On August 19, 2010, Bethesda Presbyterian Church along with Historic Camden Foundation, Kershaw County, and The City of Camden will host a memorial ceremony in honor of the 230th anniversary of the death of Baron Johann de Kalb, “a German by birth, but in principle a citizen of the world”, who died fighting for America of mortal wounds received at the Battle of Camden.
The ceremony will take place at the Baron de Kalb monument located on the church grounds of Bethesda at 10:00 am. The public is invited to attend and light refreshments will be served after the ceremony, as well a tour of Bethesda Church, the beautiful circa 1822 National Landmark.
Among the notables who will eulogize the valiant de Kalb will be the German Consul General, Lutz H. Goergens Ph.D., Rev. William F. Summers of Bethesda, who will speak on the principles of liberty for which DeKalb gave his life, and the Mayor of Camden, Jeffrey Graham, who will speak on the interconnectedness of history, cultural-social factors, and economic prosperity in this area.
Lutz H. Goergens, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany received his Ph.D. in German Literature and History from the University in Tuebingen. His career with the German government has included heading economic sections at embassies all around the world including Turkey, Mexico, Algeria, and Tunisia. He was a Fellow in Foreign Service at Georgetown University, Washington D.C. Other career assignments have included Political Counselor to the OAS, Deputy Head of European Parliamentary Affairs - Federal Foreign Office in Bonn, Head of European Internal Market Affairs - Federal Foreign Office in Berlin, and Deputy Consul General for the Southeastern United States. He became Consul General in 2007, and lives in Atlanta with his wife and four children.
Hengst and Weylchem are two German-owned companies in the Camden area, so there is a growing opportunity to facilitate trade and friendship between the people of the two countries. Baron de Kalb is recognized as an heroic figure by both the United States and Germany, so this commemorative event serves to honor the past, provide an opportunity for local German-Americans to be recognized, and help facilitate mutually beneficial economic initiatives in the area.
A laying of wreaths will be presented by the Hobkirk Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the South Carolina Sons of the American Revolution and the Consulate General to the Southeastern United States for the Federal Republic of Germany.
Baron de Kalb was born Johann George Kalb on June 29, 1721 in Hüttendorf, near Erlangen, Bavaria, Germany. The second son of peasant farmers Leonhard and Margarethe Kalb, he left home at age 16 to better his position in life. Learning French, English and the social skills necessary to obtain a military commission, he returned home briefly six years later with the rank of lieutenant. Although accounts conflict as to when exactly he assumed the false title of Baron to insure further promotions in military rank, he did so with success.
De Kalb served under Maurice of Saxony during the War of Austrian Succession. During the Seven Years War he served with distinction within the German Lowendal Regiment of the French army and later became a brigadier-general under Marshall Broglie. After the battle of Wilhelmsthal he obtained the Order of Military Merit, created in 1759 for Swiss and German Protestant officers is the French service.
At the end of the war, Kalb retired from a military career of 21 years. He had amassed a considerable fortune and purchased the palace of Milon la Chapelle near Paris. In 1764 he married Anna Elizabeth van Robais, the daughter of a wealthy Dutch linen manufacturer, and settled into the life of a landed nobleman.
The leisurely life did not suit the restless warrior, and in 1768 Baron de Kalb accepted an assignment from the French government to spy on British America to determine if the colonists were ready to rise up against their Mother Country, France’s arch enemy.
During his brief visit to America, de Kalb was captivated by the outspoken colonists and their smoldering thoughts of independence. His disguise aroused suspicion, however, and he was arrested briefly, then released. Sailing back to France, he advised his superiors to remain on the sidelines-- for the time being. He sailed, knowing that when the time did came, he would return and fight along side his new friends for Liberty.
The war erupted nine years later. In 1776, Baron de Kalb and his protégé, the nineteen-year-old Marquis de Lafayette, met Silas Deane and Benjamin Franklin in Paris. They were offered commissions and the next spring the two, along with several other European officers, set sail to America in Lafayette’s ship, the “Victoire,” landing in Georgetown, South Carolina.
Traveling overland to Philadelphia, the two offered their services to General George Washington. After several months, the decorated soldier was commissioned a major general and joined Washington’s main army, wintering at Valley Forge and serving at the New Jersey campaign.
During the early spring of 1780, Baron de Kalb received his first command and he and 1,400 Maryland and Delaware Continentals marched southward in April to re-enforce General Lincoln, commander of 5,500 American troops under siege at Charleston.
With Lincolin’s surrender to the British in May, de Kalb and his regiments became the lone American units in the Southern Department. In mid July, General Horatio Gates relieved de Kalb of his command and ordered the exhausted, starved army to march through unfriendly territories to Camden.
