America’s independence was secured in South Carolina across its swamps, fields, woods and mountains. These events of 1779-1782 directly led to victory in the Revolutionary War. We call this history The Liberty Trail.
Explore the many guided tours of The Liberty Trail
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.
William Woodford (1734–1780) was a Virginia soldier who made his mark early in the Revolution, leading the 2nd Virginia Regiment to victory at Great Bridge. A seasoned fighter, he battled at Brandywine and Monmouth, but was captured at Charleston. Woodford tragically died in British captivity aboard a prison ship.
During the Battle of Camden, when the American line collapsed, de Kalb and his infantry remained on the field. De Kalb led a counterattack in an attempt to stem the tide but the British swarmed around the American. As Gates’s army retreated, de Kalb fell and was taken to Camden where he died in 3 days.
Commander of a Virginia unit during the American Revolution, Abraham Buford saw his troops massacred by Banastre Tarleton and his British Legion at the Battle of Waxhaws in South Carolina.
Though his Quaker faith precluded him from taking up arms, Lushington made the decision to join the Patriot cause and fight against the British during the American Revolution. Largely an outsider, joining the army may have been a means for Lushington to gain further acceptance within Charleston's social elite.
