Bamberg County unveils Revolutionary War monument for 250th anniversary

Bamberg County dedicated its new Revolutionary War plaza and “Back Country Patriots” monument at 11 a.m. on June 27 at 3023 Railroad Avenue in Bamberg, turning a 250th-anniversary project into a permanent fixture in the county seat. County leaders have framed the site as more than a ceremonial marker: it is an expansion of the Bamberg County Veterans Trail, built in brick, lined with plaques and set in a public space where history is meant to be seen, not just remembered.

The project took nearly three years of collaboration between Bamberg County and the South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission, which awarded the county a $100,000 grant. County officials described the monument as the first of its kind for Bamberg County, and the dedication drew dignitaries from across South Carolina and Virginia. Joey Preston served as master of ceremonies, while the Presentation of the Colors was handled by the South Carolina State Guard Honor Guard and Fell and Fair Revolutionary War Color Guard. Ezekiel White sang the national anthem.

The monument’s sculpture shows two soldiers, one Black and one White, standing back-to-back. South Carolina 250 says the work is based on careful research and presents documented names of Revolutionary War participants from the Bamberg County region, including African American and Native American individuals whose roles were often recorded only in fragments. The county said the project honors African American, Native American, women and Patriot soldiers, tying the local installation to the broader Revolutionary War-era commemoration that South Carolina 250 places between 1770 and 1783.

Brad Spencer, the artist, brought his own history to the commission, growing up near the Guilford Courthouse battlefield in North Carolina. That personal link helped make the work feel grounded in place as well as memory, and the county used the dedication to elevate people whose names have long sat in family stories and archival edges. Billy Delk spoke about George and Catherine Hartzog, and the county said Catherine Hartzog was the only female Revolutionary War contributor from the region whose name has been identified.

The speakers list reflected how broadly Bamberg County wanted the monument to speak: retired Maj. Gen. Abraham Turner, SC National Guard Deputy Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Jones, Virginia Society Sons of the American Revolution State President Darrin Schmidt, Bamberg County Council Chairwoman Michelle Martin, SC250 Commission Vice Chairman Bill Davies, SC State Guard Commander and Richland County Sheriff Maj. Gen. Leon Lott, Edisto Natchez-Kusso Tribe Chief Dr. John Glenn Creel, Historic Society of Bamberg County President Nancy Foster and Delk all took part. South Carolina 250 says the county’s legacy is already preserved through historical markers, family accounts and community traditions, and the new plaza gives that history a visible stop on Railroad Avenue for residents, students and visitors moving through downtown Bamberg.