On Friday, March 6, the Outdoor Adventure Club (OAC) explored two Revolutionary War battle sites: Kings Mountain National Military Park and Cowpens National Battlefield. Both battle sites are located near the North Carolina border, and both sites played a significant role in the Revolutionary War. The sites are about 35 minutes apart.
First, OAC went to Kings Mountain National Military Park. We watched a short film depicting the battle between Loyalists led by Major Patrick Ferguson and Patriots led by Isaac Shelby and John Sevier. Major Ferguson lost his life in the battle and his grave rests on the hillside. We explored the battleground on a 1.5 mile asphalt path, which led to a monument atop Kings Mountain. We also visited a small exhibit area in the visitor center and learned more about the time period and weapons. The Patriot victory at Kings Mountain, fought on October 7, 1780, marked a turning point in the Revolutionary War.
After a picnic lunch, OAC drove to Cowpens National Battlefield. At Cowpens on January 17, 1781, Patriot leader General Daniel Morgan and his men defeated Colonel Banastre Tarleton and his British Legion. A short film at the visitor center provided an excellent overview of the Revolutionary War’s Southern campaign. The other short film brought the battle of Cowpens to life as a grandfather recounted the day to his grandson.
Currently, the visitor center has an exhibit on loan featuring Banastre Tarleton’s 1787 book about the Southern campaign and sketches he had drawn. We toured the Cowpens battlefield and enjoyed another fabulous adventure in South Carolina’s outdoors!
Photo caption: OAC members at Kings Mountain: Back Bob Cantarutti, Doneen Fitzsimmons. Front: Dan Murphy, Tracey Cantarutti, Mary Lou Kennedy.