Hobkirk’s Hill

As the second battle of Camden, which took place on the current Hobkirk Hill on August 25^th, 1781, receives more attention, the debate over the proper name for that battle becomes a more common topic for discussion.

According to Kirkland and Kennedy (Historic Camden, Part 1, 1905, page 235), Hobkirk Hill gets its name from a man named Hobkirk, who owned land near Camden in the eighteenth century. To neighbors of the time, the description as Hobkirk’s hill refers to the property possessed by Mr. Hobkirk, just as someone would refer to Joe’s house or Grandpa’s farm. Only after the possession designation evolves into an official name does the apostrophe and “s” designating possession disappear. This evolution has led to the current use of Hobkirk Hill as the name for the hill on Broad Street. Current day Brevard Place probably started out as locals referring to the place owned by Brevard; hence, Brevard’s place became Brevard Place.

Many examples of the use of the possessive Hobkirk’s in association with the battle exist. Lord Rawdon, in a letter to Earl Cornwallis, on April 26, 1781, makes reference to “Hobkirk’s Hill”.

Samuel Mathis, a resident of Camden at the time, in a letter to General William Davie, starts with “Account of the Battle of Hobkirk’s Hill…” and always refers to the location as “Hobkirk’s Hill” (except where he refers to it as “Big Sand Hill”, as he says it was known at the time of the letter [1810]).

A map drawn by Captain Valancey, in 1783, shows the name “Battle of Hobkirk’s Hill” and shows the name of the hill as Hobkirk’s Hill.

Today, saying that the battle was fought on Hobkirk Hill does not make it the Battle of Hobkirk Hill.

A review of history after the battle reveals the evolution of the name. The J. H. Colton's topographical map of North and South Carolina (New York Printed by Lang & Laing 1861) shows Hobkirk’s Hill. The Making of South Carolina (Henry Alexander White, 1906, page 153) refers to “the field at Hobkirk’s Hill”, using the form in a description of the location and not in the name of the battle. In The History of South Carolina, Volume 2 (David Duncan Wallace, 1934, page 269), talks about “at Hobkirk Hill” and does not use the name of the battle. Then, in South Carolina, A Short History (Wallace, 1951, page 315) Wallace talks about “on Hobkirk Hill” under a section titled “Guilford Courthouse and Hobkirk’s Hill”, thereby using the possessive form when referring to the name of the battle. Finally, in South Carolina, A History (Walter Edgar, 1998, page 237), Edgar talks about “the battle at Hobkirk’s Hill”.

Current residents of Camden know that the hill on Broad Street at Greene Street is Hobkirk Hill. The battle that took place there in 1781 was the Battle of Hobkirk’s Hill.