In the dawn battle fought at Gum Swamp on August 16, 1780, Baron de Kalb and his Maryland and Delaware Continentals fought valiantly, unaware that the bulk of the American army had fled with Gates not far behind.
An eye witness at the battle, Humphrey Hunter, later a North Carolina minister, described the painful incidents that led to Baron de Kalb’s demise:
"[I] saw the Baron, without suite or aid, and without manifesting the design of his movements, galloping down the line. He was soon descried by the enemy, who, clapping their hands on their shoulders, in reference to his epaulettes, exclaimed, 'a general, a rebel general!' Immediately, a man on horseback (not Tarleton) met him and demanded his sword. The Baron reluctantly presented the handle towards him, saying in French: 'Etes-vous un officier, monsieur? (‘Are you an officer, sir?'). His antagonist, not understanding the language, with an oath, more sternly demanded his sword. The Baron then, not understanding him perfectly, with all possible speed rode on, disdaining to surrender to any but an officer.
"The cry 'a rebel general’ sounded along the line. The musketeers immediately, by platoons, fired on him. He proceeded about twenty-five rods, when he fell from his horse mortally wounded. Soon afterwards he was raised to his feet, and striped of his hat, coat and neck-cloth, and placed with his hands resting on a wagon. His body was found upon examination to have been pierced with seven musket balls. Whilst standing in this position, and the blood streaming through his shirt, Cornwallis and his suite rode up. Being informed that the wounded man was Baron de Kalb, he addressed him, saying: 'I am sorry, sir to see you, not sorry that you are vanquished, but sorry to see you so badly wounded.' Having given orders to an officer to administer to the wants of the Baron, the British general rode on to secure the results of his victory.” [John Wheeler’s Historical Sketches of North Carolina From 1784-1851].
Tradition says Baron de Kalb died in the Blue House adjacent to Broad Street three days later, age 59. As he and Lord Cornwallis were both Masons, the British commander ordered a Masonic military funeral, to which his lordship, his officers and six American officers, also Masons, attended. It is said also that the Baron was buried with his helmet, sword and spurs in a grave near Meeting Street between several British soldiers [this funeral was re-created on August 21, 2005 at Historic Camden’s 225th Battle of Camden anniversary weekend].
At first, the American hero’s gravesite received little attention by the war weary citizens of Camden. Eventually, a granite headstone inscribed with a tribute to de Kalb by historian David Ramsey was installed by the local Masonic chapter. Today, the head stone is imbedded behind the front steps of the Robert Mills Courthouse, Kershaw County Chamber of Commerce on Broad Street in Camden.
In 1825, Baron de Kalb’s remains were removed from what had become an abandoned section of town and reburied under a 15-foot granite monument in front of Bethesda. Lafayette, who was touring America as an honored guest of the nation, laid the cornerstone and delivered a brief address. He commented that of all the invitations he had received, the one from Camden to lay the cornerstone on his beloved mentor’s new resting place and monument had meant the most.
The monument was designed by Robert Mills, America’s first architect, who was then in Camden. It was completed in 1827 and cost $2,900. It consists of a base of massive granite blocks surmounted by an obelisk of white marble. On 24 of the foundation stones are cut the names of the 24 states of the Union at that time. The 25th block covers de Kalb’s remains in the vault. The inscription on the four sides of the monument, the same one written some year earlier by Ramsay, reads:
South side (fronting the street): "Here lie the remains of BARON DE KALB, a German by birth, but in principle a citizen of the world."
North side: "In gratitude for his zeal and services, the citizens of Camden have erected this monument."
East side: "His love of Liberty induced him to leave the Old World to aid the citizens of the New in their struggle for INDEPENDENCE. His distinguished talents and many virtues weighed with Congress to appoint him MAJOR GENERAL, in their Revolutionary army."
West side: "He was second in command in the battle fought near CAMDEN, on the sixteenth of August, 1780, between the British and Americans; and there nobly fell, covered with wounds, while gallantly performing deeds of valor in rallying the friends and opposing the enemies of his adopted country."
For information regarding this program please call Bethesda Presbyterian Church 432-4593, Clarence Mahoney 432-1672, email:
mahon329@truvista.net or Joanna Craig at Historic Camden Revolutionary War Site (803) 432-9841, e-mail:
hiscamden@truvista.net . Bethesda Presbyterian Church is located at 502 De Kalb Street, one block east of Broad Street. Directions from I-20/Exit 98: Head towards downtown Camden on Highway 521 North/Broad Street. Turn right at the third stop sign (US Post Office on corner) onto DeKalb Street. Bethesda Church is on your left at the next block.
