From staff reports
The Bluffton Branch Library is hosting a free event, “The Role of the Beaufort Militia in the Revolutionary War” by Richard Thomas, from 11 a.m. to noon on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025.
This event is being co-sponsored by the Beaufort District Collection.
British inroads into South Carolina following the 1778 capture of Savannah were repeatedly confounded by the resourceful militia forces of Beaufort District, north and south of the Broad. Attendees will trace their activities and learn more about some of the individuals whose courage and dedication had a direct impact on the Continental Army’s success in gaining independence from English rule.
Thomas is an experienced global business executive and successful entrepreneur, having served as CEO, President or Executive Vice President in seven different ventures in four diverse industries. He graduated from Princeton University with a degree in East Asian Studies and did graduate field work in Cultural Anthropology in Thailand.
He worked as a linguist team leader in Special Operations Intelligence while in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He speaks three languages — English, Chinese-Mandarin and Thai.
Thomas was co-founder of Battlefield Leadership, a global consulting and training company, where he guided the development and delivery of industry-leading leadership seminars involving historic battlefields in the United States and Europe. He is very involved in local historical organizations such as the Heritage Library, Santa Elena Foundation, and Friends of Honey Hill Board.
He is the Chairman of the Beaufort County 250 Committee responsible for planning local celebrations of the nation’s Semiquincentennial. He wrote “Backwater Frontier: Beaufort County, South Carolina at the Forefront of American History” (2018). His current research interest is focused on the early colonial period of St. Helena and Prince William’s parishes in Beaufort District.
