Kettle Creek Battlefield – A Revolutionary War
A British force was encamped along Kettle Creek in eastern Georgia on February 14, 1779. A small band of American Patriots from eastern Georgia and South Carolina surprised these Loyalists. A rout ensued -- a stunning defeat of the stronger British forces. It was one of many encounters between British forces and colonists as the American Revolution dragged on. Located in Wilkes County, in east Georgia, is Kettle Creek Battlefield, site of one of a very few such engagements in Georgia.
In 2007 a report to Congress by the American Battlefield Protection Program called for this area to “be the focus of immediate and direct preservation measures.” Years of efforts followed to ensure such preservation by local citizens and history buffs, spearheaded by the Kettle Creek Battlefield Association (KCBA), the Daughters of the American Revolution, various conservation organizations and others.
Thus, two centuries after the battle, a significant portion of the site was purchased in 2017 by the American Battlefield Trust, protected by a conservation easement held by the Georgia Piedmont Land Trust and deeded to Wilkes County to become a park featuring the historic elements of this pivotal battle and for passive recreation.
Wilkes County has since added a loop trail, through a Georgia Department of Natural Resources grant, with a board walk, granite benches, informational signage and kiosk. Three walking bridges spanning Kettle Creek and a feeder creek aid visitor access. More improvements are planned.