Charleston Town & Pee Dee River

On July 25th, 1780, a fleet of British flatboats was heading towards Charles Town on the Pee Dee River. The transports contained sick soldiers and were being escorted by Loyalist militia. Not having any cannons, the Patriots made some Quaker cannons, fake cannons used to deceive the Loyalists, and placed them behind a parapet, a barrier. When the British approached the “battery,” the Patriots rushed out and pretended to load the cannons. Demands were yelled at the flatboats to surrender or be blown apart with the cannons. The Loyalist militia was fooled, and they quickly mutinied. They took over the boats, made the sick soldiers their prisoners, and surrendered to Patriot Major Thomas.