A Weekend Getaway Exploring Revolutionary War Battlefields and Museums in Camden

Camden is the oldest inland town in South Carolina. And in the 1700s, it was the most critical town outside Charleston. After the British captured Charleston in 1780, they set their sights on Camden.

British General Lord Cornwallis, in command of all southern troops after the Fall of Charleston, knew that Camden was a vital link in his plan to invade North Carolina. A garrison captured the town and built a strong palisade manned by a garrison. But Cornwallis underestimated the potential of militias, and less than a year later, the British hastily abandoned Camden.

Learn about the places where you can explore the history of the Revolutionary War with a weekend getaway to Camden.

Friday

3 p.m. – Explore the Revolutionary War Visitor Center

When the Revolutionary War Visitor Center opened in 2021, visitors were treated to the best museum and source of information about the American Revolution in South Carolina. “This is the visitor center for the Southern Campaign of the Revolutionary War,” Rickie Good, museum manager, explained.

The museum features informative displays, chronologies and lists of the Revolution's influential people, battles and locations in the south. One of the most fascinating exhibits of the museum are the lifelike mannequins dressed as British Regulars, American Continentals and Patriot militia—it brings the museum to life like walking through a picture book.

212 Broad St, Camden, SC | 803-272-0076

Insider Tip: The Revolutionary War Visitor Center is also a great place to get local information about restaurants, attractions and shopping.

5 p.m. – Visit Johann de Kalb’s Gravesite

In 1777, Johann de Kalb and a very young Marquis de Lafayette landed on North Island near Georgetown. The pair traveled the King’s Highway to Philadelphia, where they offered their military services to the Continental Congress. De Kalb was granted an honorary title of major general but offered no real command of soldiers.

Frustrated at Congress for failing to utilize his vast military experience, de Kalb nearly returned home to France. It took another two years before he was given his first real command in the war. He was ordered to take Continental soldiers from Maryland and Delaware and meet General Horatio Gates in North Carolina.

They were bound for Camden.

Sometime after the militia fled, and probably sometime after Gates rode away in a panic, de Kalb suffered eight bayonet and three bullet wounds. He lay on the battlefield beneath the longleaf pines, mortally wounded. Dr. Isaac Alexander treated de Kalb’s wounds, but he died three days later in Camden.

On March 8, 1825, the Marquis de Lafayette visited Camden on his whirlwind tour across the country. During his visit, de Kalb’s body was reinterred in a new monument built in front of Bethesda Presbyterian Church. The monument is viewable from the road, and there is plenty of public parking to get out and see it closer.

502 E Dekalb St, Camden, SC | 803-432-4593

6 p.m. – Get Dinner at Camden House of Pizza

Georgia Megadrosos loves serving pizza. Her parents bought the small restaurant over thirty years ago, and she’s brought oven-hot, fresh pies to people’s tables for the past twenty. Murals of Greece and Italy adorn the walls above large tables at Camden House of Pizza, and a Greek blue awning hangs over the entrance.

The menu features a large selection of homemade pizza, but you’ll also find Greek dinners, Italian dishes, stromboli and subs.

545 E Dekalb St, Camden, SC | 803-432-1446 

Saturday

9 a.m. – Books on Broad and Coffee

Start the day with fresh coffee in a local bookstore. Books on Broad and Coffee has an excellent selection of local interest books to help you discover more about the area. Comfy armchairs invite people to sit to enjoy the coffee—the perfect way to start a long day of exploration.

944 Broad St, Camden, SC | 803-713-7323

10 a.m. – Explore Downtown Camden

Go for a walk along Broad Street to explore downtown Camden’s boutique clothing stores, gift shops and antique stores. Menagerie is a multi-level antique store with neatly organized furniture, decor, and every household accessory. The Rooster Trot is a home furnishings store featuring local artwork and handmade decor. Littlefield Growers is a locally-owned nursery—during the summer months, the curbside overflows with gorgeous flowers and potted plants ready to take home.

And if you need a break, find the alley connecting the business fronts with the Town Green. You’ll find the statues of Joseph Kershaw, founder of the town, meeting with King Hagler, a Native American leader. The park has a few benches so you can take a break.

Insider Tip: Skip the parallel parking on Broad Street and find ample public parking behind the row of businesses. Turn into the parking area from Rutledge or Market Streets. If you need directions, plug “Town Square” into your navigation app.

12 p.m. – Historic Camden

The Battle of Camden happened 15 minutes north of town. The Battle of Hobkirk’s Hill happened at the edge of town. But in the middle of town, the British established a large fort and commandeered Joseph Kershaw’s incomplete house as their headquarters. They built an enormous stockade fort and redouts for protection.

