Camden -- South Carolina’s oldest inland city -- will be hosting its 41st annual Revolutionary War Field Days on Saturday, Nov. 5, and Sunday, Nov. 6, at the war site on South Broad Street. Organizers are expecting about 500 re-enactors to be on hand to interpret life on the Southern Campaign trail and re-live the Battle of Camden.

According to the South Carolina Encyclopedia, British and Continental forces -- commanded by Charles, Lord Cornwallis and Maj. Gen. Horatio Gates, respectively -- clashed on the field of battle just north of Camden in the summer of 1780. Outnumbered and outgunned, the American army was defeated. About 800 Americans were killed or wounded and another thousand captured, a terrible loss for the Continental army.

Over the next few months, Camden became an important base of operations for the British and in which supplies were assembled.

The site of the Battle of Camden will open at 10 a.m. on Nov. 5 and visitors will be free to observe demonstrations in military and civilian camps until 5 p.m. The British encampment will be on the upper grounds, and the American camp on the lower grounds. At 1:30 p.m., the Battle of Camden will be waged again -- visitors can safely view the fight from below the ditch.

Activities for youngsters will held at the Kershaw-Cornwallis House, and a roundtable discussion will be in the basement. Tours of the house, which was originally built in 1777 but reconstructed 1977, will be conducted throughout the weekend.

At 10 a.m. on Sunday, the site opens again and the day will be filled with uniform and weapons exhibits and tradesmen demonstrations. Re-enactors will begin to break camp at 3 p.m.

Daily admission is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors older than 62 and military, $4 for children ages 6-12, and children younger than 6 are admitted free. A family package for 2 adults and 3 children younger than 12 is $20. Visitors will find food concessions and free parking. Organizers ask that visitors please leave pets at home.

The Historic Camden War Site is located on South Broad Street, 1.4 miles on U.S. 521 North from Interstate 20, Exit 98.