I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3074
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasi-
bility of designating the site of the Battle of Camden in South Carolina, 
as a unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 10, 2003
Mr. SPRATT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Resources 
A BILL 
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the suit-
ability and feasibility of designating the site of the Battle 
of Camden in South Carolina, as a unit of the National 
Park System, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. BATTLE OF CAMDEN SITE STUDY; REPORT. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Battle of Camden Study Act’’. 
(b) FINDINGS.—Congress finds as follows:
(1) The Battle of Camden, fought on August 
16, 1780, was a significant defeat for the Americans 
in the Revolutionary War. 
(2) Camden was an essential point of control 
for both armies in the Southern Campaign. The 
British used Camden as a logistical base for the in-
vasion of North Carolina and as a key recruitment 
and organizing point for Loyalists in South Caro-
lina. The Americans viewed Camden as the key to 
retaking South Carolina. 
(3) Major General Horatio Gates, commander 
of the American Southern Command, led an army of 
approximately 3,700 against Camden, which was de-
fended by British General Lord Charles Cornwallis 
with an army of approximately 2,200. 
(4) The Battle of Camden was one of the larg-
est field battles of the Revolution with both armies 
using a combination of infantry, calvary, and artil-
lery units. 
(5) Soldiers from 8 of what became the original 
13 States participated in the battle (South Carolina, 
Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Dela-
ware, New Jersey, and New York). 
(6) 68 British soldiers and hundreds of Ameri-
cans died in the Battle of Camden with many of the
dead remaining in unmarked graves at the battle-
field site. 
(7) The lessons learned by the Americans at the 
Battle of Camden sowed the seeds for the eventual 
American victory in the Revolutionary War 14 
months later. 
(8) In 1962, the site of the Battle of Camden 
was designated as a National Historic Landmark. 
(9) Development interests that are rapidly 
changing the use of surrounding land from forestry 
to residential and commercial use threaten the site 
of the Battle of Camden. 
(10) For several years, the National Park Serv-
ice has placed the Camden battlefield on the develop-
ment watch list and its 2003 strategic plan rec-
ommends that the status be changed to endangered. 
(11) In 2002, the Palmetto Conservation Foun-
dation acquired and preserved 310 acres at the core 
of the Battle of Camden. 
(12) Historic Camden, an affiliated area of the 
National Park System—
(A) is located approximately 6 miles from 
the site of the Battle of Camden; 
(B) was a colonial village founded in the 
1730s;
(C) was occupied by Lord Cornwallis from 
June 1780 to May 1781; and 
(D) was one of the few frontier settlements 
where two Revolutionary War battles were 
fought. 
(13) A March 2003 National Park Service re-
connaissance study concluded that further evaluation 
of the Battle of Camden and Historic Camden as a 
potential addition to the National Parks System was 
warranted. 
(c) STUDY; REPORT.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Inte-
rior (hereafter in this section referred to as the 
‘‘Secretary’’) shall conduct a study of the site of the 
Battle of Camden fought in South Carolina on Au-
gust 16, 1780, and the site of Historic Camden, 
which is currently a National Park System Affiliated 
Area. The study shall evaluate the national signifi-
cance of the sites and suitability and feasibility of 
designating the sites as a unit or as separate units 
of the National Park System. 
(2) CRITERIA.—In conducting the study re-
quired by paragraph (1), the Secretary shall use the 
criteria for the study of areas for potential inclusion
in the National Park System contained in section 8 
of Public Law 91–383. 
(3) CONTENTS.—The study required by para-
graph (1) shall—
(A) determine the suitability and feasibility 
of designating the sites as a unit or as separate 
units of the National Park System; 
(B) include cost estimates for any nec-
essary acquisition, development, operation, and 
maintenance of the sites; and 
(C) identify alternatives for the manage-
ment, administration, and protection of the 
area. 
(4) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the 
date funds are made available for the study, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the Committee on Resources 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a 
report on the findings, conclusions, and rec-
ommendations of the study.
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