The Southern Strategy, employed by the British during the American Revolutionary War, aimed to capitalize on the support of Loyalists in the Southern colonies and to gain control of key cities and resources. In Charleston, this strategy had mixed results.
The most notable event in Charleston regarding the Southern Strategy was the siege in 1780, where British forces successfully captured the city. This led to the surrender of around 5,000 American troops, marking one of the largest surrenders in the Revolutionary War. Thus, the statement, "Charleston was seized by the British, and 5,000 men surrendered," accurately reflects a significant success for the British in the context of the Southern Strategy.
While American militia forces did engage in tactics to disrupt British supply lines, these efforts were not enough to prevent the initial British victory at Charleston. The assertion that "Charleston militia forces were able to attack British supply runs" indicates some resistance, but it did not significantly alter the strategic outcome.
The statement that "Charleston’s battle forced Cornwallis to surrender" is misleading as Cornwallis’s surrender at Yorktown in 1781 was not a direct result of events in Charleston, but rather a culmination of various military campaigns and tactics used by American and French forces.
Therefore, the most effective examination of the Southern Strategy in Charleston would be that "Charleston was seized by the British, and 5,000 men surrendered," as it highlights a pivotal moment of British success that aligned with their strategic goals in the South.