Geoff Baggett

Tories and Turncoats Geoff Baggett

Shortly after the French and Indian War, best friends Bartholomew Austin and William Newman settled their families in the backcountry south of Camden, along the waters of Jackson's Creek. Both were avid Tories, staunchly loyal to England and her King. They lived in plenty and in peace. They were faithful neighbors and inseparable friends. Then, a decade later, a war of revolution descended upon the southern Colonies. The British Army invaded the coastal cities. In South Carolina, this revolution quickly became a civil war that divided neighbor against neighbor. As the war progressed and the rebels gained the upper hand, some Tories elected to turn coat and join the other side. But, could friendships and families, even the strongest ones, survive such a deep and divisive conflict?Tories and Turncoats is the compelling story of a South Carolina family that set aside their old loyalties, broke with their Tory neighbors, and bravely chose the pathway of liberty and independence.