What strategic mistake contributed to Patriot defeat at Camden?

• A. Overwhelming British reinforcements
• B. Splitting militia from regulars
• C. Unfavorable weather
• D. Poor diplomacy

Answer: (B)

The key idea is how mixing troops with different training and reliability can undermine a battle plan. At Camden, the American force relied on a combination of seasoned regulars and less reliable militia. By splitting the militia away from the regulars and failing to keep them integrated into the same fighting line, the army lost cohesion and discipline in the heat of combat. Militia units, less trained and more prone to panic under fire, could not stay in formation or support the regulars effectively. When the British pressed, this separation produced gaps and a collapse in the line, allowing Cornwallis to rout Gates’s forces.

The other possibilities don’t fit the outcome as well. The defeat wasn’t driven by overwhelming British reinforcements, nor by weather conditions, nor by diplomacy; the decisive factor was the American command mistake of not keeping militia and regulars together in a unified, coordinated line.