A group of disabled veterans recently came together to unearth the battlefield of revolutionary war, which was far from normal excavation.
The project was organized by the American Veterans Archaeological Recovery (AVAR), and took place for four weeks and ended in February.
Fourteen veterans came to Carshaw County, South Carolina, and unearthed the location of the Battle of Camden fought in August 1780.
Avar founder Stephen Humphreys told Fox News Digital that archaeologists in training were using GPS receivers to collect spatial data to learn more about battles that were considered a catastrophic loss for the colonial forces.
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“A lot of Americans haven’t heard of it…but it’s a very important battle, especially in the South and the North,” the expert explained. “One of the big research questions is how much American militia fights, as American militias take the brunt of responsibility for actually losing the fight.”
American veteran archaeological recovery recently led an excavation on the Camden battlefield in South Carolina. (American Battlefield Trust)
Part of the mission was to improve a historical understanding of conflict by gathering sufficient data to generate a heat map of combat movements.
“The textual sources of American militias show that they break almost immediately… and we say, “Archeologically, is that true?” “So we work in these areas and see how many American fires there are here. How many engagements were American militias before they actually retreated?”
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Looking for old artifacts may sound easier than what Avar archaeologists do, but Humphreys emphasized that collecting spatial data can help shed more light on the movements of the battle.
“(We) use intensive metal detector investigations to plan exactly where the different forces were in combat and what the movements were,” he explained. “We’re getting spatial data for all the musketballs found on the site and plotting it on a huge GIS (Geographic Information Systems) map. This allows ideally to see some of these units on the day of battle and where they aren’t.”
The group includes more than 12 veterans, many of which have been disabled. (American Battlefield Trust)
“And you’re basically a heat map that shows the battlefield patterns after all, and use it to assess where the troops are firing, where they are firing,” Humphries added.
Humphries, a US Air Force veteran deployed during the Iraqi Freedom and Operations Operations, holds a PhD. Archaeology at Durham University. He took part in digging around the world, from Israel to Sicily and the UK.
Humphreys founded AVAR in 2016, giving veterans the opportunity to become archaeologists. Many of his students have brought unique traits to the field, and Humphreys noted that a significant portion of Avar’s veterans are disabled.
“They want to do the extra work… They have a deep appreciation for those sites as sacred ground.”
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“Most of our veterans have a variety of obstacles, but we really focus on the strengths they bring to the field,” Humphries said. “And because we use them, we are very focused on conflict sites. We really find military veterans bring a unique understanding and unique respect to those sites.”
The founders of AVAR also said working on-site helps reduce stress, anxiety and depression symptoms in veterans with disabilities, but the main focus of AVAR is getting them work.
American Veterans Archaeological Restoration was founded in 2016 with a mission to help bring veterans into the field of archaeology. (American Battlefield Trust)
“They bring excellence and teamwork,” Humphries said of his veterans. “They can connect really, really quickly. They know how to get the job done. The work ethic of a veteran is truly outstanding in this field.”
“Our vets work harder than most other people, and they want it,” he added. “And they’re happy to do the extra work and find all the artifacts associated with that person and make the extra effort to tell that personal story.”
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Humphreys also described the American Revolution site as “special” and noted that veterans often feel attached to such areas.
“They have a deep appreciation for those sites as sacred ground,” he said. “You go out there and feel the wind blowing through the pine trees there right now, and it’s just there.”
Veteran archaeologists gathered spatial data to learn more about the Battle of Camden. (American Battlefield Trust)
Partner organizations for excavation include the American Battlefield Trust, the Historic Camden Foundation, the South Carolina American Revolutionary Trust, and the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology.
David Duncan, president of American Battlefield Trust, told Fox News Digital that it was an honor to be part of the excavation.
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“Abar’s mission illustrates multiple ways in which a preserved battlefield can maintain its impact. As a place to deepen understanding of the past through concrete exploration and improve the mental and physical well-being of veterans,” Duncan said.
“It was an honor to bring this highly influential program to a trustworthy land and participate in this meaningful program.”
Brooke Curto of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
