The American Revolutionary War in 1780 marked a turning point in a conflict that had already dragged on for five years, as fighting in the North stalled and Britain shifted its main effort toward the South. The year closed with British strategy in transition and with Congress's cause deeply shaken by the discovery of treason within its own high command. The most consequential development was the exposure of Benedict Arnold's plot to hand over the American fort at West Point, which he had commanded since Washington appointed him that July. The scheme collapsed only because of poor planning, and it unraveled completely when Arnold's British contact, Major John André, was captured and later executed. Arnold fled to British-held New York and switched sides, publishing a pamphlet defending his choice, but he found little welcome among the British either, even as Patriots branded him a traitor.
Militarily, 1780 brought the last major British push in the northern colonies. In June, Sir Henry Clinton sent General Wilhelm von Knyphausen with 6,000 troops to retake New Jersey. American militia stopped his advance at the Battle of Connecticut Farms, and a second attempt two weeks later was defeated outright at the Battle of Springfield, ending British hopes of controlling New Jersey. This defeat came on the heels of a brutal winter for the Continental Army, worse in many ways than the famous suffering at Valley Forge, marked by worthless currency, chronic supply failures, desertions, and outright mutinies in the Pennsylvania and New Jersey lines.
Diplomatically, the year
Written by Aubrey Research from American Revolutionary War on Wikipedia, cited as a reference and not reproduced.
Where these engagements were fought
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Engagements of 1780.
Notable engagements of 1780
| Engagement | Year | State | Outcome | Forces or losses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camden | 1780 | SC | British victory | Total:324; 68 killed; 245 wounded; 11 missing; United States |
| Kings Mountain | 1780 | SC | American victory | United States: 28 killed; 62 wounded; 157 killed; 163 wounde |
| Waxhaws | 1780 | SC | British victory | Total: 15; 5 killed; 12 wounded; Total: 319; 113 killed; 150 |
| Ramsour's Mill | 1780 | NC | Patriot victory | Patriot militia: Around 150 killed/wounded; Loyalist militia |
| Piqua | 1780 | OH | American victory | ~45 killed ; 40 wounded; Shawnee ; Lenape ; Wyandot ; Mingo: |
| Springfield (Second) | 1780 | NJ | American victory | Continentals; 13 killed; 49 wounded; 9 missing; Militia: Inc |
| Blackstocks | 1780 | SC | American victory | Loyalists: 51-167 killed and wounded; United States: Total L |
| Hanging Rock (Second) | 1780 | SC | American victory | 192 killed or wounded; 12 killed; 41 wounded |
| Musgrove's Mill | 1780 | SC | Patriot victory | Loyalist militia: 63 killed; Unknown number wounded; 70 capt |
| Fort St. George | 1780 | NY | American victory | 1 wounded; 7 killed; 54 captured; Numerous non-combatants al |
| Young's House | 1780 | NY | British victory | Total: 127; 14 killed; 37 wounded; 76 captured; 5 killed; 18 |
| St. Louis (San Luis De Ylinoises) | 1780 | MO | Spanish victory | 21-100 killed; 4 killed ; 4 wounded |
Plus 45 further documented engagements in the 1780 record.
Battlefield locations and boundaries are compiled from public records, including the National Park Service American Battlefield Protection Program (public domain) and the American Revolution GIS work of Charles E. Frye (CC BY-SA 4.0).