Final answer:
The statement is true; the British could not maintain control over the southern colonies despite early successes. Key defeats at battles such as Cowpens and Guilford, along with the loss at Yorktown, marked the failure of the British southern strategy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that British commanders were never able to consolidate their hold on the South during the American Revolutionary War is true. While the British initially had success in the southern colonies, capturing places such as Savannah and Charleston, their control was ultimately unsustainable. Despite the presence of Loyalists, enslaved people seeking freedom, and Native American allies, British forces faced significant resistance.
General Nathanael Greene's strategic division of his Continental Army forces proved to be effective against the British. Particularly at the battles of Cowpens and Guilford Courthouse, the British suffered heavy losses despite battlefield victories. The war turned in the Americans' favor, culminating in the British defeat at the Battle of Yorktown, Virginia, which effectively ended further large-scale British operations in the war.
Therefore, the British southern strategy, which relied on gaining support and weakening the internal American resistance, failed due to strong American leadership, strategic military decisions, and crucial French assistance.