 In early August , Cornwallis was alerted by Lord Rawdon , the commander of the British garrison at Camden that a new southern Continental Army , this time under the command of Horatio Gates , was approaching from the north . Cornwallis moved forces to Camden from Charleston , and on August 16 inflicted an embarrassing defeat on Gates at the Battle of Camden . The relatively untried Continentals in Gates ' army were routed , and suffered heavy casualties . This served to keep South Carolina clear of Continental forces , and was a blow to rebel morale . The victory added to his reputation , although the rout of the American rebels had as much to do with the failings of Gates ( whose rapid departure from the battlefield was widely noted ) as it did the skill of Cornwallis . In London , Cornwallis was perceived as a hero , and was viewed by many there as the right man to lead the British forces to victory over the rebels . 
