South Carolina's Revolutionary War Battlefields: A Tour Guide

By Randall L. Barbour and Rebecca Barbour Calcutt

While New Englanders like to think of the American Revolution as 'their' war, more battles for colonial independence were fought in South Carolina than in any other area. This nicely crafted work is a guide to 45 engagements waged in the Palmetto State.
--James I. Roberston, Jr., author of Civil War Sites in Virginia: A Tour Guide and Stonewall Jackson: The Man, The Soldier, The Legend

Did you know that more Revolutionary War battles took place in South Carolina than in any other state?

Approximately 250 armed conflicts took place in the Palmetto State, though some historians estimate that figure to be closer to 300. South Carolina's Revolutionary War Battlefields takes you to the very spot where some of the most pivotal and exciting engagements occurred. See Hanging Rock, where a thirteen-year-old Andrew Jackson served as messenger, and the former Waxhaws settlement, where the British colonel Banastre Tarleton massacred the surrendering Patriots. Visit Camden, Cowpens, and Kings Mountain, considered three of the most decisive battles of the Revolutionary War.

Each of this guide's 45 chapters focuses on a single battle, giving precise directions for driving and hiking to the site. After a description of the action, a summary lists the commanders' names and the number of fatalities and casualties on both sides.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1589800087
• ISBN13: 9781589800083
• Release Date: February 2002
• Publisher: Pelican Publishing Company
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.9" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

The Main Battleground of the American Revolution

In my humble opinion, Barbour has written a good account of Revoutionary War sites in South Carolina, the main battleground of the war. While the book is not nearly as comprehensive as Boatner's book, at least the directions and photographs are current. Admittingly, the state has not preserved the Revolutionary War sites as well as some states (Virginia, Tennessee, Mississippi, etc.) have for their Civil War sites. Admittingly, the Civil War was larger-scale and probably has more private funding available for memoralizing sites. Therefore, I have to have some sympathy for the author. While an earlier reviewer was critical of the book, I must give the title a 4-star rating since another similar and updated title does not apparently exist. Recommended as a quick and easy guide to South Carolina Revolutionary Sites.

Best Book on American Revolutionary War Sites in SC

This is a succinct book complete with maps, pictures and directions on historical sites relating to the American Revolution in South Carolina (almost 50 entries). The author rightly asserts South Carolina's preeminence in having the most battles during the war, and the important contributions of her patriotic sons, such as Generals Sumter and Marion-without whom there would have been no victory. The war may have started in New England, but it ended here in the South-particularly SC. By reading this book one can gather a quick understanding of the beginning and ending of the conflict as all entries are arranged in chronological order, and the pictures show the actual monuments as they exist today, thus preventing any great expectations of park-like settings if there is none. The directions are very easy to follow, even to the more obscure sites, and it lets the reader know if the site is on private land or not. An excellent source to draw on by South Carolinians and a must for anyone interested in visiting any of these sites while touring South Carolina.