On this day 250 years ago in London, King George III assented to the Prohibitory Act that banned trade with the thirteen American colonies in rebellion and ordered the Royal Navy to blockade the American coast. Although the Continental Congress was still declaring loyalty to the British Crown, and that its armed resistance was only against unlawful exertion of authority by the British Parliament, a blockade is an act of war. So with this action the British King and Parliament effectively declared war on the Thirteen Colonies.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibitory_Act

On this day 250 years ago along the banks of the Reedy River in what is now Greenville County, 1300 South Carolina Militia under the command of Colonel William “Danger” Thomson defeated approximately 500 Loyalists in the battle of the Great Cane Brake. Six Loyalists were killed and 130 were captured and the Militia also recovered gunpowder and lead shot that had been seized by the Loyalists at Mine Creek at the end of October (see https://kevinsrevolutionarywarchronology.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=5437&action=edit), but the Patriots had only one man wounded. After the battle during the Militia’s return march home, a snowstorm hit dumping 15 inches of snow. Most of the militia were not dressed adequately for the weather and several suffered permanent injury from frostbite in the return march of what would become known as the “Snow Campaign.” As a result of the Snow Campaign and the Battle of the Great Cane Brake, the Patriots suppressed the Loyalists in South Carolina securing total control over the state until the British Army invaded in 1780.

Sources: https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=97258; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Great_Cane_Brake; https://revolutionarywar.us/year-1775/battle-great-cane-brake/; Parker at 247