The Battle of Camden, which included a skirmish the night before, was a heavy loss for Colonial forces but a loss that led to British surrender at Yorktown. Tuesday, local and state dignitaries were joined by a representative of the British government and descendants of German-born Gen. Baron Johann de Kalb to commemorate the battle site and rededicate themselves to preserving its history for future generations.

``Through the smoke and haze of time, the courage shown on this battlefield will not be forgotten. The fight is not done,`` declared Crosby Lewis, chairman of the Palmetto Conservation Foundation, which owns the existing battle site acreage and is leading an effort to make it a national park.

Following his remarks, members of the Hobkirk Hill and Joseph Kershaw chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution and representatives of the Sons of the American Revolution placed wreaths in front of the stone marker dedicated to Baron de Kalb, who fought for the colonies.

The British, too, have not entirely forgotten their role in Camden. Gillian Cooper, public information officer for the British Consulate in Atlanta, confessed that before being invited to speak at the ceremony, she knew little of the battle, and thanked local historian Charles Baxley for some instruction.

``I would like to pay my respects to the British soldiers who fought here, especially in the brutal Southeastern heat,`` said Cooper in a nod to Tuesday's 90-plus-degree heat and eliciting a chuckle from the crowd. ``I would also like to pay respects but perhaps, not quite as much, to the rebel troops.``

Cooper said she now recognizes that the Battle of Camden was a watershed event, important to understanding the eventual defeat of British Gen. Lord Charles Cornwallis.

The National Park Service's Martha Bogle, outgoing superintendent of the Congaree National Park, said she could not think of a more appropriate place to be, having just wrapped up a four-month stint at Philadelphia's Independence Park, home of the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall.

``The Park Service has enjoyed a long relationship with Kershaw County,`` she said. ``There are three landmark sites here: Mulberry Plantation, Bethesda Presbyterian Church and, of course, the battle site.``

Bogle thanked the foundation for attaining about 20 percent of the 2,000 or so acres believed to make up the original battle site. The NPS, she said, provided a $25,000 grant for strategic preservation and interpretation of the site and has granted more money through its Save America's Treasures program.

In introducing State Sen. Vincent Sheheen, Lewis said Sheheen was responsible for obtaining $200,000 from the General Assembly to purchase more land connected to the battle site. Sheheen said that while he initially had doubts the foundation and its partners would accomplish the goals, the Battle of Camden council had a vision and great leadership, especially the leadership of the foundation's military historian, retired Brig. Gen. George Fields.

``George has just done an outstanding, outstanding job,`` said Sheheen. ``The battle to preserve this battle site reminds me of the actual battle -- we lost some battles, but we won the war. I told my colleagues in the assembly that if we as a people couldn't come up to the plate to preserve our heritage -- what these men fought, bled and died for -- then we weren't living up to that heritage. I think that resonated with them.``

Sheheen noted several long leaf pine plantings on the battle site.

``One-hundred years from now, they will be as they were then and my grandchildren -- who knows, even my children with the way people are living these days -- will be able to celebrate here,`` said Sheheen.

State Rep. Laurie Slade Funderburk, whose family owns land in the area, said they have appreciated having the chance to be good neighbors.

``What happened here 225 years ago was a collision of men and time. If it hadn't happened, where would we be?`` she asked those present. ``We need to build on their legacy and not deprive our children of it.``

Kershaw County Council Chairman Steve S. Kelly Jr. said he remembered coming to the battle site as a young boy with his father, hunting for artifacts. He applauded Tuesday's outstanding show of support and said that council appreciated being part of the national park status process. Kelly said Kershaw County earmarked $40,000 this year and $20,000 next year toward that effort.

``But the people in the community are the folks who encourage us and give us the impetus to do our part,`` said Kelly.

Camden Historic Landmarks Commission Chairman Clarence Mahoney then read his new Battle of Camden poem, which is available for purchase with all proceeds going toward work at the battle site.

Afterward, Phyllis Gale of the Hobkirk Hill Chapter of the DAR spoke about the chapter's ownership of the battle site, reading from excerpts of chapter meeting minutes. On July 10, 1907 -- the chapter's very first minutes -- there was a talk given on the marking of historic sites and places, especially the battles of Camden and Hobkirk Hill.

``At that same meeting, it was decided that granite from a quarry in Liberty Hill would be used as the stone for a de Kalb memorial,`` Gale said. ``One member called the stone 'handsome,' but, as you can see, it was likely an unfinished slab, really waste from the quarry.``

With the stone and one acre of land, the DAR established its preservation of the battle site. There was an option to purchase another 425 acres in 1930, Gale said, but with the economic times, the plan was abandoned. In 1942, five acres were donated, cleared and turned into de Kalb Park, making up what had been the DAR's preserve for decades. They recently deeded that acreage to the foundation.

Gale said she first learned of the Battle of Camden while still living in Vermont. She moved to Camden in the 1970s.

``We have been proud to own this site until the time when it could be developed properly,`` said Gale, eliciting the longest applause of the morning.

Baxley said it was an honor to stand on the battle's hallowed ground, noting that everyone present had played a part in getting the battle site to where it is today.

``It was a group effort with some great leaders -- an effort like a fabric where every thread is important. We want to put this site on the ground so everyone can understand the sacrifice made here. This is a graveyard of hundreds of brave soldiers,`` said Baxley.

The University of South Carolina's Institute of Archeology and Anthropology's Steven Smith said he and others have been working to catalog artifacts and interpret the site. He said trying to understand the distribution of artifacts found there should help interpret the battle.

``People have been coming to hunt for artifacts since August 17, 1780,`` said Smith.

The morning's final speaker was the foundation's Fields, with Lewis calling him the key to the battle site's success.

Fields thanked U.S. Rep. John Spratt, who was not in attendance, pointing out that Spratt introduced a bill funding a study to investigate the battle site's fitness as a national park. He also recognized the work performed by youthful offenders from the Wateree River Correctional Institution in clearing the site's underbrush, and the Catawba Valley Land Trust, from which the foundation purchased much of the initial site acreage.

``If Ms. Cooper doesn't mind my quoting Winston Churchill, who I understand was half-American and half-British, we're at the end of the beginning,`` pronounced Fields. ``It's taken us 225 years to get the plans and resources to come this far. I think in the next five years you will see immense change here. It's being returned to its original condition and is opening up its truths to the public.``