Although many associate the Revolutionary War with the Northern colonies, the South became the main theatre of the Revolutionary War and ultimately played a key role in securing the Patriot victory.

Here in South Carolina, neighbor fought against neighbor in a merciless civil war that raged through the backcountry. In Abbeville County, settled in 1758 by the Scots-Irish and French Huguenots, lines were sharply drawn between local Patriots and Loyalists as early as 1775. Although figures like Andrew Pickens and John Bowie were early proponents of liberty, others, such as Alexander Cameron and the native Cherokees, allied themselves with the King. In the early days of the Revolution, fighting in Abbeville was characterized by skirmishes between settlers and the Cherokees, leading to the Second Cherokee War, which concluded with the Treaty of DeWitt’s Corner in 1777.

After Charleston fell to the British in 1780, the conflicts in Abbeville increased as neighbor fought against neighbor for what they each believed to be right. Abbeville County saw more action in the Revolution than in the later Civil War, with numerous battles and skirmishes fought within its borders. From chases across the Savannah River in what is now Calhoun Falls to the recently discovered site of the bloody Battle of Dunlap’s Defeat near present-day Due West.

Abbeville County is rich with Revolutionary War history and we invite you to explore through our Revolutionary Driving Tour and our Voices of the Revolution Exhibit.

Discover the Voices of the Revolution, an immersive exhibit that brings Abbeville County’s Revolutionary War history to life by sharing powerful, often untold stories from diverse perspectives. Through local voices, the exhibit reveals how this region experienced the war that shaped our nation.

The Abbeville County 250 Committee commemorates Abbeville County’s role in the American Revolution by educating the public, promoting local sites, and highlighting local figures who played a key role in this conflict.