In Laurens County, a dual-sided historic marker stands next to a mailbox off the side of the road. The name Jonathan Downs was commemorated on one side, while the other side was signed with the story of Lindley’s Fort in the American Revolution.
The Battle of Fort Lindley took place July 15, 1776, some 1,800 feet away from the modern-day historic marker. Private farmland now sits where the battle ensued, but physical pieces of history and oral retellings of the battle have continued to propel the story in Laurens County lore.
Loyalists to the British crown and Cherokee citizens planned an attack on a group stationed at the fort. The Little River Regiment used the fort as their base. Loyalist Capt. David Fanning described the scene as a “fort built with logs” in his autobiographical retelling of the Revolutionary War.
Cherokee land had continually been encroached on, which pushed members of the tribe to retaliate.
The loyalists who joined in the attack were dressed as Native Americans. They – along with other South Carolina backcountry loyalists – were referred to as Scopholites. The group took action at midnight for what became a two-hour fight in one of the first conflicts of the Cherokee War of 1776.
Historian Durant Ashmore said the crux of the battle was a clash of culture and a fundamental lack of understanding among the groups.
“One thing that has been very important to understand is the conflicts between cultures – the misunderstandings between cultures – and the deadly consequences that can result from that,” he said.
Troops at the fort had at first not believed word of the upcoming attack when informed by a group of soldiers, according to a pension application of Matthew Brown, who was a 16-year-old boy stationed at a fort about 20 miles away from Fort Lindley. The men were drunk from a night of indulging in rum, which Ashmore said was a common occurrence during the war.
“The Little River Regiment did not believe them. They actually even leveled their guns at them, saying, ‘Who’s telling you such lies as this?’” he said.
Maj. Downs, however, prepped the troops for defense. Downs was a previous member of the First Provincial Congress, Second Provincial Congress, and South Carolina General Assembly.
A sizable chunk of the Patriot troops had already experienced fighting Cherokee citizens during the Anglo-Cherokee War that lasted from about 1758-1761. Soldiers at Fort Lindley responded to the attack by sending out troops in lines of 10. Eventually, the loyalists and Cherokee citizens retreated.
The patriot victory boosted local morale and belief in their cause, but for some unscathed loyalists and Cherokee citizens, the aftermath’s impact trumped the actual battle loss in consequences.
The morning after the battle, troops from the fort found about 30 horses at a campsite. One saddlebag contained the commission papers of Capt. James Lindley. Lindley was a staunch loyalist and the eponymous owner of Fort Lindley.
Six months prior to the battle, he had been captured at the Battle of Great Cane Break. Lindley had promised to not take up arms against patriot forces again, or he would face death. Although he was not captured in the midnight battle, he did succumb to patriot troops at the Battle of Kettle Creek and was hanged for breaking his parole.
As for the Cherokee citizens, their land was further encroached upon and people killed; about 2,000 were killed during the Cherokee War of 1776.
Ashmore said the consequences from escalating conflict were terrible.
“Patriots gathered together with the idea of a plan, the goal of eliminating the Cherokees. Genocide,” he said. “That’s what was preached to the backcountry settlers along with the ability to make their own decisions. A primary motivating factor in the American Revolution is the right of self-determination.”
Now, private land with cows and sheep sits on the area where the fort once stood. Ashmore said he gives tours just during the winter to avoid the risk of ticks. The area where trenches once helped shield soldiers are still visible.
Some remnants from the fort now reside at the Laurens County Museum in the city of Laurens’ downtown area. The objects, although not individually labeled, will be part of an upcoming opening collection.
Museum docent Julia Sermons said being informed of local history helps shape modern decisions.
“You have to know where you’re coming from to know where you’re going,” she said.
Ashmore, too, saw the same value.
“We are all in the middle of this,” he said. “This history – the important role that South Carolina played in the Revolution.”
An estimated 14 battles took place in Laurens County, according to Ashmore. He has been keeping track of local history for about 6 years. He said the county has set a 50-year plan to help with future record keeping.
