Battle of Rivers Bridge

Eddie Richburg

Park Manager

Hello.  I am Eddie Richburg, Manager of Battle of Rivers Bridge State Historic Site.  I’m often asked how I became a park ranger.  The story is, I was 19 years old and my sister and I were on the way to a funeral. As we passed the entrance to Santee State Park, I told her I should go there and apply for a job. My sister hit the brakes and turned around saying that we had a little time to spare!  Apparently, applying for a part-time position in a three-piece suit was the way to go, because I was hired on the spot and told to report to work the next morning at 6 a.m.!  The next day, at the end of my shift, I was asked how I liked it. I stated that I now plan to retire as a park ranger. That was 33 years ago!

The actual battlefield is my favorite spot at Battle of Rivers Bridge. After reading the waysides along the Battlefield Trail and ending your walk at the cannon platform, step back and try to imagine what it must have sounded and looked like during the two days the battle lasted.  If you’re a first-time visitor to the park, make sure you do the “Take a Walk with a Soldier” activity. Grab a soldier’s card at the beginning of the Battlefield Trail. Read about that soldier, along with the waysides. After the walk, go to the museum and find out your soldiers fate.

**Our Ultimate Outsider stamp is located at the park kiosk near the office/community building. A stamp can also be found inside the office.

Rivers Bridge State Historic Site marks the site of one of the Confederacy’s last stands against General William T. Sherman’s sweep across the South. Of all the Civil War Sites in South Carolina, the Battle of Rivers Bridge is the only one in the State Parks system that is home to a preserved battlefield.

A 0.56-mile guided trail details the Battle of Rivers Bridge by way of interpretive panels along the trail. Ranger-guided tours of one of the most well-preserved Civil War sites in South Carolina, which includes still-intact earthen fortifications, are also given throughout the year.