Battle of Camden–Death of De Kalb (1780)

The Battle of Camden in 1780 was a disastrous defeat for American forces in the South, but it was immortalized by the heroic "fortitude" of Baron de Kalb. A German-born soldier of fortune who embraced the American cause, de Kalb led his Maryland and Delaware Continentals in a desperate stand against overwhelming British numbers. Even after the rest of the army fled, de Kalb continued to fight until he fell with eleven wounds, eventually dying as a prisoner of war. His sacrifice served as a rallying cry for the Continental Army to reform and retake the Southern colonies. This event remains a somber reminder of the high cost of liberty and the international support that sustained the Revolution.