I have lived most of my life within 40 miles of the Kettle Creek Battlefield in Wilkes County near the Taliaferro County line. I visited it for the first time yesterday on the way home from taking my Grandson out for his birthday lunch. I have been neglectful because even though the history of the Revolution interests me, the history of the Civil War interests me more. The site is in the middle of nowhere and not easy to get to and that did not help me put it higher on my list of things to see.
I should have gone much earlier. The battle was a minor affair. About 400 Patriots from SC and GA surprised about 800 Loyalists from NC who were on their way to try to join the English who had taken Augusta. It was important in that it was the first Patriot victory in the Georgia frontier country. I had studied up on the battle a bit before I went and viewing the terrain helped tremendously in understanding what happened there. They have acquired almost 250 acres that include the core of the battlefield. There are trails but my knee was not up to much trail walking through the pretty steeply rolling hills. The Federal government put up a monument there back in the 30s at the request of the DAR. I doubt that anyone affiliated with the cancel culture will ever be able to find it as the last mile or so of road is still dirt.
There was no one but me there during my visit and as with most battlefields that I have visited, I got a feeling of reverence there. When I got home I looked up the battle again on the internet and learned that the battlefield association had commissioned a very interesting archaeological study of the battlefield back in 2008. His report is included in full on their website and I spend another couple of hours going through it as it was very interesting.
He dug through a lot of historical documentation in addition to field work at the site. One tidbit that he uncovered was interesting in light of statements I have heard recently about how a militia would have no chance if shooting ever started. It illustrates a point that I believe that most of World has taken to heart concerning any thought of an invasion of America:
I should have gone much earlier. The battle was a minor affair. About 400 Patriots from SC and GA surprised about 800 Loyalists from NC who were on their way to try to join the English who had taken Augusta. It was important in that it was the first Patriot victory in the Georgia frontier country. I had studied up on the battle a bit before I went and viewing the terrain helped tremendously in understanding what happened there. They have acquired almost 250 acres that include the core of the battlefield. There are trails but my knee was not up to much trail walking through the pretty steeply rolling hills. The Federal government put up a monument there back in the 30s at the request of the DAR. I doubt that anyone affiliated with the cancel culture will ever be able to find it as the last mile or so of road is still dirt.
There was no one but me there during my visit and as with most battlefields that I have visited, I got a feeling of reverence there. When I got home I looked up the battle again on the internet and learned that the battlefield association had commissioned a very interesting archaeological study of the battlefield back in 2008. His report is included in full on their website and I spend another couple of hours going through it as it was very interesting.
He dug through a lot of historical documentation in addition to field work at the site. One tidbit that he uncovered was interesting in light of statements I have heard recently about how a militia would have no chance if shooting ever started. It illustrates a point that I believe that most of World has taken to heart concerning any thought of an invasion of America:
