The ETV Endowment sponsored a series of tours of three different Southern Campaign battlefields of the American Revolution. With my being a history enthusiast, I was lucky to accompany Steve Folks, William Richardson, Mark Adams, and the esteemed Dr. Walter Edgar (who was our tour guide). The first stop on the tour was the battlefield where the Battle of Cowpens took place. Patriot General Daniel Morgan faced off against British loyalist (or, Tory) forces under the infamous Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton. This battle was seen as the turning point for the war in the South, and Gen. Morgan's tactics used at the Battle of Cowpens are still studied today by cadets at Westpoint Military Academy. The tour began with coffee and an introduction by Dr. Edgar, where he briefly talked about what happened at each battlefield we would visit, along with the importance of the Revolutionary War in the South. He then opened for questions from the audience. The time came for the tour at the battlefield, and the weather made things difficult. It rained all day, and the golf cart (which was suited for more than three passengers) kept stalling. I had to assist the park ranger with pushing the cart to get it going again. We got to see all the sites at the battlefield, but I personally didn't get to see them that much considering I was helping with the cart nearly the whole time. By the time we finally got back to the visitor's center, we were all soaking wet and exhausted. Hopefully that golf cart has been fixed by now! Next stop: The Star Fort, at Ninety-Six, South Carolina!
Standards
- 8.2.CX Contextualize the roles of various groups of South Carolinians as the colonies moved toward becoming an independent nation.
- This indicator was developed to encourage inquiry into the motivations of colonists during the American Revolution and the progression of conflict and failed compromise that ultimately led to revolution.
