The American Revolutionary War in the southern of the Thirteen Colonies had not at first involved natives directly.

Conflicts between Loyalist and Patriot colonists in the backcountry of South Carolina in late 1775 had resulted in the arrest, flight, or expulsion of most of the prominent Loyalist leaders.

By early 1776, a delegation of northern natives had arrived in the Cherokee villages, and had persuaded the younger generation of warriors to "take up the hatchet" against the colonists.

Although the British Indian agent John Stuart has tried to keep the Cherokee neutral, he had realized that war was inevitable, and had sought to channel Cherokee military activities to coordinate with British efforts.

The Cherokee had gone on the warpath on July 1, 1776.

Henry Laurens will write that the Cherokee "very suddenly, without any pretense to Provocation those treacherous Devils in various Parties headed by White Men", killing as many as sixty South Carolinians.

The timing of this campaign is fortuitous for the Cherokee: a major British force had been anchored off Charleston, South Carolina since early June, but its attack on the city had been repulsed in the June 28 Battle of Sullivan's Island.

As a result, Continental Army general Charles Lee is unable to provide any sort of relief.

When the Cherokee attacks began in South Carolina, refugees had begun fleeing the outlying settlements for frontier fortifications.

One of these is Lindley's Fort, a vestige of the Anglo-Cherokee War of the early 1760s that has been rehabilitated and strengthened by the refugees.

A militia company under Major Jonathan Downs arrives at the fort on July 14, raising the total number of armed defenders to about one hundred and fifty.