Kettle Creek Battlefield
Why it's listed
Kettle Creek Battlefield, also called War Hill, is a 40-acre wooded tract encircling a 500-foot hill in Wilkes County, Georgia. On February 14, 1779, about 400 patriot frontiersmen under Colonels Andrew Pickens and John Dooly and Lt. Col. Elijah Clarke surprised a Loyalist force led by Col. James Boyd, who was mortally wounded. Only about 270 of roughly 700 Loyalists reached British forces afterward, and some 600 horses and much baggage were captured. The nomination describes it as one of the few Revolutionary War victories fought in Georgia and credits it with undermining British hopes of conquering the South through large-scale Tory recruitment. The hilltop carries a 1930 War Department monument, historical markers placed in 1958, and graves and monuments added in the 1960s and 1970s. Apart from an access road, a rechanneled creek and these features, the site is described as virtually unchanged since 1779. It has served as a public park.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the battle as one of the few Revolutionary War victories fought in Georgia, in which about 400 patriots surprised and defeated a larger Loyalist force. It argues the defeat thwarted British plans to conquer the South through mass Tory recruitment. The site is also described as remaining virtually as it was in 1779.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 75000617, listed June 26, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 9 mi. SW of Washington off Tyrone Rd., Washington |
|---|---|
| County | Wilkes County |
| Listed | June 26, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75000617 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | February 14, 1779 |
| Areas of significance | Military, Politics/Government, Social History |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition, wooded and used as a park, with a 1930 monument and later markers on the hilltop; nearby farmland was under developer options. |
| Acreage | 40 |
| Coordinates | 33.69078, -82.88616 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 75000617.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16893294
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.