Historic Camden is a 100-acre site preserving the grounds of the British garrison. The site features several historic structures like the 1800 Bradley House, the 1812 Drakeford House built by Revolutionary War Patriot Richard Drakeford and a reconstruction of the Kershaw-Cornwallis House. Visit during the week for peaceful exploration of the houses and grounds or come on the weekends for living history demonstrations and guided tours.

222 Broad St, Camden, SC | 803-432-9841

Don’t Miss: The annual Revolutionary War Field Days draws hundreds of reenactors to Camden for a weekend of living history, demonstrations and a reenactment of the Battle of Camden.

2 p.m. – Visit the Camden Archives & Museum

The Camden Archives & Museum is one of the best-kept secrets for out-of-town visitors. Located in a former Carnegie Library, the building houses one of the best genealogical research centers in South Carolina. The small library contains nearly every local interest book published, including several books about the Revolutionary War.

Explore the museum to see exhibits about the Revolutionary War battles in Camden, the Ross E. Beard Jr. Collection of antique firearms, and learn about the history of the Boykin Spaniel and its connection to Camden.

1314 Broad St, Camden, SC | 803-425-6050 

3 p.m. –  Take a Drive to the Camden Battlefield

The Fall of Charleston on May 12, 1780, was the biggest defeat for the Americans in the Revolutionary War, but it wasn’t the lowest point. That would come three months later when General Horatio Gates clashed with British General Lord Cornwallis.

In the early hours of August 16, 1780, the advance guards of both armies collided along the road between Camden and Charlotte. When the remainder of the armies arrived, they lined up in typical European fashion. But Gates made a crucial mistake—he deployed untrained Virginia and North Carolina militia to his left flank directly opposite the seasoned soldiers of the 23rd Regiment of Foot. After an initial volley, the British charged, and the militia fled at the sight of bayonets.

As the left flank collapsed, General Johann de Kalb continued to hold the line with his Maryland Continentals. But after his horse was shot out from under him, de Kalb was mortally wounded with eight bayonet and three bullet wounds.

Seeing his “grand army” in tatters, Gates fled the battlefield, arriving in Charlotte by midnight on the same day. There were 1,000 Americans killed, and the last Continental army in the south was disbanded.

Flat Rock Road cuts through the middle of the battlefield today. On the side of the two-lane highway, a large parking area contains a marker dedicated to de Kalb. A few trails meander through the longleaf pine forest. The 0.7-mile West Battlefield Loop Trail explores the battlefield across the road, while the 0.4-mile Great Road Trail parallels the highway.

1698 Flat Rock Rd, Camden, SC

5 p.m. – Get Drinks at Broad and Vine

Broad and Vine isn’t a novel idea, but it’s something new to Camden: a self-serve wine bar. The concept is simple: you exchange a debit or credit card for a wine card and a wine glass at the door. Browse the wine selections safely ensconced behind locked glass doors. When you find what you want, insert the card, select a pour size and get your own wine.

Waitresses are available to help with selection and bring food—the kitchen offers charcuterie boards and snacks like freshly baked pretzels and beer cheese. Sit back in the comfortable upholstered chairs and admire the gorgeous space, formerly a beauty parlor and a bank before that.

1025 Broad St, Camden, SC | 803-713-7898 

7 p.m. – Get Dinner at Sam Kendall’s

With hardwood floors, brick walls and a tin metal ceiling, Sam Kendall’s is the casual upscale dining experience in Camden. Meals of steak, seafood and sandwiches are meticulously planned, prepared and served on white plates. At night, wall sconces and pendant lamps cast a romanticized quality of light throughout the narrow restaurant.

1043 Broad St, Camden, SC | 803-424-2005 

Sunday

10 a.m. – Take a Drive Through the Quaker Cemetery

The Quaker Burying Ground is a four-acre site of a wide array of gravesites. The land was deeded to the Quakers in 1759 for their burial ground—their meeting house, or church, was nearby. As you drive through the cemetery, keep an eye out for half barrel-shaped brick structures—a Quaker gravesite.

Many Patriots are buried in the cemetery, including Captain Benjamin Carter, the soldier who discovered de Kalb’s hasty grave and reinterred him later. Additionally, the gravesite of Dr. Isaac Alexander, the doctor who treated de Kalb for three days, is in the cemetery. Joseph Brevard is also buried in the cemetery. Brevard fought in the Revolutionary War along with his seven other brothers.

713 Meeting St, Camden, SC | 803-432-4356