Victory at Eutaw Springs! Witness Tree to the Revolution Standing Strong Once More

Earlier this summer, we asked for your help in protecting an extraordinary witness to American history: a centuries-old live oak tree standing on preserved land at the Eutaw Springs Battlefield in South Carolina. This remarkable tree was already decades old when Patriot and British forces clashed around it on September 8, 1781.

Thanks to the generous support of Trust members, work is already underway to save the 330-year-old tree, affectionately nicknamed “Caty Greene” in honor of General Nathanael Greene’s wife. Expert arborists from SavATree have already:

• Cleared away competition, removing invasive vines and non-native species that were choking the tree and competing for vital resources.
• Pruned for safety and vigor, removing dead and damaged limbs.
• Addressed root compaction, working the soil around the root system and introducing a natural bio-stimulant through hydraulic injection to help restore nutrient flow.
• Opened up the canopy to sunlight, removing smaller trees competing with the ancient oak for light and resources.
• Replaced failing support cables. Decades-old cables had become embedded in the bark and were restricting the tree’s growth. Those have now been removed and replaced with a modern support system.
• Installed lightning protection to guard against future strikes — an especially important safeguard for a tree of this size, age and history.

The Battle of Eutaw Springs

On September 8, 1781, Patriot forces under Major General Nathanael Greene attacked British troops commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Stewart at Eutaw Springs. The fighting swept across the land where this tree still stands today. Elements of Stewart’s force camped in its shade, and Loyalist and British troops clashed with Virginia Continentals on the four-acre property the Trust and its partners protected in 2023.

The Battle of Eutaw Springs was the last major Revolutionary War battle fought in South Carolina. Although both sides claimed victory, the battle further weakened British control in the South and helped pave the way toward American independence.

In the nearly 250 years since the battle, the tree has weathered some of the most powerful hurricanes ever to strike our shores, as well as droughts, floods and even a lightning strike roughly 50 years ago that split the tree beneath a major limb junction.

Decades ago, steel cables and chains were installed to support the tree’s massive, splitting limbs, likely in response to that lightning damage. Over the years, as the tree continued to grow, that hardware slowly cut deep into its bark, restricting growth and creating serious structural risk. The very support systems meant to protect the tree were slowly endangering it.  

But not anymore.

Check out these news articles featuring "Caty Greene"

• The Associated Press – “Preservationists are working to extend the life of a rare Revolutionary War ‘witness tree’”
• South Carolina Public Radio – “300-year-old ‘Witness Tree’ at Eutaw Springs undergoes restoration for America’s 250th”
• USA TODAY – “This one-of-a-kind tree is in trouble. Can it be saved?”