illustration of a man from American Colonial era

The Liberty Trail History Makers

Join us in discovering the individuals who shaped the Revolutionary War along The Liberty Trail. 

States of Interest:
Biography

Despite the prominent role Cornwallis played in the Revolution, Henry Clinton was blamed for the loss of the American colonies following the surrender at Yorktown.

Biography

In 1779, after a stalemate in the north, Cornwallis went south as second in command to Sir Henry Clinton. Clinton captured Charleston in May 1780. Cornwallis pressed on to defeat General Horatio Gates...

Biography

Captain Isaac Davis, a Massachusetts Minuteman leader, was the first American officer killed in the Revolutionary War at the Battle of Concord on April 19, 1775.

Biography

Overshadowed by Paul Revere famous midnight ride, Dawes also rode through the night on April 18, 1775, warning of the British march to Concord. He escaped capture and later served in the Revolutionary...

We invite you to visit the preserved locations along the Liberty Trail and to immerse yourself in the extraordinary events that determined the fate of a nation.
Historic Site |
Rumson, NJ

In September 1780, Loyalist Colonel Tye captured Patriot captain Joshua Huddy after a fierce struggle. A Patriot ambush capsized their boat, allowing Huddy to escape while Tye suffered a wound that would prove fatal.

Battlefield | Historic Site
Moncks Corner, SC

Eighteenth-century Moncks Corner was a crossroads settlement of stores and taverns at the intersection of the Cherokee Path (the Indian traders’ path) and the road from Charleston to Santee. A powder magazine was established in 1760 and the village was occupied as a store depot by the British during the Revolutionary War.

Historic Site | Historic House
New Bern, NC

Originally destroyed by a fire in 1798, this faithful reconstruction stands on the former site of the Palace and offers an 18th century interpretive experience.

Historic Site |
Perth Amboy, NJ

The Royal Governor's Mansion of New Jersey is the only remaining proprietary governor's mansion of the original Thirteen Colonies still standing today. Built in the 1760s, it served as the residence gubernatorial residence of William Franklin, Benjamin Franklin's Loyalist son.

Historic Site
Abingdon, VA

The Abingdon Muster Grounds is a 9-acre park is the site where, in 1780, 400 Virginians joined other patriot militia from the western frontier in a two-week campaign that ended with a critical victory at the Battle of Kings Mountain. The Abingdon Muster Grounds is a partner site of the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail.

Historic Site | Historic House
Georgetown, SC

Built circa 1740, Hopsewee Plantation was one of the South’s major rice plantations and the birthplace of Thomas Lynch, Jr., one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Battlefield | State/County Park
Stony Point, NY

Now a state park in New York, Stony Point once served as British defensive position along the Hudson River during the New York campaign. Thanks to cunning actions of "Mad" Anthony Wayne, British forces were swiftly pushed from their defenses.

Historic Site | Battlefield
Spartanburg, SC

When Jane Black Thomas overheard Loyalists plotting a surprise attack on her son's militia camp, she rode nearly 60 miles through dangerous territory to warn him. Her daring ride gave Colonel John Thomas Jr. and his Spartan Regiment time to prepare an ambush that repelled the attackers — fueling Patriot momentum toward the war-changing Battle of King's Mountain just three months later.

Battlefield | State/County Park
Johnstown, NY

Patriot forces under Marinus Willett struck a decisive blow against Loyalist troops led by John Butler in one of the war’s final northern engagements. Though the enemy slipped away under cover of darkness, the clash shattered Loyalist strength in the Mohawk Valley and effectively ended organized resistance on that frontier.

Battlefield | National Park
Stillwater, NY

The Battles of Saratoga marked a decisive turning point in the American Revolution, where Patriot forces achieved a stunning victory over a major British army. This triumph not only shattered British momentum but convinced France that the American cause was worth backing, transforming a colonial rebellion into an international war.

Historic Site | Battlefield
Brooklyn, NY
Sixteen Union generals, including Henry Halleck, Henry Slocum, Abram Duryee, and Fitz-John Porter, and two Confederate generals are buried at The Green-Wood Cemetery. Several Civil War monuments...
Battlefield
Sullivan's Island, SC

Treacherous waters and Patriot fire foil a British attack on Charleston Harbor