Reposted with permission from the Journal of the American Revolution. Written and researched by Jim Piecuch on September 12, 2024.
Losing items like buttons or keys can be frustrating, even for soldiers during the Revolutionary War. At Fort Fair Lawn, a British outpost in South Carolina, archaeologists found many objects, including a silver-plated button from the 71st British Regiment, known as "Fraser’s Highlanders." This regiment fought nearby but wasn't stationed at the fort, making the button's presence there a mystery. It could have been lost by a visiting officer or picked up by another soldier. These small artifacts help historians understand the daily lives and sacrifices of those who fought for independence.
The rediscovery of a long-lost portrait of Charleston merchant Richard Lushington sheds light on lesser-known Revolutionary War heroes. Lushington, a Quaker, led a diverse militia called the Free Citizens of Charleston, which included many Jewish men. Despite Quakers' commitment to nonviolence, Lushington fought for independence, possibly seeking acceptance in Charleston society. His unit fought in key battles, and after the war, Lushington became a respected city leader. His portrait, now displayed in Charleston, highlights the contributions of marginalized figures in the fight for American independence.
John Howland, Benjamin Tainter, Stephen Tainter, and Lewis Hurd, all from the same extended family, contributed to American history across generations. Stephen Tainter, who served as a drummer boy in the Revolutionary War and later became a doctor, is especially highlighted in a traveling exhibition by the American Battlefield Trust. His descendants, Stuart Halsan and Steven Pahre, take pride in their family’s history, which they feel personally connected to. They believe that Stephen’s story can inspire young people to stand up for their beliefs and strive to help others, no matter their age or beginnings.
Uncover History in South Carolina
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.
Treacherous waters and Patriot fire foil a British attack on Charleston Harbor
Visit Historic Drayton Hall — Tour the nation’s oldest preserved plantation house in America still open to the public. Explore Drayton Hall's 18th-century architecture, landscapes & the people who lived here.
Established in 1767 by the Patriot supporting Moore family. Local militia gathered at Walnut Grove prior to the Battle of Cowpens. Visitors may take guided tours of the house and grounds.
Patriot Leader Nathanael Greene Is repulsed but not defeated in his campaign to chase the British from the South Carolina backcountry
Andrew Jackson State Park combines history, art and community activities into a setting that has made it one of the state’s most popular parks.
An architectural treasure in its own right, the South Carolina Historical Society Museum is housed in a National Historic Landmark building and features interactive exhibits on the people, places, and movements that shaped the state and nation.
The Battle of Camden was a devastating defeat suffered by the Americans in the British military offensive in the South.
Now under the man-made Lake Marion, British Lieutenant Colonel John Watson and Patriot Brigadier General Francis Marion, the “Swamp Fox,” skirmished in Wyboo Swamp near Santee Road.
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.
A former British headquarters, explore the reconstructed Kershaw/Cornwallis House, British redoubts, and programs about colonial life.
In 1780, after the British occupied Charleston during the American Revolutionary War, the Brewton house was used as the British headquarters for Henry Clinton.
An ingenious Patriot deception provokes a prominent Loyalist to surrender his outpost