Camden hosts Revolutionary War Field Days re-enactments, expo 11/6/2009 12:30 AM By DR. TOM MACK Columnist
After British forces occupied Charleston in the late spring of 1780, Sir Henry Clinton gave orders to move inland and capture other strategic locations, including the town of Camden. He left that particular task to his successor in South Carolina, Lord Charles Cornwallis, who wasted no time in implementing his plan "to extinguish the rebellion" by terrorizing the local population, executing suspected revolutionaries and plundering their property.
With 2,500 troops, Cornwallis marched to Camden, which he fortified as the British army's principal supply center for its Southern operations.
Despite these significant losses, American forces tried to regroup, but the summer months brought more bad news when an attempt to retake Camden met with disaster. For two days in August, an army led by Horatio Gates attacked the fortified British position. With the addition of colonial militia, the Americans actually outnumbered the British defenders, but those less-seasoned amateur troops proved no match for professional soldiers in close-quarter combat; and when the militia retreated, the American regulars could not hold their line. To his considerable shame, Gates fled the battlefield before the conclusion of the engagement; only with the help of political allies did he eventually escape a court martial.
The Battle of Camden was certainly a low point in America's War for Independence, but this sad situation was not to have lasting consequences. Much has been written about the tenacity of guerrilla fighters like Thomas Sumter - the Gamecock - and Francis Marion - the Swamp Fox - who kept hope alive in the backwoods when all seemed lost elsewhere. In addition, much praise is due to Gates's successor as commander of the regular army, the redoubtable Nathaniel Greene, who understood the value of "mobile warfare," never staying in one spot for long or engaging in large-scale battles but drawing out the enemy's forces from their strongholds and exhausting their resources so that they eventually lose by slow attrition.
In April 1781, Greene implemented this strategy in yet another battle near Camden. Now known as the Battle of Hobkirk's Hill or the Second Battle of Camden, Greene lured British forces, under the command of Lord Francis Rawdon, about a mile and a half outside of their fortified position in the town. Although the British routed their American foes in that single engagement, the ongoing presence of American forces outside Camden - Greene's men reoccupied their positions after Rawdon returned to Camden - forced the British to abandon the town a month later and retreat to the coast.
Because of Camden's strategic position in the American Revolution, town leaders have made an effort over the years to preserve its 18th-century links. To that end, a 107-acre complex has been developed as an outdoor museum and the site of one of our state's most popular annual tourist events, Revolutionary War Field Days. This weekend, Nov. 7 and 8, Historic Camden will play host to about 500 Revolutionary War re-enactors who will offer living history demonstrations in both military and civilian camps set up on the grounds. In addition, both days will feature recreated battles.
Affiliated with the National Park Service, Historic Camden includes a number of original and restored 18th-century buildings, but the highlight of this outdoor museum is undoubtedly the reconstructed Georgian mansion built by Joseph Kershaw and occupied by Lord Cornwallis as his headquarters. Destroyed in 1865 by Union soldiers, the house was rebuilt in 1976-77 on its original foundations.
Camden is about 30 miles northeast of Columbia on Interstate 20. The 2009 Revolutionary War Field Days run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. this Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $10 for adults, but there are discounts for seniors, members of the military and children. For more information, visit Historic Camden at www.historic-camden.net.
A Carolina Trustee Professor, Dr. Mack holds the G.L. Toole Chair at USC Aiken.
Notice about comments:
AikenStandard.com is pleased to offer readers the ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. AikenStandard.com does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not AikenStandard.com. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "report abuse" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website.
0