It’s a Soldier’s Life at Cowpens National Battlefield

What’s the difference in a militia soldier and a continental soldier? What kind of weapons did they use? How was a soldier’s life different in 1781 than it is today? Find out the answers to these questions and more over the next two weekends.

Cowpens National Battlefield will have a Revolutionary War militia encampment on Saturday, May 31, 2008 from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. The South Carolina Independent Rangers, who portray Revolutionary War backwoods militia and teach visitors about 18^th century military and civilian life in the South Carolina backcountry, will have living history demonstrations behind the park Visitor Center. In addition to performing military drills and demonstrating 18^th century military life, they will give musket and rifle firing demonstrations at 10:30, 11:30, 2:30 and 3:30.

On June 7 – 8, 2008, the nonprofit educational group, 1^st Maryland/Southern Campaign, which portrays the Maryland Continental Soldiers during the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution, will set up a Continental soldier’s camp behind Cowpens National Battlefield Visitor Center and show how regular soldiers lived in the 18^th century. They will fire reproduction muskets on Saturday June 7 at 10:30, 11:30, 2:30 and 3:30.

In addition to the men performing military drills, women will demonstrate 18^th century domestic skills, such as cooking and sewing. On Sunday, the group will again demonstrate 18^th century camp life and domestic skills and perform military drills.

Cowpens National Battlefield is the site of the American victory over the British on January 17, 1781 and is located 10 miles west of Gaffney, SC, and 3 miles east of Chesnee, SC at the intersection of Highways 11, 110, and 221-A. Visitor Center hours are 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. daily, closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Days.

For more information, call [phone] or visit the Cowpens National Battlefield webpage at www.nps.gov/cowp/.

-NPS-