1780, Charleston

General Woodford arrived in Charleston on April 7, 1780 with the remains of his Virginia troops. With Woodford were only 700 of the 2,000 men that had started the march in December. Many of the troops had their terms of enlistment expire during the four-month march; others had fallen ill or deserted. Woodford's men were organized into a brigade made up of the First, Second and Third Continental Regiments. Colonel William Russell was commander of the First Virginia at this time.

Colonel Richard Parker had arrived with his newly raised regiment on March 31, now referred to as the First Virginia Detachment and separate from the First Virginia Continental Regiment. Parker was joined by the Second Virginia Detachment under the command of Colonel William Heath.