Small armies of men waged a ferocious series of battles in the southern theater, changing the outcome of the Revolutionary War. When the British effort to subdue the Colonies moved to the southern provinces, the men of Appalachia sought to protect their homes and families. In the winter of 1780-81, the turning point of the southern war occurred in the Carolina back country. A trio of battles occurred at Kings Mountain, Cowpens, and Guilford Court House. These clashes proved pivotal to American independence, destroying British army capability in the south and facilitating the American victory at Yorktown.
James K. Swisher was awarded the Jefferson Davis Medal by the United Daughters of the Confederacy and in 2000 received the Virginia State Library Book of the Year Award. He was a Virginia Society of the Book Nominee and has published numerous articles in national publications, including America's Civil War, Confederate Veteran, Military Heritage, and Military History. He has a master's degree in history from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, and he is a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and Sons of the American Revolution. He serves on the Lynchburg Museum Board and the Lynchburg Civil War Roundtable.