For Immediate Release:
June 16, 2026
Contact:
Olivia Mitchell
Marketing Manager
Culture & Heritage Museums
www.chmuseums.org
803.909.7244
Battle Reenactments During SC250’s Anniversary Celebration
McCONNELLS, S.C. – Revolutionary War history is brought to life every July at the annual family favorite Battle of Huck’s Defeat reenactment, but this year is different. The two-day living history event joins York County and South Carolina’s observances of the nationwide 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.
Not just one battle, the weekend always hosts two different battles for visitors to see. This year, the Battle of Eutaw Springs will be portrayed on Sat. July 11 and tells the story of one of the last major Revolutionary War battles in the state where Patriot forces, led by Nathanael Greene, attacked British troops and trapped them, making them unable to reinforce Cornwallis at the Siege of Yorktown, effectively ending major fighting.
The Battle of Huck’s Defeat, which portrays the Patriot victory over British forces commanded by Capt. Christian Huck is a staple and this year it will play out on Sun. July 12, on the actual battle anniversary. This battle became known as an early turning point in the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution and helped revive Patriot morale during one of the darkest periods of the war. Battle reenactments both days will take place at 2 p.m.
Additional featured activities throughout the weekend include:
- Cavalry and artillery demonstrations
- Battlefield and preservation tours
- Reenactor camps and military encampments, plus interactive children’s militia drills
- Quill pen and ink letter writing
- 18th-century cooking and blacksmithing
- Interactive 18th century toys and games
- 18th century church service with Rev. Timothy Weiss (Sunday only at 10:30 a.m.)
Times for specific activities are listed at chmuseums.org/event/hucks/.
New special highlights this year include keynote presentations at noon each day, “Lines of Communication in Revolutionary America” by Lynn Heidelbaugh, curator at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum. Visitors will also have a chance for a meet and greet and to see replicas of letters, newspapers, and word-of-mouth messages that helped shape the course of the American Revolution.
The groundbreaking “American Revolution: The Augmented Exhibition” presented by the staff of the Charlotte Museum of History will make its first appearance in S.C. during the Huck’s Defeat reenactment weekend. Using immersive 360 degree technology, visitors will be transported back in time to explore the Huck’s Defeat story and the famous reaping hook scene right where it took place in 1780, when Col. Bratton’s wife, Martha, stood her ground in a courageous act for freedom.
Historians estimate that more Revolutionary War battles and skirmishes occurred in South Carolina than in any other colony. Historic Brattonsville offers visitors a unique chance to not just read about history, but to experience it for themselves and to see where the Revolution was won in the Carolina Backcounty.
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WHAT: Battle of Huck’s Defeat and 250th Commemoration
WHERE: Historic Brattonsville 1444 Brattonsville Rd. McConnells, S.C. 29726
WHEN: July 11-12, 2026 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
WEBSITE: chmuseums.org/event/hucks/
VISITOR SERVICES: 803.684.2327
IMAGE(S):
- Patriot soldiers take aim and fire during the Battle of Huck’s Defeat reenactment
- Soldier stands at the ready at the cannon during the live fire demonstration
- Augmented Reality tour technology takes visitors on a time traveling journey
Battle images courtesy of Culture & Heritage Museums. Augmented reality image courtesy of Charlotte Museum of History. Contact omitchell@chmuseums.org for high resolution images.
About Historic Brattonsville:
Historic Brattonsville is a living history site that presents the agricultural and social history of the Carolina Piedmont from the American Revolution through the Reconstruction Era. The site features over 30 historic structures, including family houses, that provide the setting for the story of the Brattons, those enslaved on the plantation, and the Enslaved Ancestral Burial Ground, the final resting place of 481 people of African descent. The site spreads over 800-acres and comprises farmed land with heritage breed animals, a Revolutionary War battlefield, and a nature preserve with miles of walking trails. Seasonal events, reenactments, and living history programs interpret life in the 18th and 19th centuries. Historic Brattonsville is included in The Green Book of South Carolina – a travel guide to African American cultural sites.
Charlotte Museum of History:
The Charlotte Museum of History, a Smithsonian Affiliate, exists to save and share the Charlotte region’s history, helping create a better understanding of the past and inspiring dialogue about the future. The museum is the steward of the oldest home in Mecklenburg County, the 1774 Hezekiah Alexander Rock House and homesite, as well as the historic Siloam School, both of which are on the National Register of Historic Places. Visit charlottemuseum.org and follow the museum on Facebook and Instagram. The museum is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Smithsonian Speaker:
Lynn Heidelbaugh is a curator at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum, where she specializes in research for exhibitions, publications, and collection acquisitions on the history of the U.S. Postal Service, military mail, and the material culture of letter writing. Ms. Heidelbaugh was awarded the Smithsonian Secretary’s Research Prize for an exhibition in 2018 and a book in 2023. Her co-authored publication Routes to a Nation: The Post Office in the Colonies and the Early United States, which features the National Postal Museum’s collections, will be released in October 2026.
Making History, Making Change:
This program is part of the Making History, Making Change Lecture Series. Organized by Smithsonian Affiliations as part of the Smithsonian’s Our Shared Future: 250, the series is a national collaboration between the Smithsonian and 25 Smithsonian Affiliate organizations, featuring expert-led talks that explore the people, moments, and ideals that have shaped—and continue to shape—the American experience. It is supported in part by the Dreier Family, Johanna and Ken Kim Family, Vaishali Shah Chadha and Family, and Michael Vu & Meridel Bulle-Vu.