Veterans Find New Meaning of "Recovery" Through Archaeology at Camden

Alight fog gently blanketed the ground on the quiet and peaceful Camden Battlefield, which, nearly 250 years ago, saw vicious fighting and one of the most crushing Continental defeats of the Revolutionary War. As the sun began to peek through the trees, the sounds of leaves rustling and birds chirping were interrupted by electronic beeps and buzzes. Military veterans had arrived on the battlefield. Armed with metal detectors, they were searching for a deeper understanding of Camden’s history as part of a four-week archaeological field school, born out of a collaboration with the American Battlefield Trust and the Historic Camden Foundation. 

The nonprofit organization American Veterans Archaeological Recovery (AVAR) uses rehabilitation archaeology to support veterans experiencing service-related physical or mental health disabilities, positioning them alongside professional archaeologists. The Trust has supported several previous AVAR projects, including at Saratoga and Minute Man National Historical Parks, but this is the first time it welcomed the group to land it has directly protected. Since its inception in 2016 and through Trust support, AVAR has increasingly specialized in conflict archaeology and setting interested participants on a path toward industry-leading professional services in the sector.

“AVAR’s mission demonstrates multiple ways in which preserved battlefields remain impactful: as a means for us to deepen our understanding of the past through tangible exploration and as a venue for the betterment of the mental and physical well-being of veterans,” said Trust President David Duncan. “We were honored to bring this immensely impactful program to Trust-owned land and be a part of this meaningful mission.”

“The American Battlefield Trust has been one of our most steadfast partners,” said AVAR CEO Stephen Humphreys. “We are both trying to protect these sites, and the Trust has been crucial in the way our program has developed, allowing us to help these veterans.” 

“This has been one of the greatest things I’ve done to improve my life since getting out of the military.”

The group, made up of more than a dozen veterans, studied the Revolutionary War battlefield and colonial settlement in Camden, advancing understanding of the historic land while aiding veterans’ reintegration into civilian society by providing marketable skills and education. 

Mackenze Burkhart, AVAR operations manager, said that veterans are uniquely positioned to tackle conflict archaeology projects. “There’s nobody that understands a battlefield to the same extent that veterans do,” said Burkhart, who has been with the organization since 2020. “When you’re thinking about the camaraderie of the people who fought here together and died here together, our teams can imagine that. They’re creating that camaraderie in a modern sense, as veterans who are looking for continued purpose and growth after their experience in the military.” 

In addition to AVAR staff, the field school was supported by the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology (SCIAA). While the high costs of field schools often present a barrier to entry, this partnership absorbed the cost for veterans participating in the field school at Camden. “This has been one of the greatest things I’ve done to improve my life since getting out of the military,” said Daniel Fortier, a veteran who first worked with AVAR in May of 2023. “I never thought I’d be able to work again, and now I have the opportunity.” 

The Battle of Camden was a brutal defeat for the Americans early in the Southern Campaigns of the Revolution. After capturing Charleston in May 1780, British General Charles, Lord Cornwallis established a garrison at Camden to control the South Carolina backcountry. A Continental force under General Horatio Gates came south in response, and the armies made contact north of Camden early on August 16. A flawed battle array pitted Gates’s inexperienced Virginia militia against regiments of veteran British regulars, who launched a devastating bayonet assault. The Virginia militia retreated, as did North Carolina militia, but Continental Regulars from Maryland and Delaware withstood the onslaught until nearly surrounded. As was typical following a Revolutionary War battle, many of the dead were buried near where they fell. Last year, after erosion threatened to expose them, 12 sets of such remains were reinterred in modern Camden cemeteries. 

The archaeological study conducted during the field school went far beyond finding relics of the past, it also helped complete understanding of how events unfolded. Every buckshot, musket ball or other artifact found by the veteran archaeologists-in-training was entered into a GPS tracking program. Together, the location of the objects presents a clearer picture of the extent of the battle, troop movements and other insights into the action on that site in 1780. 

Humphreys emphasized that he does not like to come to a site with a preconceived notion about the story of the battle, as that could limit the potential for discovery. “Archaeology allows us to tell a different side of the story that may not have the same biases as texts. Officers sometimes want to exaggerate their own actions or cover their mistakes,” said Humphreys. “Archaeology can really fill in some of those gaps, as well as tell the stories of the regular rank-and-file soldier.” 

The Trust has preserved more than 294 acres of hallowed ground on the Camden Battlefield. The battlefield is also featured as a primary site on the Trust’s Liberty Trail–SC app, made in a partnership with the South Carolina Battleground Trust. The app connects battlefields across South Carolina and tells the captivating and inspiring stories of this transformative chapter of American history, including at Camden.