Book excerpt: As the American Revolution in the North drew to a stalemate around New York, in the South the British finally came to terms with the reality of defeat. Southern sites like Kings Mountain, Cowpens, Charleston, the Chesapeake and Yorktown were vital to American independence. The origin of the five Southern colonies - Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia - their development, the role of patriot and loyalist Southerner, and critical battles are examined. Included is a discussion of the leadership of the British forces and of the colonial patriots who inspired common citizens to fight for the sake of American independence.