South Carolina Backcountry Revolutionary War Sites

Entrance to Ninety-Six National Historic Site

The Ninety-Six National Historic Site is located in Greenwood County SC, just off of SC 248, about two miles south of the modern-day town of Ninety-Six.

The rather unusual name of Ninety-Six purportedly arose from the fact that this site lay on the main trail that led from Charleston to the principal Cherokee town of Keowee; the site was marked, on an early map of South Carolina, as being about ninety-six miles from Keowee.

During the Revolution two battles/sieges took place at Ninety-Six.  One battle, relatively minor in nature, took place on 19-21 November 1775 between Tory and Whig militias.  However, the principal conflict at this site was the American siege of the British Star Fort, that took place from 22 May through 19 June 1781.  The Americans were led by General Nathaniel Green while the British forces, all American Tories, were commanded by Colonel John Cruger. The American siege failed; even so, the British soon abandoned the site and withdrew the fort's garrison  to Charleston.

Entrance Sign to the Ninety-Six National Historic Site.