Battlefield Memorial Park presents visitors and locals alike with a memorial to the hundreds who fought and died for freedom.
On October 9, 1779, more than 8,000 troops of three armies fought during the Revolutionary War Battle of Savannah. Located in the Coastal Heritage Society’s Tricentennial Park, Battlefield Memorial Park commemorates the second bloodiest battle of the war and marks where approximately 800 troops died or were wounded.
History
The Battle of Savannah was fought for control of the city. There were roughly 2,500 British defenders who wanted to keep Savannah within the clutches of the crown. They faced down a determined Allied force of 5,500 French and American troops. Soldiers from Haiti, Germany, Scotland, Ireland, Sweden, and Poland took part in the fighting. When the smoke cleared the city remained in British hands.
In 2003, the City of Savannah purchased the battlefield. Battlefield Park began with the hard work of Coastal Heritage Society archaeologists who found evidence of the original Spring Hill Redoubt in August 2005. Private donations and the support of the City of Savannah restored Battlefield Park as a memorial. Today, a century-old monument sits on top of the remains of the redoubt. A new earthen fortification shows visitors what the redoubt would have looked like.
800 Georgia granite stones represent the dead or wounded during the battle. The stones, arranged in ranks of ten, represent the attacking columns. Five such columns attacked British enemy lines.
Battlefield Memorial Park is located on the corner of Louisville and MLK, Jr. Blvd. between the Visitor’s Center and the Roundhouse Railroad Museum. For more information, call (912) 651-6825 or go to chsgeorgia.org. Guided tours and programs are available. Fees may apply.
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