WAR IN SOUTH CAROLINA (Mark)

We are camped - though in the trailer it is more "glamp" than "camp - in Sesquicentennial State Park.  Nice and quiet, surrounded by lots of tall trees.  Cheri was on a mission today to see quilt shops and architectural salvage shops.  She will have to fill you in on her day later. 

She dropped me off in a parking lot on the side of the road and drove away.  I had my camera, and the parking lot was the Revolutionary War History Center of Camden, South Carolina.  107 acres of history; I was set for the day.

Bonus points if you can tell me before looking at the picture below what these four men had in common.  Arthur Middleton, Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heywood, Jr. and Thomas Lynch, Jr.

My friend Dean from Monterey was the first person I had heard who described the Revolutionary War as the first Civil War which America fought.  Being here in the Southeast really does bring this to light.  Family fought against each other as Loyalist or Patriot.  Ben Franklin waged war against his son; excellent coverage of this is presented on the Ken Burns' Ben Franklin series.

Camden was important because it was a settlement linking the coastal areas to the backcountry.  The trade routes which the Indians used ran through the area, and this was the first inland settlement.  Control of this area was important to both sides.  As today’s post is heavy on history I will let those who are interested take the time to look up more on their own.

Construction of the Kershaw House began in 1771.  In 1780 it was seized by the British and fortified.  It became the headquarters for General Cornwallis and other officers.

Period-correct furnishings for the interior have been donated and purchased over time to replace what was lost in 1865.  Just walking on the old floors held in place with the square nails gives a feeling of standing on history.  Seeing the craftsmanship of the furniture, or the crown molding really is astonishing when you see how these things were built.  How many of the things we have today will still be here 250 years from now?

This is a cannon designed to fire four-pound cannonballs.  Inside the museum are a number of displays showing the various shot sizes and objects that could be used as projectiles.  Several of the defensive position redoubts are set up so you can get a feel of what it may have been like in those earlier times.

Major General Johann de Kalb was instrumental in the Battle of Camden.  After George Washington was elected president he toured the 13 states.  He made a point to visit Camden to honor de Kalb, who died in the battle.  Johann could have easily stayed in France and lived a life of luxury, but he choose to come and help with the Revolution.

Many different types of housing and buildings of the area are on the site.  This one a bit more modest than the Kershaw House.  Even though it is rough around the edges it would provide much needed shelter from the elements.

Details of life from this time period are fascinating to me.  This is a shovel handle carved from wood. 

Not being able to drive down to the hardware store and purchase a new shovel if you broke your existing one may have been motivating to not abuse the equipment you had.  Being able to see the construction details of a staircase built 250 years ago, which is still sturdy today, is educational to say the least.

And then, as we should do now, look for the beauty, sometimes found in little things.