 Although Col. William Tavington is supposedly "loosely" based on  Col. Banastre Tarleton, there is probably more similarity than not.  Both were equally bloodthirsty. On May 29, 1780, in Lancaster  County, South Carolina, Col. Abraham Buford offered to surrender and  lay down their arms to Tarleton. Tarleton tricked Buford by offering  the Colonials quarter, and when they laid down their arms, Tarleton  ordered the British troops to attack without mercy. American  casualties were 113 killed. This was known throughout the rest of  the Revolution as "Bufords Massacre" and sealed the sentiments of  the upper South Carolinian residents against the Loyalists and the  British army, much as portrayed in the movie. More Revolutionary War  battles were fought in South Carolina, than the rest of the colonies  combined.