Liberty Trail History Makers
The Revolutionary War was a war unlike any other — one of ideas and ideals, that shaped “the course of human events. Explore the history and personalities from this pivotal time in American history.
Born into Scottish nobility, William Leslie pursued a military career with the British Army, confident in his superiority over the American rebels. However, his life was cut short at the Battle of Princeton, where, despite his disdain for the revolutionaries, he was honored in death by none other than General George Washington and his old friend, Benjamin Rush.
When British forces besieged Charleston, Lincoln was forced to surrender over 5,000 men. Denied honors of war in surrender, Lincoln was paroled and returned to Washington’s army. After the Battle of Yorktown, Lincoln accepted the surrender from the British, allowing him to have revenge for his defeat in Charleston.
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 at Camden, South Carolina, on August 16, 1780.
Johann Gottlieb Rall, a veteran German officer, commanded the Hessian garrison at Trenton despite concerns about its vulnerability. On December 26, 1776, Washington's surprise attack led to Rall’s mortal wounding and the capture of his troops.
Boone Hall was influential in the history of South Carolina. Explore the house and grounds of this Colonial Plantation, as well as a live presentation of the Gullah Culture adapted by African slaves.
The East Jersey Old Town Village is a collection of historic structures dating the 18th century. Today, living historians walk the grounds, bringing the Revolution and the Colonial Era to life.
William Moultrie died in 1805 and was buried in the family cemetery. In 1977, his remains were moved to Sullivan's Island within Fort Moultrie.
The location of George Washington's famous crossing of the Delaware, the site is now a state park that offers historical interpretation and several recreational activities.
This park features the Lands Ford crossing, used during the Revolutionary War by both British and American troops under Cornwallis and Sumter before and after pivotal battles.
Not far from Camden Battlefield, Goodale State Park is lined with cypress trees, a spring-fed lake that offers boating, fishing, and hiking opportunities.
Santee State Park offers biking and hiking trails and pontoon boat tours of the flooded cypress forest on Lake Marion, named after Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion, the “Swamp Fox”.
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.
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.
As part of their Southern Campaign, the British set their sights on taking the vital port of Charleston.
The Battle of Sullivan’s Island, fought near the site of today’s Fort Moultrie in June 1776, was the first significant Patriot victory of the Revolutionary War.
Jockey Hollow, the site of General Washington’s winter encampment in 1779-1780, played a key role in forging the Continental Army's strength and unity. The nearby Wick House, once home to Major General Arthur St. Clair, now stands as a historic landmark, offering a glimpse into the hardships and strategies of that fateful winter.