Exploring the Revolutionary War Throughout South Carolina’s Lowcountry

Life was peaceful in the Lowcountry at the beginning of the American Revolution. But when the British captured Savannah in 1779, the area between Georgia and Charleston became a contentious battleground between roving parties of Patriots and Loyalists. Beaufort was occupied by the British for a short, uneventful period, and then the war ended.

Find out where you can explore the Revolutionary War in the Lowcountry between Walterboro, Hilton Head Island and Beaufort. Learn about museums to visit, restaurants with great local food and places to stay during your weekend getaway.

Friday

4 p.m. – Colleton County Museum

The Colleton County Museum is the perfect place to learn about the history, culture and the coastal landscapes of the region. Learn about the Revolutionary War battles fought in the county and some locals who were instrumental figures in the fight for independence. Browse the exhibit halls that bring history to life with macro artifacts and interpretive displays. Stop by the Marketplace Cafe for a quick bite and then browse for local arts and crafts and fresh produce in the gift shop.

506 E Washington St, Walterboro, SC | 843-549-2303

6 p.m. – Thomas Heyward Jr. Gravesite

Thomas Heyward Jr. was born on the family plantation in Ridgeland in 1746. Although he studied law at Middle Temple in London, Heyward supported American independence. Elected to the Second Continental Congress, he was one of four South Carolinians to sign the Declaration of Independence. Returning home, he served as artillery captain at the Battle of Port Royal and was captured at the Fall of Charleston in 1780. Exiled to St. Augustine, he eventually returned to Charleston to serve in the state legislature.

When he died in 1809, Heyward was laid to rest at the family plantation in a private cemetery. Today, the Thomas Heyward Jr. Gravesite is open to the public during daylight hours. A bronze bust mounts the grave marker that labels him as a “Patriot – Statesman – Soldier – Jurist.”

7790 Lowcountry Dr, Ridgeland, SC 29936

7 p.m. – Zion Chapel of Ease Cemetery

Standing beneath the shady oaks with countless cars zipping along the William Hilton Parkway, it’s hard to imagine that the Zion Chapel of Ease Cemetery was once the center of the Hilton Head Island community. At various points, the site was occupied by a Militia Muster House, Masonic Lodge and the Zion Chapel of Ease. Completed in 1788, it was the first chapel on the island.

During the Revolutionary War, the residents of Hilton Head Island supported independence. But nearby Daufuskie Island was a nest of Loyalists. During a nighttime raid in 1781, Loyalist Captain Phillip Martinangel mortally wounded Private Charles Davant—he was the only islander to die during the American Revolution.

The Zion Chapel of Ease Cemetery is open to the public during daylight hours. Four Patriots are buried in the cemetery, including Davant. During a small ceremony in 1996, a direct descendant of Davant’s unveiled a bronze plaque on his gravesite.

8 p.m. – Dinner at Coligny Beach Park

Ask a local to find downtown Hilton Head Island, and they’ll point you toward Coligny Beach Park. It’s as close as the island gets to discovering a bevy of local restaurants in one place.

FISH Casual Coastal Seafood has been around for longer than most on the island, serving fresh catch seafood and Lowcountry recipes. For better or worse, The Frosty Frog Cafe features the most variety on the menu of any restaurant on the island—choose from pizza, burgers, sandwiches, seafood and wings. The Sandbar features “beach plates,” large portions of American and Caribbean-inspired foods. Big Bamboo has some of the best burgers that pair perfectly with their cocktail menu.

Saturday

8 a.m. – Breakfast at Plantation Café & Deli

Since opening in 1974, Plantation Café & Deli has expanded to three locations in the Lowcountry: the north and south end of Hilton Head Island and Bluffton. Locals Vic Neeley and his sons Darrell and Will Neeley run the restaurants. The restaurant is known for serving large portions in the signature Plantation Classics meals—the True Country Breakfast includes two eggs, hashbrowns or grits, a choice of meat, bread, and two pancakes. But you can also choose from various other dishes like their country skillets, eggs benedict, omelets, or griddle items.

81 Pope Ave Unit C, Hilton Head Island, SC | 843-785-9020

10 a.m. – Parris Island Museum

You’ll have to pass through a security checkpoint to enter Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, but it’s easy enough—you just need a valid driver’s license and vehicle registration. Once on base, it only takes about ten minutes to find the Parris Island Museum. Learn about the battles of the Revolutionary War, Civil War and modern wars. And while you’re there, check out the fascinating artifacts from antique weapons to military uniforms.

111 Panama St, Beaufort, SC 29905 | 843-228-2951

12 p.m. – Beaufort History Museum

In 1798, the Beaufort Arsenal was built to provide a home for the Beaufort Volunteer Artillery, a military unit founded during the Revolutionary War. Today, the vibrant yellow concrete building resembling a castle is the city’s visitor center and Beaufort History Museum. Learn about the early Spanish explorers of the region, the events during the Revolutionary War, and how Reconstruction reshaped life in the South.

713 Craven St, Beaufort, SC | 843-785-9020

2 p.m. – Downtown Shopping

Don’t leave Beaufort without a new antique gadget, home decor or local interest book. Bay Street through downtown offers a little bit of every kind of shopping. Beaufort Belle Company is a great place to find women’s clothing. Cabana 22 features an entire store full of cutesy seaside home decor and gifts. At Monkey’s Uncle, you can shop for toys, board games and puzzles featuring local scenes. Take a walk through the Old Bay Marketplace to find Nevermore Books on Port Republic Street—the local bookshop has books by Pat Conroy and local history.

4 p.m. – Guided Tour of Beaufort

Did you know scenes from Forest Gump were filmed in Beaufort? And that Spanish moss is not Spanish nor moss? You can learn these things with a guided tour of Beaufort during your visit. Beaufort Tours offers the comfortable choice of a golf cart tour around the city, or you could cruise around as they did in the 1700s with a horse-drawn carriage tour by the Sea Island Carriage Company.

930 Bay St, Beaufort, SC | 843-476-7789

6 p.m. – Dinner on Bay Street

Hearth Wood Fired Pizza is the best place to go for excellent pizza. Choose from pre-set recipes or build your own from scratch. Q on Bay has a delicious barbecue menu, Plums Restaurant features local seafood and ingredients and Panini’s on the Waterfront is the place to go for Italian food. Head off Bay Street to Old Bull Tavern for various meals like duck, burgers, seafood and personal pizzas.

Sunday

10 a.m. – Breakfast in Beaufort

Breakfast in Beaufort comes down to two choices, but you can’t go wrong with either. Blackstone’s Café has a 20-year tradition of standing for the Pledge of Allegiance every morning at 8 a.m. sharp. Afterward, settle down to fluffy pancakes or creamy gravy on open-faced biscuits. At Rain -N- Bagels, choose a flavor of freshly baked bagel and the toppings, and the staff will make it to order while you enjoy the wonderful aroma in the small shop.

12 p.m. – Old Sheldon Church Ruins

The Old Sheldon Church Ruins are among the most magnificent ruins in South Carolina. Built from 1751–1757, the Prince William’s Parish Church was locally called Sheldon’s Church after the name of South Carolina Royal Governor William Bull’s nearby plantation. When British General Augustine Prevost failed to capture Charleston in 1779, he retreated to Savannah and burned the church along the way. It was rebuilt, but then General Sherman burned it again during the Civil War. Today, the towering pillars and walls stand just as they were built.

Old Sheldon Church Rd, Yemassee, SC