Revolutionary War Battlefields in South Carolina - The Firearms Forum

Palmetto · 09-13-2010, 12:39 PM

Those of you that are military history buffs, the state of South Carolina is usually well-known for Fort Sumter and the Civil War. What many are not aware of, is that it had the most Revolutionary War engagements of any colony. The number of recorded engagements is somewhere in the neighborhood of 560 to 700! Followed close behind by New York with 497 and New Jersey 484. The Civil War so devastated the South, that much of it's prior colonial history is not that well known.

This research has been an amazing 10 year-long effort by a National Park Ranger, Mr. John Robertson. He has documented every Revolutionary War engagement throughout the world. This is his site. It even has coordinates of where the battles happened!

http://gaz.jrshelby.com/

Here are some of the battlefields listed on the State's of South Carolina's website.
http://www.sciway.net/hist/amrev/engagements.html

A good website for the American Revolution in the Southern US.
http://www.southerncampaign.org/mag.php

Palmetto · 09-13-2010, 12:45 PM

This is a little known series of battles fought in St. Simon's Island, Georgia in the 1740s between the Spanish and British.

http://www.hsgng.org/pages/marsh.htm

http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=12915

Rneck · 09-13-2010, 05:44 PM

thanks for the post palmetto, very interesting stuff. do you know of a list or link where you could find out what battles your ancestors were in?

Palmetto · 09-14-2010, 07:12 AM

To find out what battles your ancestor was in, you need to get a look at his pension. Many local public libraries and courthouses have the RW soldier's Pension applications in books and now many are online. The Soldier's themselves or the widow of the soldier filed the pension statement when they were old men to get money for their service. They had to prove that they were veterans to the government by naming battles, officers, color and style of their uniforms etc.

If you know your ancestor's name and where he was from (the state he died in), it isn't very hard to find his pension. The reference section of your local public library usually has many books with this stuff. The National Archives in DC also has military records. I would try the state records first.

Palmetto · 09-14-2010, 07:15 AM

If you are from the South, he might be in this database of pensions. Just enter his name and search. This isn't all pensions by any means, there are thousands more that aren't online here. If you don't see his name here, go to the local library and look him up.

http://southerncampaign.org/cgi-bin/...m_cat%5B%5D=-1

Rneck · 09-14-2010, 08:08 AM

thanks again palmetto,I'm starting the search but didn't know if I needed to narrow it down to a county or if all libraries would have statewide records.My ancestor lived in Chester and Pickens counties. I know where his children are buried but not him, very frustrating

Palmetto · 09-15-2010, 09:12 AM

see if he is in here. Look for his name from the postings.

http://www.southerncampaign.org/pen/#pensions

09-13-2010, 12:39 PM	#1
Palmetto V.I.P. Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: North Carolina Posts: 188	Revolutionary War Battlefields in South Carolina Those of you that are military history buffs, the state of South Carolina is usually well-known for Fort Sumter and the Civil War. What many are not aware of, is that it had the most Revolutionary War engagements of any colony. The number of recorded engagements is somewhere in the neighborhood of 560 to 700! Followed close behind by New York with 497 and New Jersey 484. The Civil War so devastated the South, that much of it's prior colonial history is not that well known. This research has been an amazing 10 year-long effort by a National Park Ranger, Mr. John Robertson. He has documented every Revolutionary War engagement throughout the world. This is his site. It even has coordinates of where the battles happened! http://gaz.jrshelby.com/ Here are some of the battlefields listed on the State's of South Carolina's website. http://www.sciway.net/hist/amrev/engagements.html A good website for the American Revolution in the Southern US. http://www.southerncampaign.org/mag.php -->

09-13-2010, 12:45 PM	#2
Palmetto V.I.P. Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: North Carolina Posts: 188	Battle of Bloody Marsh, Georgia This is a little known series of battles fought in St. Simon's Island, Georgia in the 1740s between the Spanish and British. http://www.hsgng.org/pages/marsh.htm http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=12915

09-13-2010, 05:44 PM	#3
Rneck V.I.P. Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 109	Re: Revolutionary War Battlefields in South Carolina thanks for the post palmetto, very interesting stuff. do you know of a list or link where you could find out what battles your ancestors were in?

09-14-2010, 07:12 AM	#4
Palmetto V.I.P. Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: North Carolina Posts: 188	Re: Revolutionary War Battlefields in South Carolina To find out what battles your ancestor was in, you need to get a look at his pension. Many local public libraries and courthouses have the RW soldier's Pension applications in books and now many are online. The Soldier's themselves or the widow of the soldier filed the pension statement when they were old men to get money for their service. They had to prove that they were veterans to the government by naming battles, officers, color and style of their uniforms etc. If you know your ancestor's name and where he was from (the state he died in), it isn't very hard to find his pension. The reference section of your local public library usually has many books with this stuff. The National Archives in DC also has military records. I would try the state records first.

09-14-2010, 07:15 AM	#5
Palmetto V.I.P. Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: North Carolina Posts: 188	Re: Revolutionary War Battlefields in South Carolina If you are from the South, he might be in this database of pensions. Just enter his name and search. This isn't all pensions by any means, there are thousands more that aren't online here. If you don't see his name here, go to the local library and look him up. http://southerncampaign.org/cgi-bin/...m_cat%5B%5D=-1

09-14-2010, 08:08 AM	#6
Rneck V.I.P. Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 109	Re: Revolutionary War Battlefields in South Carolina thanks again palmetto,I'm starting the search but didn't know if I needed to narrow it down to a county or if all libraries would have statewide records.My ancestor lived in Chester and Pickens counties. I know where his children are buried but not him, very frustrating

09-15-2010, 09:12 AM	#7
Palmetto V.I.P. Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: North Carolina Posts: 188	Re: Revolutionary War Battlefields in South Carolina see if he is in here. Look for his name from the postings. http://www.southerncampaign.org/pen/#pensions