. I will be honest in that I am not deeply familiar with some of the southern battle histories and landscapes. Being from the northeast I am closer in proximity and knowledge of the areas around Philadelphia and New Jersey. I do love learning though so read up some more on the Battle of Blackstock’s. You likely have seen this website (link below), though it shares a relatively detailed account of the day and while the author notes merely “a ford upon the Enoree”, maybe other context clues might help pin down which ford it was. The link is: http://www.carolana.com/SC/Revolution/revolution_battle_of_blackstocks.html

Can you share more about the plot of your tale or is it still in develoment?

-Dan

[Author]

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