Archaeologists have made a remarkable discovery in Colonial Williamsburg, uncovering barracks believed to have been constructed by the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Experts assert these barracks were built between 1776 and 1777 and were eventually razed by British forces under General Charles Cornwallis in 1781.
The find came as construction crews prepared a site for a new sports center on property managed by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Initial investigations by an archaeology team, guided by 18th-century maps and period documents, quickly showed the potential for an extraordinary historical revelation.
The four-acre site is already yielding valuable artifacts that shed light on the daily lives of Continental soldiers. Among the items recovered are bricks, an entire chimney base, various gun components, lead musket balls bearing toothmarks, high-quality ceramics, and personal belongings likely linked to officers.
“Archaeological evidence of continental barracks in Virginia is rare,” the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation highlighted in a blog post. “This site, occupied from 1777 to 1781, is particularly valuable since it was built and utilized solely for military purposes. Moreover, much of the site has remained largely untouched since its destruction.”
Only a small segment of the site has been excavated so far, prompting planners to adjust the location of the sports center to ensure future archaeological work can proceed. Archaeologists are optimistic about further discoveries, as the relatively undisturbed nature of the site promises more insights into 18th-century military life. The barracks were intended to accommodate 1,000 soldiers but ended up housing up to 2,000, along with 100 horses.
