The American Revolutionary War began when Massachusetts militiamen and British troops clashed at Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775. Two months later, a much larger engagement occurred at Bunker Hill in Boston. The conflict then expanded into a continent-wide war for independence from Great Britain. Or so we are taught. A closer look at events in the South in the 18 months following Lexington and Concord tells a different story.

In March to Independence: The American Revolution in the Southern Colonies, 1775-1776, historian Michael Cecere, consulting primary source documents, examines how Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia ended up supporting the colonies to the north, while East Florida remained within the British sphere. South Carolina, Georgia, and East Florida all retained their royal governors through the summer of 1775, and no military engagements occurred in any of the Southern colonies in the six months following the battles in Massachusetts. The situation changed significantly in the fall, however, with armed clashes in Virginia and South Carolina; by early 1776 the war had spread to all of the Southern colonies except East Florida. Although their march to independence did not follow the exact route as the colonies to the north, events in the South pulled the Southern colonists in the same direction, culminating with a united Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

The book is published by Westholme Publishing. The audiobook is published by University Press Audiobooks.

“This book will prove invaluable to those looking for an in-depth overview of the South’s contributions in the march to independence.” (Mark Maloy, author of Victory or Death)

“This important volume is a huge step in restoring America’s lost memory of the early Revolution in the South.” (Gabriel Neville, historian of the 8th Virginia Regiment)